Charlie Bob
Senior Member
- Location
- West Tennessee
anybody knows how old this is?
- Thread starter Charlie Bob
- Start date
- Status
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
It's a fair bet that that switch went in with the wiring.
Given that the house dates to the 1880s, the wiring would have been installed after the house was built. The house would have been fairly new, depending upon the location. Do you know the history of the "electrification" of the area, that is, the years that the first power company started building out it's distribution lines to the area that this house is in?
I'd guess the switch was manufactured and installed anytime during the 1900s thru the 1920s, but they were available most of the last century.
They were well built, and in low use areas, say the attic light switch, they last forever.
There's no box. The K&T conductors go directly into the porcelain back through individual holes. If the switch has to be replaced, a new wall case has to be cut in. That might be a problem if the two (or 3 or 4) conductors come to the switch from opposite sides of a stud (not common, but it does happen.)
Given that the house dates to the 1880s, the wiring would have been installed after the house was built. The house would have been fairly new, depending upon the location. Do you know the history of the "electrification" of the area, that is, the years that the first power company started building out it's distribution lines to the area that this house is in?
I'd guess the switch was manufactured and installed anytime during the 1900s thru the 1920s, but they were available most of the last century.
They were well built, and in low use areas, say the attic light switch, they last forever.
There's no box. The K&T conductors go directly into the porcelain back through individual holes. If the switch has to be replaced, a new wall case has to be cut in. That might be a problem if the two (or 3 or 4) conductors come to the switch from opposite sides of a stud (not common, but it does happen.)
iMuse97
Senior Member
- Location
- Chicagoland
So you're telling me that's a standard sort of K&T switch? Cool. LSNED: translated--"Learn Something New Every Day."
Charlie Bob
Senior Member
- Location
- West Tennessee
i'll find that out. but it's the only switch of that sort, and your right is in the attic.If i replace i'll keep it.:smile:
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Yup.
This particular one looks to be to the right of the stud (noting the nail head in the plank).
Twist ON, Twist OFF. Also looks to be a single pole, hence only two wires.
It looks clean and serviceable, from my side of the screen, but the way it "feels" while switching tells all. I'll bet it's fine.
- Location
- Massachusetts
My home was built about 1920 and that is the same switch I had for my cellar, it was still working fine when I took it out of service a few years ago.
ItsHot
Senior Member
- Location
- A little piece of heaven!
classic
classic
That's a classic! I ran into one of those in an old gymnasium recently. Notice the "GE" logo. Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the forum!:smile:
classic
That's a classic! I ran into one of those in an old gymnasium recently. Notice the "GE" logo. Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the forum!:smile:
I replaced one of these once with a direct replacement of a new one. It has two small holes and one slightly larger one in the ceramic base (at least the one I replaced was ceramic). you feed your two K&T wires through the small holes and push the base back to the wall, then you run a wood or lag screw through the middle hole to mount it securely. The wires then just go to their respective screw terminals. I still have one going down into my basement and it's doing fine at the moment.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
One other point of interest about them. They are a clockwise only mechanism.
To open the device for service, turn the knob counter clockwise and it will unscrew. . . bunch of turns. The brass cover then slips directly off, exposing the mechanism, terminals and mounting screw heads.
To open the device for service, turn the knob counter clockwise and it will unscrew. . . bunch of turns. The brass cover then slips directly off, exposing the mechanism, terminals and mounting screw heads.
Charlie Bob
Senior Member
- Location
- West Tennessee
you definately know about them!!
you definately know about them!!
Al Hildenbrand:
You definately know this switch. You're right it works great, it's clockwise style. you just keep it turning clockwise to turn on or off.
you definately know about them!!
Al Hildenbrand:
You definately know this switch. You're right it works great, it's clockwise style. you just keep it turning clockwise to turn on or off.
quogueelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- new york
Yes it is very old.
- Status