Replies

1. 
   pm22 | Mar 28, 2009 03:10am | #1

   You undoubtedly have a problem with your meter. Try using an analogue meter.
   As for your problem with the light, I suggest you become familiar with 3 way switches and then figure out what you got.
   ~Peter

1. 
   markloeh | Mar 28, 2009 03:20am | #3

   I used both digital and analog meters, same results. Already know how 3 ways work, thanks.

2. 
   mdcc | Mar 28, 2009 03:19am | #2

   Bump.

   I don't have an answer for you but I am interested to see what people come up with.  Your thoughts on an induced voltage sound feasible but 5V sounds high.  I would be more curious about the 35V.  You have probably already done this but I would trace out the entire circuit.  Checking for defective switches might be a starting point?

1. 
   DanH | Mar 28, 2009 03:56am | #5

   5 volts is LOW for a phantom voltage. It's more common for it to be in the 35-75 volt range.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

3. 
   DanH | Mar 28, 2009 03:54am | #4

   Phantom voltage. Caused by capacitance between the wires.

   Use a mechanical voltmeter, or a digital one designed for electrical circuits that has a built-in load resistor.

   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

   
   

   ---

   Edited 3/27/2009 8:55 pm by DanH

4. 
   MikeMicalizzi | Mar 28, 2009 02:45pm | #6

   Have you tried replacing the 3-ways?

   Or, you just pull the light fixture out and test to see if there's power there

5. 
   DanH | Mar 28, 2009 03:00pm | #7

   I'm guessing the electrician screwed it up somehow. Could be a loose connection somewhere, or an out-and-out wiring error.

   You need someone who understands these things a little better to noodle it out.

   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith
1. 
   DaveRicheson2 | Mar 28, 2009 06:11pm | #8

   Sounds like a miswired neutral. He has two circuits in the same pipe. the electrician may have shred a neutral or crossed them somwhere. May be and imbalanced load voltage.

   Or, just something as simple as some skinned insulation on a hot somewhere. If the fan was added using an existing run of conduite he likely did a pull out/pull in, using one of the old wres for his pull wire. It is a pretty common way to add wires but if the conduite is crowded and the  wires are not tapped to the pull wire correctly, it is easy to skin an existing wire durring the pull. ( don't ask me how I know)

1. 
   calvin | Mar 28, 2009 07:40pm | #9

   Welcome to Breaktime Dave.

   Be forewarned, there's another guy here with your peculiar last name.  That could mean trouble.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

2. 
   DanH | Mar 28, 2009 08:26pm | #10

   If it was skinned insulation the breaker would blow or the light wouldn't go out.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

1. 
   DaveRicheson2 | Mar 29, 2009 04:14pm | #17

   I have seen 277v absolutely rattle the pipe from skinned wires and not blow a breaker.

   Strange things happen in the real world.

1. 
   DanH | Mar 29, 2009 05:22pm | #18

   Yeah, but that's only because of that penny you put in the fusebox.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

2. 
   DaveRicheson2 | Mar 29, 2009 06:17pm | #19

   Believe me, I've seen that and worse.

   Like a piece of copper buss shoved in place of a buss fuse in a I've disconnect.

   I worked in one facility that had both Delta and wye three phase. You had to be real careful to figure out which one you were working on, cause chances were that someone had haywired something in the past.

   The problem of being an electrician at an electric utility company is that everybody that ever worked there thought they were electricians. No one ever bothered with the NEC because the first page exempted power companies from it. The old guys I worked for took that to mean everything the company owned, not just the generation and transmission facilities.

   I am amazed that I survived my training sometimes :>)

3. 
   DanH | Mar 29, 2009 09:47pm | #20

   Was working on a house down in Pass Christian that had been owned by a power company guy. He SORTA knew what he was doing, but we found a lot of scary stuff.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

6. 
   slavemonkey | Mar 29, 2009 04:10am | #11

   Hey everyone. I have been building for years and reading FHB but never been into this part of FHB. I came across your 3-way electrical problem and it got me thinking about a situation I had.

   The light won't turn on? Try turning one of the switches to the on position. Then go and turn the other switch to the on or off position whatever the case. If that does not work then go back and reposition the first switch and come back to the second switch and move it. If this lets the light work at one of the switches but not the other then you have a traveler/power(black) mixed up on one of the switches.

   Another thing to think about, is the feed coming into the switch then switch then light, or switch, light, switch, or light, switch, switch (about 5-6 different ways to wire a 3-way)in any case some of these situations involve using the neutral(white) in different ways at the switch and/or at the light. This might explain why your getting a reading but not enough to run the switch and light. Maybe he didn't mark the neutral as hot if he used it this way or maybe he should have used it this way depending on the situation.

1. 
   rasconc | Mar 29, 2009 07:26am | #14

   Maybe I have had too much to drink but there is not an off or on position on a three way IIRC.  But then I am not an electrician, drunk or sober.

    

   For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.

   Edited 3/29/2009 12:27 am ET by rasconc

1. 
   DanH | Mar 29, 2009 02:44pm | #15

   There's such a thing as a sober electrician??
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith

1. 
   rasconc | Mar 29, 2009 03:52pm | #16

   I do know one who has completed the 12th step.  Sort of kidding but actually a friend at church did party a little too hard on many fronts and then decided that he needed to stay away from all of it.  Now won't even drink a beer.  I think they want to pull his license (:-). For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.

2. 
   slavemonkey | Mar 29, 2009 11:10pm | #21

   Maybe I should have said"...move the switch lever on one of the 3-way switches in the opposite direction from which it was when first attempting to solve the problem of no power to the light and when that didn't work, relocate said switch to previous position. Then repeat process on second switch lever until....never mind. not enough time or space. Seriously, Thanks for letting me be part of the discussion.

1. 
   calvin | Mar 30, 2009 12:02am | #22

   Welcome to Breaktime and don't get discouraged too easily.

   Please fill out your profile, thanks.A Great Place for Information, Comraderie, and a Sucker Punch.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   http://www.quittintime.com/

    

7. 
   markloeh | Mar 29, 2009 05:43am | #12

   Took the circuit apart and found a bad neutral connection. Still wonder what generates that phantom voltage though.....

1. 
   DanH | Mar 29, 2009 06:27am | #13

   Capacitance.
   The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. -John Kenneth Galbraith