ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Violation Photo Forum Very Old Wiring System

That looks like a Sawzall and Sledgehammer Special!

It's obvious that these installations no longer comply with todays code. Is their anyone who could tell us if this was at some place in time an acceptable installation? I am curious! I have run across a number of situations probably 50 to 75 years old like this.

jest lookin' at that frightens the heck out of me.

I make my living restoring old railroad equipment. I have seen this type of work quite alot. In its day it was the only way you had to join heavy wire.
The guy, and its a safe bet from the apparent age of the job, that it was a guy, was probably proud of the job he did when he was done.
Think about the time it took to set up the little forge, dress, heat and tin his solid copper soldering irons, hold the connection while he wound the wire around it, flux it, solder it, and wind the friction tape around it. Can you think of trying to present that bill to the customer today? Arent't insulated set screw connectors wonderful?

Thanks for letting me join in.

Joe,

Back then, the contractors use to solder all of their connections and use rubber and friction tape. It lasted how many years with out trouble? (grin) That type of wiring method is very familer to anyone who works in old buildings, with knob and tube wiring etc. I am sure that you have seen lots of that type of wiring right? (LOL)

Harold aka Caper

Harold:

Yes I have, and can remember watching my dad nicknamed "Jimmy Edison" make splices, and when he was finished he soldered and taped the splice using rubber and fricton tape.

I too have worked in old buildings, and once when removing a fixture, found very brittle splices (that was because the cable had wartime low grade rubber wire RH?) sized at 14 awg, and it cracked to small pieces!



[This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 04-28-2002).]

Joe,

I hated that old RH wire. Many times in these old homes here I would drop down and old light fixture, ( Because the home owner wanted a new one installed) only to find that all the insulation on the old RH was worn away. The homeowner had 100-150 watt bulbs in those old lights and all the insulation of the wires behind the fixture was gone. So all I had to work with was 2 pieces of bare #14 copper wire. Then the homeowner would complain to me that it took more than and hour or two to hang a light fixture.

Caper

It's a frequent problem in older houses over here. The rubber just becomes so brittle with age and the heat that it disintegrates the moment you touch it.

Paul,

Do you have warnings on Light Fixtures over in England about connecting them to older (lower insulation Temp) wiring?

Bill