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What kind of a meter did you use to measure the voltage? I'll bet it was a digital meter right? A digital meter has a very high input impedance. This is why your meter is reading a voltage on an open wire.

Well, if it's truly open, there should be no voltage at all.


No, think about an empty outlet -- it measures 120V even though it's truly "open" (inifinite impedance).

Then if you were to short it, connecting hot-to-neutral with something suitably heavy-duty, the voltage will fall to zero due to the zero impedance. Albiet rather briefly, before a breaker/fuse blows and/or something melts.

Cheers