Probably a dumb question but...

[lrubin28]

I don't attempt much electrical work other than replacing switches or lighting fixtures, so keep that in mind please.
I have a fixture above my dining room table that can hold about 8-10 small 25w bulbs - there's only a handful in there now - waiting for more from Amazon. Anyway, it stopped working totally. I took it down, took out a multimeter and measured approx 120V. So I thought it must be the fixture itself. I bought a bulb receptacle and put in a new 60w bulb and connected it to the exposed wires with 14 gauge wire (circuit off). circuit back on. Didn't work. Changed dimmer switch for kicks. Same result. When switch is on, the 2 wires measure 120V. When switched off, it shows 40V which I understand may be "fantom" or neutral...anyway it seems to do what it's supposed to do. But the light no longer works there, and my rigged up bulb doesn't either. Is that just coincidence or am I missing something else. Not sure what else to try...thanks in advance. Sorry if it's a dumb question....

 

[pc1966]

If you take the fancy lights down then with a multimeter you could buzz out the connections from each of the two supply cables to the light sockets themselves, it might be some fault with internal wiring / internal junction box sort of thing,

Alternatively if you have (or can get) a really cheap simple single pendant light then you could try that in place and verify if it is the supply (it won't work either) or the fancy light setup (pendant OK, dimmer operates, etc).

 

[lrubin28]

If you take the fancy lights down then with a multimeter you could buzz out the connections from each of the two supply cables to the light sockets themselves, it might be some fault with internal wiring / internal junction box sort of thing,

Alternatively if you have (or can get) a really cheap simple single pendant light then you could try that in place and verify if it is the supply (it won't work either) or the fancy light setup (pendant OK, dimmer operates, etc).

Thanks - I almost understood! When you say "buzz out the connections" - what does that mean? Do you mean disconnecting the light from the power and then testing continuity for each of the separate bulb holders?
For your other suggestion, I mentioned that I bought a cheap bulb holder at Lowes, but in a new bulb and extended the light fixture wires with 14 gauge wire. It also did not work. So I guess part of my question is how can a fixture receive 120volts but still not work?

 

[pc1966]

Thanks - I almost understood! When you say "buzz out the connections" - what does that mean? Do you mean disconnecting the light from the power and then testing continuity for each of the separate bulb holders?

Many multimeters have a buzzer/bleeper mode that allows you to check continuity audibly so you don't have to watch the display.

For your other suggestion, I mentioned that I bought a cheap bulb holder at Lowes, but in a new bulb and extended the light fixture wires with 14 gauge wire. It also did not work. So I guess part of my question is how can a fixture receive 120volts but still not work?

It would be most surprising if a new light & lamp was getting 120V and nod doing anything. You could put a plug on it and try in a known working socket!

Multimeters have a very high impedance so can see ~120V with a floating cable, but that should not be the case if a lamp is connected and working.