I'm new here, just fishing for a sanity check about a building at a property I bought,

I have an old building where the box isn't labeled. I removed the breaker and all writing is gone. So I measured the 2 wires(black & blue) to get 90v, but 125v each with ground to the metal box/conduit. (a) is this just a 2 wire 220v (b) or something else?

The circuit is running lights, and needy of replacing a few. Need to know what to get at the hardware store. Also would like to add a heater for winter months, don't know what to purchase.

 

Where in the world are you?
Sounds like it requires a complete assessment and possible rewire particularly if located in N.A.
It should, and probably will have a local inspection by local authority.
Max.

 

Sorry Georgia.

I went to school for EE, but that was 15 years ago & went directly into Telecom/Networking.. Never used it, so I've forgotten wayy to much!

I just need to replace a few lights for a work shop out back of the house I bought, I want to replace breakers and those accommodations. I'm thinking the readings are telling me it's an old split phase 220v or I'll need to go find a ground up in the conduit.

 

But it sounds from what you have said so far there are problems of some concern when you do not have a proper grounded system and voltages do not confirm to what they should?
Example, is your ground system set up properly and do you have a valid neutral?
Max.

 

It's coming off the pole & appears to be from it's own transformer. I'm thinking it's an old 2 wire(no ground) 220v split system or I'll need to find a 3rd wire in the conduit.. If it's an old standard, I'll follow along with what it is, unless I cannot find compatible heater, lighting... etc

But trying to avoid climbing around and chasing wires in 17ft ceilings to get my answer. Honestly, don't want to buy a ladder to do all that investigating.

 

I am not sure of the local regulation where you are, but here an installation like that would have to be brought up to code before completion, you should have a safe ground system in place.
This may involve sinking a couple of ground rods.
If it was a split 220v system there would normally be a neutral (3 wires) and a grounded neutral.
Max.

 

Yes, that is what I was thinking.

In the possibility of this being an older circuit; pre 80's, this is where my distance from the industry fails me, is there something I'm thinking of ?
I'm pulling voltage off a timer switch that has both wires terminating into it. So this is the beginning OR the end however you'd look at it.

If both wires are hot(125v to metal box) then it should read 240v across both? I get lost at getting 90v across both. Maybe this is an older circuit where the use the conduit as a ground ? Not safe, but that was acceptable at one point in time.

 

A 90 volt reading means the circuit is turned off and you're just reading leakage current, or you aren't measuring right, or something is terribly wrong with the wiring.

You said, "pole" and, "transformer". Look at the cable from the pole to the house. There should be 2 insulated wires and a naked wire, probably aluminum. Those go to a meter and then to your fuse box or circuit breaker box. A good electronics guy can tell a lot from measuring inside that box. Go find neutral and both phases and measure 1) each phase to neutral and 2) the voltage across the two phase lines. If you can't find 120 V and 240 V your problems are already located. It's the divide and conquer method. Measure in the breaker box and you have evaluated the outside half of the electrical service.

 

There is where the issue comes in, getting up there requires a ladder that I do not want to buy.

But all investigation I've done, no ground found,,, It's a straight 2 wire 220v and the conduit is the neutral.. maybe a pre 80's commercial drop ? Or maybe the 90v is coming from a 110v leg done and the conduit is being used as a neutral??

 

I would think it calls for some professional appraisal of the situation and the best/wisest route to take.
Max.

 

Appreciate your help.

 

There is where the issue comes in, getting up there requires a ladder that I do not want to buy.

It is a violation of the National Electrical Code to place a fuse box where you need a ladder to get at it. Maybe you should start with that. As long as you can not measure the service entrance, you have little to work with.

Personally, I own 7 ladders, but I don't have a 10 foot ladder. I have a 2 stepper, a three stepper, a 6', 8', 16', 28' and 32'. I rented a ten foot ladder twice, two jobs where the only thing that would work was a 10 foot ladder. You can rent a ladder, too.

 

Well it's not where you need a ladder. However, after climbing up on the inside upper level the first time; I'd rather not risk going up there again. In order to demo & rebuild, I need lights. This is where I'm trying figure out what lights I need to buy.

Ta-da...

Again, thank you for you assistance.

 

Its unlikely to have ever been wired as a dedicated two wire system with no common line or ground other than the conduit at any time ever. At least not legally.

If it was me I would try putting a pair of light bulbs on the two assumed hot lines and see what their voltages read with a load on each of them independently and at the same time. If it still reads some odd combination of voltages you have a problem and whatever from wherever that system feeds from needs to be redone to make things right.

 

Hey thanks...

I'm pulling voltage at a timer switch down on main level... this pair terminates on the timer switch, nothing else I can see in conduit. There is no other box I can safely reach. I'm just wondering if the neutral has been tied to the conduit somewhere I cannot reach. If so, I can get the needed lights and begin fixing all this, maybe not code, but that would be the direction I'd be heading.

Not trying to cut corners, but surely not trying to gold plate everything.

 

I'm new here, just fishing for a sanity check about a building at a property I bought,

Not trying to cut corners,

I think what you are looking for is someone here to condone jury rigging a system that requires some serious attention.
I am not sure of what help or remedy you can obtain from the local service company, but I would at least see if they have some responsibility in bring the supply installation up to code.
The fix could well be of a relatively simple nature, but I am loath to offer advice that may well cause personal harm, damage or fire etc.
If you have limited electrical experience, obtaining a solution to a problem such as this, is out of the realm of a site such as this without yourself having a true understanding of proper electrical installation.
Max.

 

Hey thanks...

I'm pulling voltage at a timer switch down on main level... this pair terminates on the timer switch, nothing else I can see in conduit. There is no other box I can safely reach. I'm just wondering if the neutral has been tied to the conduit somewhere I cannot reach. If so, I can get the needed lights and begin fixing all this, maybe not code, but that would be the direction I'd be heading.

Not trying to cut corners, but surely not trying to gold plate everything.

I can relate. I've done worse things to get temporary power someplace. Once I literally used a piece of coat hanger wire to jumper two sides of a double 12ga line (formerly 240 VAC split phase feed form 100 amp service point) together going to a dual 20 amp fuse box to get power over to the second side being one of the feed lines had gone bad.

That temporary fix was suposed to keep things going for a week or two until a new feedline from the main service was put in. About 20 years later it finally got done when my brother took over the place from my dad and redid the outbuilding and put in a 2 ga feeder line set and up to date breaker panel.

That's just one of dozens of 'not up to any code temporary to make things work now' fixes I have done over the years and a small part of countless more I have found that were done by others. Many by certified professionals in high use commercial applications at places I worked for too.

If you are comfortable with what may happen and chose to use it as it is it's your call. No one here dies from it if it goes wrong.