ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Older Homes

So... when's your power upgrade going to be finished, reno? Not like you to sit back and see what would otherwise be horrible code violations and say "ayup, grandfathered in!"

Thanks for the info John, guess it's time to rip down the three recessed lights (which I found out are nothing more than aluminum dunce caps with a light socket.)

I guess the standards changed by the early 1950s, since these Levittown houses have at least two + one switched receptacles in each room, makes for a little less power strips and extension cords.

One run (+/- 60 houses) of Fairless Hills houses are worse, one receptacle in each room. And if there wasn't a light on the ceiling, half of that was switched. Gotta love pre-fabs though, with their 24" on center 2X3 walls. I still wonder how the TWP lets people put second stories on them.

Ian A.

Steve .... I work hard all day ... when I get home, the LAST thing on my mind is doing electric work, for free, for my landlord!
This contrasts to my neighbor. He 'flies a desk' in the 'chairborne division' of a local manufacturer. Now, he simply cannot wait to get home and tend his garden, work on his car, etc. Must be nice

As for my place ....
I've replaced the service. The bath heater is on a GFI breaker. All receptacles (except for the one in the base of the bath light) are GFI protected. I'm starting on the -major- kitchen remodel, which will address the refrigerator receptacle issue. Outside receps have been added, and I've added to the outdoor lighting. I have relocated the kitchen light switch and thermostat.

All told, I was very happy to get the place with only one code violation - the hacked in refrigerator receptacle. The rest of the electric was in a marvelously untouched condition - quite a feat in a place nearly 70 years old. All the other 'deficiencies' (like the lack of receptacles) were likely in compliance with the codes at the time.

John:

Your place reminds me of my grandmother's place in North Carolina that my grandfather had built in 1952. She had electrical work done only one time in the 50 years that she lived there, which consisted of a sub panel and dedicated circuits run to all bedrooms for window A/C units in the 1960's. It was a crappy job: A Wadsworth panel with runs going into the crawlspace, then up the outside walls with UF.

Despite the age of her house, I was surprised that she had the original 100 amp fuse service. She had oil heat, but everything else was electric and even as a kid, I was fascinated by the fact that nearly everything was in pristine condition. This place must have been state-of-the art when it was built because they had properly-placed receptacles, outdoor lights and receptacles and lots of 3-ways. All switches and receptacles remained original except for one switch that I replaced in the pantry.

When we moved her out, we cleaned out the attic that had been a virtual junkyard of old toys, books and furniture. I was amazed once the place was emptied out how similar to today's standards the wiring was. It actually looked a lot neater than most of what you see today. It was all Romex (with ground!).

The people who bought the house did a major renovation, to include a service upgrade to 300 amps and central A/C. The new owners were family friends and they insisted that the old fuse panel behind the door in the kitchen remained. It was completely dead, but they wanted to keep it there for nostalgic purposes. When we went there for a visit, I was delighted to see that this original "hub" of the house was left untouched. I know it sounds silly, but there's no doubt that there was a lot more quality and pride in workmanship 50+ years ago.

GRRRR!

While this study has not been yet released in it's entirety, I am far from the only person to get a draft copy.

The study pointed quite clearly to improper modifications to the home as the source of nearly all of the code violations. Please note that the study has NOT identified any hazards not already covered by basic code issues.

Yet ... in the latest IAEI internet weekly newsletter, the lead "article" starts off by stating the older the home, the greater the risk of electrical hazards - so far, so good - then starts plugging tamper-resistant receptacles as the cure !!! Not AFCI's, not corrosion-resistant products ... but TR!

This is a classic example of false logic. No wonder some posters have accused the NEC of being little more than a sales campaign for manufacturers!

As you might guess, I'm more than a little upset.

These findings prove the old addage that if it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is broke! I've seen it with cars, motorcycles, and homes. People think they know more than a professional and always have ideas on how they can "improve" something they actually know nothing about. The end result is usually a nightmare, and with electrical, a very real danger.

Oh well, if the "toolbelt diva" can do it...

I am looking for a Wadsworth fuse block for 2 non 100 amp fuses

Good luck! That house is WAY overdue for a service change, as well as a long, hard look at the changes that have been made to it since it was first built.

The reason for no refrigerator receptacle on the original build is related to the gas stove. It would have had a gas powered refrigerator. Very popular for years, until "they" noticed it had no vent to remove the CO from the kitchen. Same for the very popular gas heaters in bathrooms.

Frank DuVal

When most of us old guys were growing up, nobody seemed to care about unvented gas stoves and fridges in homes. I guess they were "loose" enough that we were getting a lot of fresh air makeup.
We did have a friend who had a house that gave everyone a headache if you were in the basement (with the furnace on)
I know now that we were being poisoned. I avoided it whenever possible, even then.