strange voltage
 

We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?

strange voltage
 

"bgtcars" wrote in message
...
We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?


On wiring that has been disconnected, but is still near a live circuit.
Don't use your meter, but instead connect a light bulb to the wires and see
what happens.

strange voltage
 

bgtcars wrote:

We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?
It may be that there is no direct connection here. The two wires you
are measuring may have been abandoned but since they are located along
with other energized wires you may be measuring a capacitive voltage
divider. I'd guess that you are using a high impedance volt meter that
doesn't load the circuit. Measure with a low impedance volt meter, or
load the circuit slightly...perhaps with a small load like a night-lite
(4 or 7 watts) clipped between the two wires you are measuring and the
measured voltage will probably drop to zero.

strange voltage
 

On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:14:37 -0400, Boden wrote:

bgtcars wrote:

We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?
It may be that there is no direct connection here. The two wires you
are measuring may have been abandoned but since they are located along
with other energized wires you may be measuring a capacitive voltage
divider. I'd guess that you are using a high impedance volt meter that
doesn't load the circuit. Measure with a low impedance volt meter, or
load the circuit slightly...perhaps with a small load like a night-lite
(4 or 7 watts) clipped between the two wires you are measuring and the
measured voltage will probably drop to zero.

It'd be nice if those meters came with a button that applies a small
load. You could press it and see if the voltage drops significantly.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Never underestimate the power of stupid
people in large groups"

strange voltage
 

On Mar 30, 11:00�am, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:14:37 -0400, Boden wrote:
bgtcars wrote:

We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?
It may be that there is no direct connection here. �The two wires you
are measuring may have been abandoned but since they are located along
with other energized wires you may be measuring a capacitive voltage
divider. �I'd guess that you are using a high impedance volt meter that
doesn't load the circuit. �Measure with a low impedance volt meter, or
load the circuit slightly...perhaps with a small load like a night-lite
(4 or 7 watts) clipped between the two wires you are measuring and the
measured voltage will probably drop to zero.

It'd be nice if those meters came with a button that applies a small
load. You could press it and see if the voltage drops significantly.
--
Mark Lloydhttp://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Never underestimate the power of stupid
people in large groups"- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

bet a digital meter was used, way too sensitive.

use a light bulb with digital meter at same time..............

strange voltage
 

bgtcars wrote:
We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?

do you get a dial tone on it?

strange voltage
 

Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:14:37 -0400, Boden wrote:


bgtcars wrote:


We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?

It may be that there is no direct connection here. The two wires you
are measuring may have been abandoned but since they are located along
with other energized wires you may be measuring a capacitive voltage
divider. I'd guess that you are using a high impedance volt meter that
doesn't load the circuit. Measure with a low impedance volt meter, or
load the circuit slightly...perhaps with a small load like a night-lite
(4 or 7 watts) clipped between the two wires you are measuring and the
measured voltage will probably drop to zero.


It'd be nice if those meters came with a button that applies a small
load. You could press it and see if the voltage drops significantly.

Yes, and they'd be more usefull when testing batteries.

strange voltage
 

On Mar 30, 10:16*am, bgtcars wrote:
We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?

Obviously limited knowledge of electricity!
Not only that; the the type of wiring, method of measuring and type of
device (meter?) used is not specified!
For example; is it an 'induced' voltage due to disconnected wires
running through the same walls and possibly alongside working
electrical wiring?
The suggestion that maybe it's an old telephone circuit can not be
discounted. Or maybe a disconnected speaker citcuit? Insufficient
info. to comment.
Just hooking up a meter to some unknown wiring is a meaningless
exercise.

strange voltage
 

terry wrote:
On Mar 30, 10:16 am, bgtcars wrote:

We have lived in this house about 9 years, and have found another
problem. Pulled a patch off wall in one back room that we never used
and found wiring that was stubed out, looked like a fixture may have
been there . checked voltage and it was 39.4 there is no switch
controling it that I can find. The light switch in the room is normal
and works good, where could you get that kind of voltage on a line
when the line voltage is 220 /110 service?


Obviously limited knowledge of electricity!
Not only that; the the type of wiring, method of measuring and type of
device (meter?) used is not specified!
For example; is it an 'induced' voltage due to disconnected wires
running through the same walls and possibly alongside working
electrical wiring?
The suggestion that maybe it's an old telephone circuit can not be
discounted. Or maybe a disconnected speaker citcuit? Insufficient
info. to comment.
Just hooking up a meter to some unknown wiring is a meaningless
exercise.
Hi,
Specially if the meter is digital type.
Some cases analog meter is more useful.

strange voltage
 

On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:21:53 -0400, Boden wrote:

Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:14:37 -0400, Boden wrote:

It'd be nice if those meters came with a button that applies a small
load. You could press it and see if the voltage drops significantly.

Yes, and they'd be more usefull when testing batteries.

I do have one digital meter with settings for voltage testing, and two
other settings for battery testing. I forget the brand.