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I am replacing a fluorescent light with a fan and incandescent

 
77Sparky77's Avatar
  • Answered by:77Sparky77
  • Master Electrician
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Customer Question

I am replacing a fluorescent light with a fan and incandescent light. The old fixture had a red (hot) and white (neutral) wire coming into it. The wall switches work to put 120 V across those wires when on. So far so good. When off, there's 20-30 V across those 2 wires. ??? I don't think I want that across the new fixture. I want it on or off and then to control the fan speed with the pull cord. What to do? Is this even normal? The old fluorescent had rapid start ballasts. Are they supposed to have some voltage on them at all times?

Submitted: 373 days ago.
Category: Electrical
Value: $15
Status: CLOSED

Accepted Answer

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Expert:  77Sparky77 replied 373 days ago.


77Sparky77 : Hi my name is XXXX XXX I will be happy to help you with your question.
77Sparky77 : This is normal if the red and white wire is going across a Switch. what you are reading is potential between the two wires.
Customer :

thank u chad. I'm bill

Customer :

yeah, I go the potential with a voltmeter

Customer :

so it's nothing to be concerned about?

77Sparky77 : Is there a ground wire in the box with the switch?
Customer :

yes

Customer :

i will ground the new fixture

Customer :

hold on. in the switch, i don't know

Customer :

there's ground in the junction box for the fan

Customer :

i see a ground wire in one of the switch boxes

Customer :

i see a ground wire in the other switch box too

Customer :

2 wall switches - either one toggled the fluorescent on/off

77Sparky77 : Oh ok. If there was a ground wire in the switch box you could check Voltage between the ground and and one wire at a time with the switch off. One wire should read around 120 volts and the other should read almost nothing.
77Sparky77 : ok you have a 3way switch system.
77Sparky77 : If you read a little voltage across the switch it is normal.
77Sparky77 : It should be safe to replace the current fixtures with new ones.
Customer :

switch off - ground to black: 120V, ground to red: 37V

Customer :

switch on: ground to either black or red is 120V

Customer :

a volt or two - OK, that could be noise. Is 37 Volts "a little voltage". this is just too weird

77Sparky77 : this is a 3way switch. There really is no on or off. this system depends on two switches to complete the circuit to turn on the lights. The voltages you are describing are perfectly normal.
Customer :

Cool. I need to read up on this. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Thank you.

77Sparky77 : I hope I have helped and please let me know if I can help you further.

Expert TypeMaster Electrician
Category: Electrical
Pos. Feedback: 100.0 %
Accepts: 23
Answered: 4/3/2012

Experience: I am a Master Electrician with 12 year experiance in industrial,residential,and commercial electrical work.

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