vyacheslav
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2016
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Greetings,
I have an older home (1950) with a mix of original wiring (cloth/rope type) and newer Romex. I have several items on one circuit, but the three way switch that controls two overheads simultaneously is reading 7-10 volts when the switch is off (when just testing the wire with no fixture yet installed). When the switch is turned off, the voltage starts at around 70 and then slowly (within about 10 seconds) descends to 7-10 volts (it's 120 when tuned on, of course). The wiring powering the fixtures (in the junction box) is the old type; the fixtures themselves are on new Romex (I replaced one and added a second). When a porcelain socket base was connected to one of the Romex wires that will power the fixtures temporarily just to test it, the light turns on and off as it should from both switches. Just to clarify, the three way switches (there are two will turn both lights on and off simultaneously. Everything else on that circuit works as it should with no issues. Another clarification, I have not yet installed the new fixtures because there is some ceiling patching and painting that I need to do first. So, I just have one (temporary) ceramic socket base to provide light in the meantime; the other fixture the switches will control is just wire hanging out of the ceiling box (nutted/taped for safety).
Is this low voltage reading normal, especially with older wiring? Anything to be concerned about?
Thanks for your help!
V
I have an older home (1950) with a mix of original wiring (cloth/rope type) and newer Romex. I have several items on one circuit, but the three way switch that controls two overheads simultaneously is reading 7-10 volts when the switch is off (when just testing the wire with no fixture yet installed). When the switch is turned off, the voltage starts at around 70 and then slowly (within about 10 seconds) descends to 7-10 volts (it's 120 when tuned on, of course). The wiring powering the fixtures (in the junction box) is the old type; the fixtures themselves are on new Romex (I replaced one and added a second). When a porcelain socket base was connected to one of the Romex wires that will power the fixtures temporarily just to test it, the light turns on and off as it should from both switches. Just to clarify, the three way switches (there are two will turn both lights on and off simultaneously. Everything else on that circuit works as it should with no issues. Another clarification, I have not yet installed the new fixtures because there is some ceiling patching and painting that I need to do first. So, I just have one (temporary) ceramic socket base to provide light in the meantime; the other fixture the switches will control is just wire hanging out of the ceiling box (nutted/taped for safety).
Is this low voltage reading normal, especially with older wiring? Anything to be concerned about?
Thanks for your help!
V
