HELP!!! I've installed and wired a number of projects, and today I ran into a problem where I am stumped. I went to install a new light fixture to a box that had a working Keypadlinc switch (with dimmer).
My task was to run a new set of hot wires (including a ground) to a new outdoor box that would feed a ceiling fan. The existing box (where the problems is) is at the end of a lighting electrical circuit. At all times, including this moment, the balance of the circuit works fine.
When I was reinstalling the installing the Keypadlinc, it would not power up. At first I thought I blew the switch. Testing with a voltmeter showed I may have had a short with the circuit fed by the box (which I did not originally touch). When I tested with a Voltmeter, I found that I had no voltage between the neutral and the load (before the switch). Then I found that I had a 50 volt load between the load and the black lead running to the existing light fixture, leading me to believe I had a short because there should have been no power between those two wires. I disconected the leads in that circuit and eliminated that 50 volt load.
Now the intersting part, I tested between the load and the ground wire (plastic boxes and romex), and had a 110 volt load even though there is no load visible using the neutral/white wire! An ohm/resistance test across the neutral/white and ground is ZERO.
How can I have voltage on the ground and apparently no connection on the neutral? I cannot think of anything I did that could have broken the white wire.
Suggestions?
Can I use the ground as a neutral on this one box and make it all work?
