ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Electrical Nostalgia More Old Wiring!

Photos Courtesy of Electricmanscott:









Here is some knob and tube wiring. All wiring is still in use.

-Electricmanscott

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 03-21-2003).]

A common sight here in the Northeast.

I would guess, from my experience, that the majority of older homes in New England (and other places as well, I'm sure) still have the original K&T in operation.

How common is the fused grounded conductor shown in the first picture?

Very common in old knob and tube installations. Why? I don't know. A little before my time!

Electricmanscott:

Thanks for the photos!

What are the connectors on the end of the armored cable called? Are they being used properly as pictured? Maybe it's the angle, but they don't look like the ones that I have seen (I've seen the ones used to bring armored cable into a metal box)...looks like there is a rubber boot or washer present to cover the metal??

What exactly is that lampholder in Picture #2???

It looks like some home-made kluge made out of a pony-cleat socket and one of those brass lampholders with the paper insert that are used for table lamps!! I've seen (and even have some at home) pony cleat sockets and surface mount lampholders with pull-chain switches...but nothing quite like that.

Any way to get a closeup? I'm curious.

As far as fused neutrals, I've read that that practice harkens back to the days of DC, where fusing both sides of a circuit was a good thing.

Naturally things stayed like that during the switch to AC...


[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 03-23-2003).]

Those connectors are used as shown. They are to transition from bx to knob and tube. I will send in a closeup of the lampholder.



(Image inserted)

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 03-23-2003).]

Fortunately,the only K&T that I have ever ran across was in old rundown farm houses no longer habitable !The old houses were in disrepair and usually being used to store hay bales.

[This message has been edited by txsparky (edited 03-23-2003).]

OK....now...to my inexperienced eye....that lampholder (extreme closeup picture) does look like a kludge.

Can anyone tell me otherwise?

All the pony-cleat receptacles (both bakelite and ceramic) I've run across, the screwshell is integral to the insulating husk - even the ones with a pull-chain switch.

Never seen some half-and-half thing like that...it does seem pointless. Creative...but pointless.

Also, am I alone in thinking that transformers for bells should be in a protective enclosure? I've never been comfortable with those things just nailed directly on a beam like that (first picture).

ThinkGood, those are transition fittings. They also were made to fit on EMT and rigid pipe. They are similiar to a weatherhead, with an insulated dome that the wires poke through.