Pix: Removal of original 1880s and 1928 renovation wiring

[RBM]

The following are pictures of a house built in the 1880's which originally had a 30 amp 120 volt service, entering in the attic, with a K&T fuse panel, also in the attic. The house had gas lamps in both walls and ceilings, which were disconnected and changed to electric in a 1928 renovation/ addition. The 1928 work included making the attic into an apartment. The K&T was from the original build, and all the other cable types were subsequent, including the 1928 renovation, up until present. The beverage containers could have been from the original construction, or possibly the 28' renovation despite prohibition

[John Grabowski]

Thanks for the pics Roy. They brought back some memories. I recall at least one house where the gas lines were still live.

I don't think I have ever seen fuse boxes like those. Are they plaster lined wood frames?

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[RBM]

Years ago, working in Mount Vernon, NY I would run into live gas lines frequently. I'd have a blind hickey threaded onto what I thought was the stud of a pancake, and of course it's sticking out of the ceiling to far to mount a standard fixture, so I'd remove it only to find live gas.

We found contractor papers describing the 1928 renovation and it appears that all the gas lines were disconnected at that time. Both the fuse box and the main disconnect are line with a soft asbestos sheeting, about 1/4" thick. They did a really neat job, so it does look like plaster. I actually pulled some off the see exactly what it was. I've seen many K&T jobs. This is a three family and only the third floor was primarily cable, the first two floors mostly K&T. I didn't take any pictures of it as it was the ugliest K&T install I've ever seen. Usually I marvel at the workmanship considering how labor intensive it was to install that stuff. Maybe it has something to do with all the beverage containers

Roy

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[dpb]

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Back when in VA (Lynchburg and surrounding) saw it quite often as well. Actually had one where some of the fixtures were still in use.

The asbestos-lined fuse enclosure was also also relatively familiar in that area altho not universal. Many were simply plastered recesses some with, many w/o covering panels (of course, most of those may have had a panel originally which had been lost/destroyed w/ time...).

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[EXT]

Very nice documentation of old construction methods. I got a kick out of the knife switch with exposed terminals that you could easily contact accidentally.

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[HeyBub]

You only contact them once.

[RBM]

You'd never know it by todays standards, but back then, there were lots of things in every day life that would bite you if handled improperly. Somehow I don't think we're altogether better off today, many of us clueless, and living under an assumption that some other entity is looking out for our personal safety. In any event, I certainly wouldn't want to be reaching for THAT switch in the dark

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[Steve Barker DLT]

it appears to be 1x4's with a lot of paint.

also note they used to fuse both the hot AND neutral side.

s

[Steve Barker DLT]

brings back memories of the reno we did a year ago to a 1910 two story. Some pics here:

All the k&t was still in use along with the pushbutton switches. I rewired the entire house.

s

[RBM]

[Steve Barker DLT]

they had strung a lot of modern romex to the kitchen and furnace ect, but all the lights ('cept the kitchen) and all the outlets were k&t. It was an old widow however who had been there 45 years and she didn't have any electrical loads to speak of. And she didn't use the upstairs.

s