On Mar 12, 1:47*am, "scorpster" wrote:
"Tony Hwang" wrote in message

...

Hmmm,
Your mistake was using that Fluke with too an input impedance.
One reason I still often use Simpson 260. Some times El Cheapo
analog meter is better in such as our case.

Which readings would have most likely been different if I had used a better
measuring device? *I thought the Fluke multi-meters were pretty good but it
sounds like high voltage electrical is more tender.

Even cheap (non-Fluke) volt meters are sensitive enough to pick up
stray voltages, if you connect one side to ground and then touch your
fingers to the input or + lead one will often pick up enough random
electromagnetic radio and other electrical 'noise' to get small
reading.

And connect it to even dead wiring such a meter will often pick
voltage from other working wiring running next to it within walls etc.
Posters here have reported 'stray/random' but meaningless voltages up
to 43 or more volts.

A good choice for testing such a situation is a plain bulb. Or a
pocket neon lamp/tester (Maybe that's what's called a wiggie?).

A 230 bulb is best but a low wattage 115 volt can be used if just
touched on wires for a moment.

BTW I have a 230 volt low wattage bulb permanently mounted in my
workshop which monitors the 230 volts; if one side were to go open the
115 volts from the oher ;side' would come through whatever 230 volt
appliance happened to be on and that bulb would light more dimly than
at 230 volts dimly.
The single bulb is a better way to monitor the 230 volts than two
bulbs one from each 'side or leg' to neutral.

If one needed to test best way is to turn off main breaker and see
what voltage is on the incoming wires .............

OR: Turn off all the individual circuit house breakers (every single
one of them) and see what voltage there is on the output of the main
breaker by testing the buss bars or inputs to the individual breakers.