why is there 80v from ground wire without tripping breaker?

Question

I was replacing an exterior light fixture when i got a minor shock from touching the aluminum fixture. After safely removing the fixture I found that I had 120v between neutral and ground. Back at the junction bock where the light switches are I noticed that the main ground wire had 80volts when check between two ground wires. I understand that there may be a short between the hot and ground but my question is why would this not cause the breaker to trip?

STEVEN F · Answer

Are you aware the ground and neutral don't go through the breaker?
I don't know what you measured, but you DO NOT have measurable voltage between 2 true grounds.

Spock (rhp) · Answer

the main ground isn't on a breaker at all ... however, you have a major, and quite serious, problem.  suggest you do the following: 1) turn off all power to the house via main breakers. 2) measure voltage between the two ground lines again, or from the breaker box exterior to the ground stake.  If this is zero, you have a problem inside the breaker box and may be able to locate it by a process of elimination [turn all breakers off and then enable main breakers, one at a time [if in north america], followed by individual breakers, test after each until you get the bad result and then replace that bad breaker].  If this is not zero, test incoming voltage from the meter to ground on both hot lines -- if these are not both 110v, with 220v between them [again, north america systems, which includes Japan and Taiwan], call electric company because they have a problem in the distribution system before it gets to your house and follow their advice.  GL  -- grampa

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why is there 80v from ground wire without tripping breaker?

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