We put up 158 florescent lights in commercial job. They all work from two switches through contactors. I was in a j box hooking up a emergency light with the breakers off for the emergency circuit. Realized that I had 120v from neutral to ground. I traced it to a row of lights.

I have a row of about 13 8ft t8 fixtures. I have a whip that comes into the middle. When I tie the hot in going either direction, I get 120v from neutral to ground. The Lights work. I know this should not be on the neutral or can this happen with fl lights. I've never had it before but I don't know that much about the internal working of ballasts.

Sounds like a missing N-G bond at the source. Do these lights come off of new transformer? If so, I suspect a missing bond.

Larry C

I bet the neutral is not continous to the neutral busbar. Start checking at the branch source first and then out to the lights. Open circuit someplace.