I found the "culprit" for the ground voltage. After tracing the circuit throughout the house, and finding several unrelated problems, it led me to an abandoned oil furnace under the house. The wires had never been disconnected, and it was in terrible shape. Wire were frayed, the internal wiring of the furnace was hanging loose, and the switch was in the "on" position. Without crawing over heat duct etc. to actually check the voltage, it was obvious what was happening. I cut the feed to the switch loose and disconnected it. Obviously the furnace had 115 volts on it through one of the frayed wires. The furnace probably on cement blocks (I was to occupied with spiders,dirt,mud,and fatique, to notice any specifics), is probably why I didn't get "fried" while on the ground doing my troubleshooting. Since the furnace was an oil furnace, it had lines going to the underground fuel tank, which was about 10ft. from the electrical service. This explains why the voltage got higher the further I went from the meter, since I was getting closer to the underground tank. Once I cut the wire loose going to the furnace, the voltage on the ground outside went away. Several things to be thankful for here. #1. First the kids were in their swimming pool, almost on top of this underground tank. #2. I was on my knees on the ground when I got a "jolt". #3. The person who lived in the house, was about a split second from touching the vents to the underground tank, when I cautioned him not to touch anything metal ( at that time I had not found the problem). Many things on this job, just reinforces my belief that there is a "higher power" that has everything in control:) Giving thanks, Steve...
