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#122230 10/14/05 08:54 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
A question from Joe Tedesco"

Quote
Does anyone know the origin of this type of Service Equipment? These are still used in the Boston area today.


[Linked Image]

#122231 10/14/05 12:28 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,438
Member
As I recall, the "Noark" name was associated with Federal Pacific... The wood backing I think I'm seeing hints at some turn of the century piecemeal of equiptment. Is this just solely a fusible disconnect in this box?

-Randy

#122232 10/14/05 01:03 PM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
S
Member
Joe, are these devices still sold brand new at the local electrical shops?

I assume if you pull on those handles, you'll end up with a box that holds a couple of large cartridge fuses?

#122233 10/14/05 01:18 PM
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 745
M
Member
If I remember correctly, the Colt Firearms Co. once had a division that produced electrical switches which had the term "Noark" also proudly displayed on its labels. I have a couple of nice examples of these products in my collection.

This box looks like a variation of boxes I've seen numerous times on your Website. They appeared to be made of some type of cast iron, mounted flush in the front brick wall of a building (maybe as a means of disconnecting power in case of a fire...?).

Notice also the bonding of the cast iron box in this example.

During a trip to San Antonio a few years back, I remember seeing boxes somewhat like this, surface mounted, on the outsides of various buildings in the older downtown sections of the city. The term "Noark" was cast into the iron cover, which was screwed into place.

Mike (mamills)

#122234 10/14/05 01:57 PM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
W
Member
Sven, my mom's house has a similar setup as the service equipment, though when you open the panel door you see a black module with a handle. Pull the handle and you have in your hands a double fuse holder. 100 amp fuses. No exposed wires or contacts either. Mounted in the basement just below the kilowatthour meter fed by an underground service. Federal Pacific brand. The fuses then feed a subpanel.

[This message has been edited by wa2ise (edited 10-14-2005).]

#122235 10/17/05 12:11 AM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 288
Y
Member
These are still made by a company called Boltswitch. (www.boltswitch.com)

Apparently, they are designed to take the place of a breaker in panelboards by other manufacturers.

This particular installation looks really scary due to the corrosion, if for no other reason (that is assuming the deadfront is not lost, but merely leaned against the wall out of the picture). The fact that one cannot distinguish between rotten wood and rusty metal (which is it?) is symptomatic of this fact.

#122236 10/17/05 10:03 AM
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 745
M
Member
yaktx: Thanks for the link. Very interesting information there.

...A 400 AMP PULLOUT SWITCH... [Linked Image]? Wow!

Yeah, that equipment is in pretty rough shape. I'd sure hate to have to use it, even with PPE...the whole assembly, wires and all, would probably pop out of the box [Linked Image].

Mike (mamills)

#122237 11/17/05 04:57 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1
G
Junior Member
I have a NOARK metal nameplate I removed from a piece of residential service equipment I replaced about 30 years ago in my first house. It says 'Colts Patent Fire Arms MFG. Co. Hartford, Conn, USA'

It lists several patent dates between 1916 and 1919. It's a service disconnect, 60 A, 125/250V, 3 pole. The house it came out of was a two-family (upper and lower flats). Each flat had its own 30 amp 120V service. The place was built in 1898.

Hope that adds to the NOARK / Colts discussion.

#122238 11/17/05 08:28 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,158
Member
Just in case others missed this thread also https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000089.html


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