Quick Question for the Electricians

[911_Dude]

Im in the process of installing a LED track light in an upstairs hallway. The older halogen unit burnt out at the transformer after about 10 years. The ceiling mount has the type of switch where you can control the on/off from both an upstairs and a downstairs wall switch.

So, I removed the old track light. I like to be sure the circuit is off, so I put a VOM on the hot and neutral. I had 46 VAC in the off position and 125 in the on position. N to GND also gets 46 V as well as Hot to GND. I toggled the two on/off switches and got the same thing.

What does this mean and sould I get an electrician to rewire this circuit?

Additional info: The junction box feels slightly warm. Not hot, but warmer than the room. It is an attic ceiling above tho. Im pretty certain its just attic heat. Also, a few years ago the water pipe to the house was struck by lightning and fried one leg of the panel. Had that replaced and haven't had any issues.

House is 100 yrs old. It has been rewired before I owned it, but I have cloth wires in this junction box (hate that).

[nota]

yes !

rewire

[TargaTony]

Rewire!
It sounds like when your house was rewired, the electrician did not balance the neutrals. He just connected any and all neutrals (white wires) together. Now the neutral wires have to much load and are now causing the heat in the junction box.

[bickyd]

have an electrician come and ring out your circuits in that jb and separate the neutrals. have him also check the insulation on the wires with a megger. no need to rewire yet. should only be an hour or so.

[look 171]

First off, is this a track light? Where's the burned transformer? They should be in the track light itself not at the track unless you have those older low voltage tracks. I have only seen those once.

J box should feel hot, but it is in the attic and metal (not plastic?) does retain heat. How many wires are in there. Some people cramp a thousand wires in there so heat doesn't dissipate. Open it up and feel the wires and see if its hot. Its normally should be, but warm in the summer months, yes. Something maybe up with the wires in that J box. have someone check that circuit(s) in there. No need to re-wire yet. Just because it has cloth sheathing it doesn't mean its bad. When you touch it, doesn't it crumble? If it does, then maybe its time to re-wire? It just depends. You maybe able to get many more years out of it.

[911_Dude]

Thanks for the replys. The transformer was right up against the j box. Standard Home Depot track light. And yes, Im confident the heat is just the metal box with its back to the attic heat. Cloth insulation still seems in tact.

Im not an electrician, but I know enough to be dangerous. I hadnt thought about the balanced Neutrals. If that is the case, shouldnt there be "stray" voltage in some of the other outlets? Havnt checked to see yet.

[1990C4S]

Check some receptacles. Line to neutral, and neutral to ground.

I suspect there is nothing wrong, was some voltage coming back through a transformer.

[T77911S]

are you sure it is not 46mv? or .46v, .046v

[peppy]

When you turned the circuit off, was that with the wall switch or at the breaker box?

[911_Dude]

Wall switch

[peppy]

Originally Posted by 911_Dude

Wall switch

What voltage do you get when you turn the breaker off?

[911_Dude]

Ill have to check later when I get home

[E Sully]

Might have an open neutral in the circuit.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by T77911S

are you sure it is not 46mv?

This Turn off the auto ranging.

Neutral and ground go to the same place.