[brian john]

What are you measuring this with a digital meter? Then it is most likely Phantom Voltage use an incandescent light bulb and check if the voltage is still there.

 

[brian john]

I read about phantom voltage, and it referred to voltages around 10v.

It was a digital meter. How does that affect things?

You are correct, in that these pendants did not light at all with this voltage.

It can be much higher than 10 VAC, this stuff ain't magic.