"Pop" wrote in message
news:9Q2Kf.4940$Td2.488@trndny06...

"Ed Varin" wrote in message
news:g90Kf.4710$Ug4.3161@dukeread12...
:I have one circuit in my home that I am getting 28 vols through
the bare
: copper ground wire. This circuit has severallights on it. Any
ideas what the
: problem could be? Even with the breaker off I am getting
voltage. The
: electrical panel looks ok.
: Ed
:
:
It sounds like you're reading a phantom voltage, one which is
induced into the wiring by stray fields, and quite harmless. But
you really should prove that. You really didn't give enough
details to make a sound judgement.

One way to prove phantom voltage would be to turn on one of the
light switches on the ckt. If it goes completely away, it's just
a phantom voltage. If there is still any voltage left, then it's
time to call a repairman or at least a friend who knows how to
tell when he's found a phantom voltage: It's very, very common,
especially when high impedance meters are used for the
measurement.
Someone asked a bunch of questions that I don't yet see
answered; that would help a lot.

Pop

Yes, phantom voltage can be puzzling to some. I can remember my first high
impedence VTVM, I found that it could read voltage between my left and and
my right hand. I guess this is one of the principals of a lie detector.