neutral to earth voltage

[froria]

Hi guys. I was in a shop today upgrading the emergency lighting bulkhead lights. I noticed there was a voltage of about 12v ac between neutral and earth.

Would I be correct in thinking this is from the load of the circuit and the volt drop involved? Or am I way off here.

This is a single phase tncs supply.

 

[Andy™]

could be inductance. or it could well be volt drop, although a little high

could even be a sign on a dodgy neutral connection

 

[Doc Hudson]

Assuming you were working on the cables with the power off for that fitting, it could well be just an induced voltage in the neutral from other adjacent live circuits.

Doc H.

 

[steptoe]

was it actually a voltage?

or just something a meter told you was there?

 

[shed69]

Did you get a tickle off it when you held them........

 

[steptoe]

another thing,

are you actually in the USofA? this is mainly a UK forum so answers may be of no relevance.

 

[froria]

Thanks guys.

Step I am an American in Bristol. Sparky of course. ( might have a song in there somewhere)

My fluke multimeter let me know this, as I got a little tickle off the gear tray of the emerg fitting with the power isolated.

 

[Sidewinder]

frioria,

What input impedance is your multimeter?

The voltages you are measuring may be phantom voltages due to tray/induced voltages with no current "behind" them.

More info is needed sorry!