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mystery 29 volts RogBaker 09-23-2008
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Posted by on September 23, 2008, 9:38 am


I am going to install a ceiling fan with a light kit in the master
bedroom. The junction box in the ceiling has a 2-conductor wire (plug
ground). I replaced this with a 14-3 wire because I want the ceiling
fan and the light on the fan to have their own seperate power. I wired
in the new switch and now one switch provides power to the black wire
and the new switch provides power to the red wire.

Now before I installed the fan, I decided to measure the voltage on
the wires. Flipping the switch to ON causes the appropriate wire to
measure 122 volts from ground (and neutral). However, If one switch is
OFF, and the other is ON the power wire connected to OFF switch
measures 29 volts. I expected this to measure closer to zero. If I do
put a load on this, it will go to zero. Is this fine/normal? What is
causing this, induction? By the way, the wires that I am measuring are
way longer than they need to be. I will cut them at the appropriate
length when I am satisfied everything is wired correctly.

Posted by hallerb@aol.com on September 23, 2008, 9:50 am


On Sep 23, 9:38=EF=BF=BDam, RogBa...@gmail.com wrote:
> I am going to install a ceiling fan with a light kit in the master
> bedroom. The junction box in the ceiling has a 2-conductor wire (plug
> ground). I replaced this with a 14-3 wire because I want the ceiling
> fan and the light on the fan to have their own seperate power. I wired
> in the new switch and now one switch provides power to the black wire
> and the new switch provides power to the red wire.
>
> Now before I installed the fan, I decided to measure the voltage on
> the wires. Flipping the switch to ON causes the appropriate wire to
> measure 122 volts from ground (and neutral). However, If one switch is
> OFF, and the other is ON the power wire connected to OFF switch
> measures 29 volts. I expected this to measure closer to zero. If I do
> put a load on this, it will go to zero. Is this fine/normal? What is
> causing this, induction? By the way, the wires that I am measuring are
> way longer than they need to be. I will cut them at the appropriate
> length when I am satisfied everything is wired correctly.

bet your using a digitaL METER? its capactive coupling, digital meters
are too sensitive. try a light bulb, see if it glows

Posted by on September 23, 2008, 10:26 am


> bet your using a digitaL METER? its capactive coupling, digital meters
> are too sensitive. try a light bulb, see if it glows- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Thanks hallerb,
Yes, in fact, I used this project as an excuse to by an new digital
meter. I probably still have an analog meter around somewhere. I
wonder if my older digital meter will give the same reading. Thanks, I
will try the bulb test.

Posted by Don Klipstein on September 23, 2008, 6:42 pm


RogBaker@gmail.com wrote:

>> bet your using a digitaL METER? its capactive coupling, digital meters
>> are too sensitive. try a light bulb, see if it glows- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -

>Thanks hallerb,
>Yes, in fact, I used this project as an excuse to by an new digital
>meter. I probably still have an analog meter around somewhere. I
>wonder if my older digital meter will give the same reading. Thanks, I
>will try the bulb test.

Chances are the analog meter will read only a few volts. I have seen
open wires next to hot wires pick up enough to cause a neon test lamp to
glow dimly, but fairly easily visible in a dark room. If the cable has a
wire between the two coupling to each other, and the wire in between is
grounded, then the wire picking up voltage will pick up less voltage and
be unlikely to make a neon test lamp glow.

- Don Klipstein (don@misty.com)

Posted by on September 23, 2008, 3:04 pm



>bet your using a digitaL METER? its capactive coupling, digital meters
>are too sensitive. try a light bulb, see if it glows

It's really a function of any meters input impedance being very high.
So high that induced voltage or capacvitively coupled voltage on the
wire can not drain off. Just put a little load between the two wires
and you'll get the true reading.

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
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