Yes, it's coming through the light. It has to get its power from somewhere and it does need a finite, if small, amount of power. The light is connected in parallel with the switch. When the switch is closed the light is off. When the switch is open the line voltage appears across the switch and the light glows. The load that is being switched has a high current demand, relative to the small light, that it acts like a short circuit, almost. Your meter has a higher resistance than the load so it shows a voltage. If you connect a 60 watt lightbulb in parallel with your meter the voltage will all but disappear.
Regards. Max. K 4 O D S. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Transistor site http://www.funwithtransistors.net Vacuum tube site: http://www.funwithtubes.net Music site: http://www.maxsmusicplace.com To subscribe to the fun with tubes group send an email to, [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Hodges" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 7:00 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] 3-Way Light Switch Problem >I recently installed 3-way light switches at each end of an office in our > house to control the ceiling fan and light. The ceiling fan stopped > working > after about one month. I checked the voltage of the wires coming out of > the > ceiling box and when the switch is turned on, I get 120 volts, when it is > turned off, I get about 54 volts. > > > > Next I went to the first 3-way switch where the wires are connected from > my > breaker box and the problem originates there. I have 120 volts where my > hot > wire is from the breaker and one of the other two connections on the > switch > reads 120, and the other reads 54. When I flip the switch in the other > direction, I get 54 volts on the side that had 120, and get 120 volts on > the > one that was 54 volts. > > > > I disconnected the wires from the switch that lead to the other switch, > and > the only wire left connected to the 3-way switch is the power source. I > then tested the connecting screw only on each side (without wires > attached) > and get the same results. > > > > One other item I forgot to mention is that this 3-way light switch is the > type that when the item it is controlling is turned off, the switch has a > tiny light in it so you can see in the dark. Also I took the switch out > and > bought another one identical to it at Lowes, hooked it up and got the same > problem. > > > > Does anyone know where this 54 volts is coming from? > > > > Thanks, > > Tom > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > ------------------------------------ > > Send any questions regarding list management to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29 > Or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various > List Members At The Following address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ > > Visit the archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following > address for more information: > http://www.jaws-users.com/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Links > > > > >
