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Joined: Oct 2000
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[Linked Image]
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The 1900 was in a 3/4" home run I was trying to trace to split a kitchen circuit. I knew there had to be one in there somewhere... hey how about up in the ceiling? Wound up cuttin throught the drywall, paneling, and the stud blocked directly underneath the box to get access.
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The photo of the switch and outlets is from the same room. Notice the "compliant" nails and the lack of a plaster ring!
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The Front hall switches were mounted in a plaster / lathe wall, with no boxes whatsoever - met with good old knob & tube, with switched neutrals. Luckily, the owner said "fix it so it's right", not "why do I have to?"

- DougW

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 12-10-2003).]

Joined: Oct 2003
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The second picture, of the the switch and outlet, looks like very recent work. Did the homeowner do this?

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,143
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He bought the house less than two years ago, and denies doing any "updates". The "hidden" 1900's are a recurring theme - there was one in the partition wall in the basement bath, and another hidden behind screwed-in-place ceiling paneling.

Have found several additional "hole in the wall" installed switches throughout the house. Will be spending next couple of days pulling the K&T, and replacing w/NM, to provide separate home runs as well as correcting the switched neutrals throughout the upstairs. Thank goodness for balloon construction! [Linked Image]

It looks like when they updated to 100A service (sometime early 70's by my guess), they "updated" everything in the basement, up to the point where it went into the walls to go up. There, they just terminated the EMT or Romex into 1900's, connected the K&T to the other side, and covered it up. Yeesh.

Joined: Aug 2002
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DougW:
What is a "1900" -- a 4x4 square box?

Joined: Sep 2001
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A "1900 box" is a standard 4x4 surface mount square box. One of those regional slang things, I guess. Not sure where the name comes from, though. Perhaps some manufacturer's catalog number at one time?

Joined: Jun 2003
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I don't know where "1900" came from either. I've just heard 4x4 junction boxes referred to as that for years.

Joined: Oct 2000
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Here's an explanation from Tradeslang.com

Bill


Bill
Joined: Oct 2001
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Great reference, Bill.

Thanks.


Al Hildenbrand
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 91
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thanks bill great stuff. when i first moved to virginia in the late 80's and asked the supply house for a case of 4 squares he said he'd never heard of them and soon discovered i was asking for "1900 boxes" i then had afew more thrown at me like 11b = an 4 11/16 box and 8o= octogon box.


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