35V on earth

[Ross1]

Morning guys, I'm doing an EICR. I'm coming across a lot of problems in this house. Anybody got any ides why I'm getting 35V on a number of earths at switches and fittings. I've come across this by doing an R2 wander lead test throughout the house as everything is chrome. The earths in question have no continuity back to the MET/CU. There is a number of 12V lighting on different switches on the same circuit. If it helps, when I switch the bedroom light on (230V) the 35V at the switch reduces to 20V. Any ideas guys

 

[sparks1234]

Probably as you have no earth connection, maybe laying next to another cable for a distance and hence picking it up that way

 

[telectrix]

agreed. try an analogue meter. if it's induced voltage, then the lower input impedance will drain it. main thing is to get the remedials and fix the earthing problem/s.

 

[Octopus]

Or induced voltages. Turn off the other circuits and see if it goes away.

 

[Ross1]

Got the remedial's Tel, have turned off all other circuits so not picking up any impedance Murdoch other than on its own circuit, which would surely mean that if you run in a new lighting circuit and don't connect the earth to the met then you would get voltage on the earth.

 

[Ross1]

I'm gonna connect the earths back to the origin and see whether the voltage disappears. I'm sure it's gonna

 

[telectrix]

connect 'em back using your wander lead as a temp. connection. see if the voltage disappears.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

The title is misleading. You are finding 35V on an unconnected conductor that is not earth(ed). That is normal and tells you nothing, other than confirming that it's unconnected and floating up to some random voltage as it lies alongside energised conductors.

If you had 35V (w.r.t. real earth) on something that was connected to the MET, that would be a problem.