This Old House - ECN Electrical Forums

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This is a project that started out as a replace-the-1940s-outlets, and turned into a partial rewire.

The first two shots are in the attic...a violation of Article 300.11 Securing and Supporting. Notice the homemade cover in the second shot.

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The next three shots are of a breezeway outlet. The first picture is to show that it looks like a correctly polarized outlet. The second shot is with the receptacle removed...no connector, and notice the color coding...Red to neutral, Black to ground, and White to power. You would have thought by chance he would have had one of them right. The third shot shows I had plenty of slack to work with on this one...not so lucky on a few of the others in the house.

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The next shot is of a PC closet light. This is exactly how it was...pulling down a little further every time she yanked on it. I call this one "The Firestarter".

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The next shot is a laundry/freezer receptacle that was split-wired for the two 20-amp dedicated circuits. The breakers weren't handle-tied, and the outlet isn't 20-amp, violations of Articles 210.7(C) and 210.21(B)(1).

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The last three shots are of the living room receptacle. The first one shows that it was fed by UF NM wiring with no connectors. This may be some original post-WWII NM circa 1945. The second shot shows a behind-the-wall shot with the outlet removed. The last shot shows how this receptacle was fed from a plug. It was plugged in prior to this shot being taken. Another outlet in the attic was fed from this mess.

Dave55

My....GOD!

How did they manage to connect what I assume is 14 AWG solid wire to a plug that is designed for maximum 16 AWG stranded wire???

I mean...those plugs are used for small things like lamps and TV sets and small-to-medium duty use appliances; certainly NOT for this!

I'm thinking that trying to bend those wires around the terminal screws would have probably cracked the rubber housing of the plug. [Linked Image]

Oh...and if anyone wonders what the wall plate to the right of the outlet is in Shot #5, It looks like a connection for a TV antenna -- 300-ohm twinlead type.

At least that's what I've seen them labelled in places like Radio Shack - back when they still sold that stuff.

Talk about a PROJECT!

In Picture #2 you can see the great lengths peole will go to to save 70¢ or so...

I notice there are several of those outlets marked TV.. I guess this house was "wired for tv"?

IMO that NM is too new to the that old. I'm guessing Later 1960/1970s there.
AFAIK, pre 1960 NM was the tar/paper /cloth stuff (with some sort of plastic or rubber insulated wires).