On Fri, 2 Apr 2010 15:45:53 -0700 (PDT), mike
wrote:

On Apr 2, 4:37Â*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

(This isn't to say that it isn't *possible* for a DMM to misread due to
stray capacitance or induced voltages, but it is nowhere near as
terrible a problem as you hear here.)


It has happened to me on two different occasions. It's also happened
to a lot of regulars here.

Maybe you have a really advanced digital meter that isn't affected.

Any time wierd voltages pop up, an analog meter should be used to
double check a digital meter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_voltage
Or simply put a half meg-ohm or higher resistance across the leads of
your digital meter. It will "kill the Phantom"