Do You Think That This Is Not Safe?

Old knob and tube service?

[This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 10-02-2005).]

Just as morals, fashion, and technology change, so does our idea of what is acceptable for installation - vis a vis the changes inb the Code.

"Safe" in 1928? Probably.

Safe today? Probably not.

I agree. My next-door neighbor had service that looked pretty much like that.

I don't know very much about fuses, but I seem to recall that they are color-coded. The fact that there is an odd green one suggests that there may be some overfusing going on here.

[This message has been edited by SolarPowered (edited 09-06-2004).]

No I would not call this safe.

How do propose we address items like this?

Inspectors going in private homes and pulling meters?

I've seen a few camps and grange halls in my area with those a base meters & K&T throughout serving original fixtures.

if anything else, i can appreciate the longevity of K&T in New Englands volitale enviroment

is it safe? well, if it was installed to 1928 code (whos gotta book?) and hasn't been altered what grounds (pun intended) would anyone have to intervene?

~S~

It may be old but it looks well done. I'd say it is safer than a lot of stuff that passes for electrical installation today. The simple fact that it is still working 70 years or so later suggests it was a top quality job for its's day.

I copied the picture to see if the meter was 120 or 240. I couldn't read the nameplate but the jpg file name confirmed my suspicions...

The picture shows 2 not 4 circuits, each with a fused neutral. Maybe this is the only case in which a couple of pennies (in the 2nd and 4th from the left) under the fuses would make the circuit safer

jfwayer, I was thinking that too. I hope to hell that the 30 isn't in the neutral with a 15 or 20 in the phase , but I think it is. If US A-Base meters are the same as UK ones, the center 2 conductors would be the neutral with the outer 2 being the phase, if you follow the (suspected) phase, it goes to the 30 .
Although, as others have commented, standards as to what is acceptable change, originally it would have been considered safe, and it is certainly workmanlike. I hope it gets changed and the original equipment preserved

Don't worry; all the fuses are 30-amp units.

Okay, that's a relief then . Anyone for a minor service upgrade?

I think the "safety" issue comes up, not because of the age of the equipment, but the maintenance of it, and how it is used.
For example, if this service is well-maintained, and continues to support a 1930 lifestyle, no problem. If, however, various occupants have added will-nilly to the system, in order to support the air conditioner, microwave, stereo, bathroom, etc...then there are sure to be major safety issues- of which the service equipment is but a small part.

Ahhh this is hitting close to <new> home now that I've moved in with my fiancee in her turn of the century house... I just recently yanked a couple similar situations off a 10' high ceiling which were feeding what was now being used as a laundry area... behind the fuse holders, the redwood ceiling board was charred from heat eminating from behind these things... (possibly from a fuse not screwed in tight enough?) regardless, the fuse holders are GE. dated 1905.. and appear to have been added as a retrofit after the original wiring was installed.. I've still yet to figure out how old this place is, but there's signs it was pre-electricity..

hey, it's painted insulating, don't panic

Most of the fuses of this type, that I still find on occassion were either in a manufactured panel cabinet, or earlier ones in hand made cabinets of 1X wood stock, and aspestos lined. Athough they did not have dead front covers, at least had a door to close. Often painted shut! As these are next to a meter, they may feed other panels! Hopefully they are fused right?

Customer, "But Mr. Electrician, it's worked fine like that for over 60 years. Why should I spend any money to change it?"