But the OP says there is an open somewhere, so the voltage may not be clamped. I can't understand why the opposition to putting an actual light bulb on the breaker output to put the issue of a possible breaker problem to rest. Swapping out the breaker is probably the way to go, but the light bulb is 100% accurate. I have in my 78 years seen all sorts of phantom effects like the OP is talking about, and the light bulb or some other actual load is the only guaranteed way to do this.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 11:53:44 PM UTC-4, wrote:
But the OP says there is an open somewhere, so the voltage may not be clamped. I can't understand why the opposition to putting an actual light bulb on the breaker output to put the issue of a possible breaker problem to rest. Swapping out the breaker is probably the way to go, but the light bulb is 100% accurate. I have in my 78 years seen all sorts of phantom effects like the OP is talking about, and the light bulb or some other actual load is the only guaranteed way to do this.

Good grief. He said he replaced the breaker with a new
one and he also tried swapping breakers. That rules out the
breaker.

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 7:36:14 AM UTC-4, bob haller wrote:

I suuuest you check every outlet in your home for power. every last one

done

On Wed, 28 May 2014 20:53:44 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

But the OP says there is an open somewhere, so the voltage may not be clamped. I can't understand why the opposition to putting an actual light bulb on the breaker output to put the issue of a possible breaker problem to rest. Swapping out the breaker is probably the way to go, but the light bulb is 100% accurate. I have in my 78 years seen all sorts of phantom effects like the OP is talking about, and the light bulb or some other actual load is the only guaranteed way to do this.


The idea of putting a lamp (loadf) right on the breaker is not a BAD
idea - just un-necessary in determining if it is a bad breaker. If the
breaker is bad and there is a load on the line, a non-contact
indicator will show a dead circuit. The only thing it will NOT find is
a combination of a dead breaker AND an open circuit. Not an
impossibility, but it would be quite a coincidence.

On Thu, 29 May 2014 03:06:43 -0700 (PDT), Frank Thompson
wrote:

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 7:36:14 AM UTC-4, bob haller wrote:

I suuuest you check every outlet in your home for power. every last one

done
ANd only 2 do not have power with that breaker off? And if not,
they DO have power with the breaker on? Come on - what were the
results of your testing??

On Thursday, May 29, 2014 11:52:12 AM UTC-4, wrote:

ANd only 2 do not have power with that breaker off?

That is correct, and there are only two on the circuit


they DO have power with the breaker on?

No