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Tater wrote:
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.

my first thought is that you have your meter set at DC.

my second thought is that you are not using it correctly. one probe on
black, the other to the ground, then the first probe on the white.
(white should be zero, black 100-140V, unless i got em reversed in my
head)

another thought is that you are measuring voltage on a dead line (to
see if it is live before you work on it), and you are reading DC off of
other devices on the circuit. or you are reading 27 millivolts and are
picking up stray radio signals.

yet another thought is that you are reading oddball stuff off the
ballast, which does not equal yer usual voltages, thats why the ballast
is there. not sure though.

STILL yet another thought is your battery in your meter is dead.

does anyone notice I dont say any rubbish about meter loading? if the
meter is designed to read line voltage, it was designed to work at the
proper loads, maybe not perfect, but i'd point at the first few
thoughts before I'd even think of loading.

lets try to keep the common sense handy people

hope the OP replies, I betting my money on dead battery

Tater thanks for your reply.

I have used this meter a lot over the years and it has always worked
when checking circuits. It works on other circuits in my home however
I tried as you suggested on a few different outlets. All but the line
in question reads as follows. Black wire about 122. White wire .694.
I am reading volts not mV and I do have my tester set to AC. The
battery indicator is not showing low but I haven't changed it in a long
time.