ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area 60 volts

I just spoke on the phone with a homeowner who owns a voltmeter. His clock stopped working overnight. After checking all the usual suspects, he broke out his voltmeter and it read 60 volts where the clock was plugged in. He decided to test the tester and it was reading 120 everywhere else in the house. I didn't know what to tell him; it's usually all or nothing. What would cause this? I've never encountered this situation before. The receptacle is not connected to a wall switch and as far as he could tell(which probably isn't very far) nothing else was connected to that circuit.
Any ideas? Thanks.
BB

sounds like a lost neutral on the circuit. it could be from the last recept. that feeds the clock cir. I have found broken 'jumpers' on the recepts. that is when the line and load wires are pigtailed on the four scews on the recepts.

I have no good reason to believe that the clock is on a circuit all by itself.

He needs to test the voltage under load and to the EGC.

Hurry, hurry, hurry to that guys house. I've got a bag full of outlets where the neutral was loose on the outlet. Even where the electrician had spliced the neutral and the rest of the circuit was unaffected. The loose noodle on the outlet itself will heat like a stove element, and it WILL get hot enough to start a fire. Start a collection of your own.