That 83 volts indicates an open or missing ground. It's kind of a long
story involving meter impedances, but anything but 120 or therabouts and
ground is going to be what they call a "phantom" voltage - induced voltage
from nearby electrical fields.
It's surprising a 30's age house has rigid conduit, but conduit,
especially when it's THAT old is very unreliable as a ground conductor. Not
all conduit is designed to be used as a grounding connection. Most likely
you need to run a ground wire and don't forget to connect it to the metal
boxes if the switches, etc., don't make that connection for you.
Also good idea to check with your local code office for known-good
advice.

HTH

Pop`


travelingart wrote:
I am re-wiring some of the boxes in a 30's vintage cottage. The old
rubber
wiring is crumbling in the steel boxes. Currently the house has the
original
ridgid conduit and some romex from a previous owner.



After installing a new recepticle and grounding the recepticle to the
steel box
which is connected to conduit to the panel, I am only getting 83 volts
across
the ground and the hot.



A plug in detector indicates the recepticle is installed properly.
Voltage
between the hot and neutral is 123 volts.



What are the suspected problems and how can I identify where that
problem(s) is?

Thanks so much for yuor help,much obliged

T