In article , Ian
Stirling writes
Richard Snell wrote:
Hello all,
snip
He found that there was no voltage at the switch ( about 3V ) but
managed to get a reading of 246V at the light fixture in the lving
room. He got about 150V in the hall !!!

We both thought you should either get 0V or 240V !!

Digital meters can often measure the small capacitive currents induced
by wires lying next to each other.
This is not a 'real' voltage, if there is any load, it will fall to zero.

Also the mains voltage is "nominally" 240V but I've seen it as low as
200V and as high as 265V.

If he found no voltage at the switch, sounds like he was measuring
across the switch? To get anything meaningful, one meter probe has to go
to earth or neutral, the other probe to the voltage being measured.
--
Tim Mitchell