water damage to knob and tube wiring

Status
Not open for further replies.

Sam Van horn

New member
I have a water damaged home with Knob and Tube wiring. The cloth insulation was wet yet the insurance company states that no damage was done to the wiring. Any comments or areas I could look to set them straight.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I would not lose sleep over it. Wiring gets wet all the time. It will dry and be as good as it was. Of course it would be great if they would pay to replace it but I can see why they don't.
 

mtfallsmikey

Senior Member
Fact or fiction?

Fact or fiction?

Went to an NEC update seminar some years ago, a question about why K & T was still addressed in the NEC. Instructor said it was mainly for older houses near rivers (Mississippi) that frequently flooded. And the K&T would/could dry out, and be reused, vs. Romex...fact or fiction?
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Put that wet K&T in wet blown in insulation and you have a problem that can extend all through the house. I found a house with the screen door energized due to that combination. It was donated to the fire dept.

Well K&T should not be installed in insulation but we all know it is like that all over the place.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
My understanding is that K+T should NEVER be insulated. It needs to be able to dissapate its heat
Insulation is not really an issue unless you are using Table 310.17 for the overcurrent protection sizing. Original installations of K&T often used those ampacities.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
I think they are talking about house insulation, not wire insulation.

Look at 394.12 (5)
I am too. When K&T was originally installed it was often used at the free air ampacities and was protected at those ampacities. I think at the time of a lot of the original K&T installations, you could use a 25 amp fuse on #14 in free air.

Yes I know the rule says you can't have it covered by the insullation, but with the small conductor OCPD rule I wonder if that rule in 394.12(5) is even needed?
 
Last edited:

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I am too. When K&T was originally installed it was often used at the free air ampacities and was protected at those ampacities. I think at the time of a lot of the original K&T installations, you could use a 25 amp fuse on #14 in free air.

Don I thought it was designed as a free air system and could not be installed in insulation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top