35V on light fixture with switch off

[fishyhands]

Greetings Guru:  I recently put a LED bulb in my house's front door light.  It promptly lit up dimly with the switch off.  I put the meter on it and saw about 35-45V.  The fixture was old so I took it off and tried the bare wires, still had voltage on it with the switch off.  Checked the switch and it was good (used ohmmeter with the switch disconnected).  Only thing I can think off is looking into the switch box (room for 2 switches, foyer and front light) I could see several cables  in the back, some of which had been pigtailed together at construction (I assume, not first owner and house is 73 years old).

 

Is this normal?  Is there something I missed?  I'll call an electrician but I want to get my ducks in a row, the electricians in my area are all into doing major surgery on small stuff since the Hurricane. (and I'm no where near the water)  Domo, Sensei

[RegUS_PatOff]

...  I put the meter on it and saw about 35-45V.

... Checked the switch and it was good (used ohmmeter with the switch disconnected)

did you check the voltage with the Switch disconnected ?

[fishyhands]

No - [heel slap to own forhead].  Will do so and report back

[fishyhands]

Zero volts with switch disconnected -

[RegUS_PatOff]

... Zero volts with switch disconnected -

bad Switch

[fishyhands]

Oi, it was the switch.  I had ASSumed it was okay by taking it off and putting an ohmmeter on it.  I saw zero ohms one way, none the other, so figured that wasn't it.  It was one of those "lit" toggles, one that has a faint pink glow in the handle, and the glow was almost gone.

 

Problem solved, many thanks!!

[RegUS_PatOff]

.....  It was one of those "lit" toggles, one that has a faint pink glow in the handle, and the glow was almost gone.

aahhh .. you didn't mention that ...

the Switch isn't bad, but it's designed for a "normal" light bulb

the pink glow is a small (usually neon) light bulb inside the Switch,

in series with the external "load"