Doug Miller wrote:
Can anyone tell me why I would get a 27 volt reading on a 120v
circuit.
I have a old home but some of the home has been re-wired. I am
remodeling my bath room and removed old florescent lights. I
tested
the power at the connections and got a reading of 27v. I climbed
in
the attic and it looks like the wire is coming from a junction
box with
several other wires. It looks like the work was done by a pro.
The
upstairs has 2-20amp (connected together) circuits.

You are using a low impedance (resistance) meter ...

Precisely backwards...a _high_ impedance meter can load a circuit
and
read "phantom" voltages. For such tests of household wiring
circuits
an inexpensive analog meter is probably more reliable than the
digital.

Nope, *you've* got it backwards: high impedance = high sensitivity.
For
a meter with an impedance in the megohm range, it's very easy to
pick up
stray, "phantom" voltage readings.

Ummmm.... that's exactly what he said. What's "backwards"?

I usually place the terminals of a battery across my tongue. A sour taste
implies the battery is good. Haven't tried that technique as a test for
impedence. Maybe impudence.