Knob and tube 600V

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chevyx92 said:
Exactly my point. If it was so "safe" it would still be allowed as a new install but it's not.
in my opinion its pretty safe. at the time it wasnt rated for insulation being thrown around it so the conductors couldnt cool and the insulation of the individual conductors would fall off
 
chevyx92 said:
And not allowed as a wiring method in new homes as per article 394. Good point.


How did this thread get hijacked? Who said ANYTHING about possibly doing a "new" K&T installation? I am talking about existing services. Somebody said insurance companies would have no part of them. I am on the other side of the ring and asking "why" in theory. Don't go throwing 394 or anything you read from a book at me. I want to hear personal opinions up for debate.
 
76nemo said:
How did this thread get hijacked? Who said ANYTHING about possibly doing a "new" K&T installation. I am talking about existing services. Somebody said insurance companies would have no part of them. I am on the other side of the ring and asking "why" in theory. Don't go throwing 394 or anything you read from a book at me. I want to hear personal opinions up for debate.
im sure the reason why insurance companies dont allow it is because its such an old wiring method and it had a bad name given to it because of all the illegal modifications people do to it. plus people usually insulate there homes now a days and that causes problems with the knob and tube
 
electricalperson said:
in my opinion its pretty safe. at the time it wasnt rated for insulation being thrown around it so the conductors couldnt cool and the insulation of the individual conductors would fall off
Think of all the factors possible. Fact is the NEC does not allow it anymore unless it is an extension of an existing circuit! Obviously this method has flaws that can't continue in this day and age.
 
chevyx92 said:
Think of all the factors possible. Fact is the NEC does not allow it anymore unless it is an extension of an existing circuit! Obviously this method has flaws that can't continue in this day and age.
but theres also houses probably over 100 years old to this day that still has the original electrical system installed and still have not burned up in smoke. that right there prooves its a safe system. it becomes an unsafe system when people start to mess with it and do things to the house that 100 years ago people wouldnt even think of doing.
 
chevyx92 said:
Think of all the factors possible. Fact is the NEC does not allow it anymore unless it is an extension of an existing circuit! Obviously this method has flaws that can't continue in this day and age.

If it was unsafe we would not be allowed to extend it at all.
 
76nemo said:
How did this thread get hijacked? Who said ANYTHING about possibly doing a "new" K&T installation? I am talking about existing services. Somebody said insurance companies would have no part of them. I am on the other side of the ring and asking "why" in theory. Don't go throwing 394 or anything you read from a book at me. I want to hear personal opinions up for debate.
And if you read this whole thread I wouldn't have to chew my cabbage twice here. Theory: Time and temp change detiorates the cloth fabric on the K+T wiring, thus leaving an exposed live conductor exposed to a variety of ignitable materials(insulation) which through proven time and statistics have shown it being unsafe from the many fires and deaths that have occured. How or why you want to argue this is baffeling.
 
chevyx92 said:
Really?????? No deterioration of insulation what so ever??? How much have you dealt with K+T? Doesn't sound like much.


Why do you bring up insulation degradation? I am not talking of touch hazards. I have never seen or heard of a property fire due to degraded insulation in K&T.

Have you????
 
electricalperson said:
but theres also houses probably over 100 years old to this day that still has the original electrical system installed and still have not burned up in smoke. that right there prooves its a safe system. it becomes an unsafe system when people start to mess with it and do things to the house that 100 years ago people wouldnt even think of doing.
Are you serious???????????????????? Someone can go put in a 100 flying splices in a house and not have a problem. SAFE????????????? Not according to the NEC.
 
My favorite thing about Knob and Tube is finding a splice in a recently demoed wall!? "Polarized recepticals whats that?" The ever famous rewiring that takes place from the panel to the piont it enters the wall and from an accessable piont in the attic to the outlets.

All of which makes me scared and want to puke!!


JJ
 
76nemo said:
Why do you bring up insulation degradation? I am not talking of touch hazards. I have never seen or heard of a property fire due to degraded insulation in K&T.

Have you????
Like I said before lack of experience in this method. When you have detioration of insulation and the heat now disappating on the the insulation in the attic it will cause fires. Lessoned learned.
 
electricalperson said:
im sure the reason why insurance companies dont allow it is because its such an old wiring method and it had a bad name given to it because of all the illegal modifications people do to it. plus people usually insulate there homes now a days and that causes problems with the knob and tube


Reread the first part of this debate my friend. I had a insurance adjuster tell me last year a SE service drop was no longer UV protected because it was painted:roll: Again, I wish I was the HO.:cool:
 
chevyx92 said:
Must not have dealt with many homes with it or insurance companies. It's very common for Ins. companies to not insure homes with K+T or at least a Master Electrician who will sign a letter saying it's safe. I wouldn'y put my name on it, you can not me!
You must have a regional insurance company issue that fears the stuff unneccesarily - as locally 100% of dwellings in SF were once wired in it - SF being the "City of Light" promoting the electrification of buildings at an Exposition in 1876 and after the quake of 1906 most all homes that were standing at the time converted from GAS lighting to electric light... Since SF is a finite area - only a few areas were left undeveloped until the 60's... And since NM was shunned clear until the Late 60's here by local inspectors and the union - K&T was installed in dwellings clear up till then. So - I can say I have seen my share as as it stands now well over 60% of housing stock still has some in use, and roughly 20% is still 100% K&T.... Some buildings it is actually preserved due to the materials built around them that would be hard or too expensive to replicate - often in my line of work/market, it is best to keep +/or re-utilize it. And I often do... And not as a cost savings to the customer - or any less safely - but out of historic preservation of the rest, or parts of the building.

So why is it you fear it so?????
 
chevyx92 said:
Are you serious???????????????????? Someone can go put in a 100 flying splices in a house and not have a problem. SAFE????????????? Not according to the NEC.
if you walk into a house that still has the original electrical system still in place and not one circuit is loaded above capacity and the house was not insulated and nothing was added on or touched show me one unsafe thing about it. even check the old NEC as a reference.
 
chevyx92 said:
Like I said before lack of experience in this method. When you have detioration of insulation and the heat now disappating on the the insulation in the attic it will cause fires. Lessoned learned.


Lack of experience???? Let's roll.

Let's here some personal experiences. Ever been involved with fire inspections? You are quoting me sh*t you have read in books, and this is turning somewhat personal. I better be quiet. All's I am looking for from you is personal knowledge/experience. You are throwing story book quotes at me. All I wanted to know is what you have personally seen and could argue first hand, you never once gave it to me.
 
How about the heat generated from the wires that have had the insulation just fall off over time and now the heat ignites the insulation in the attic. Fact of the matter is would you have it in your house? Where your kids sleep at night a say I have no worries?
 
76nemo said:
Lack of experience???? Let's roll.

Let's here some personal experiences. Ever been involved with fire inspections? You are quoting me sh*t you have read in books, and this is turning somewhat personal. I better be quiet. All's I am looking for from you is personal knowledge/experience. You are throwing story book quotes at me. All I wanted to know is what you have personally seen and could argue first hand, you never once gave it to me.
How about keeping up on the topic at hand. Go BACK that means pages backwards and read my #22 post. So your answer has been given AGAIN. Please keep up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
chevyx92 said:
How about the heat generated from the wires that have had the insulation just fall off over time and now the heat ignites the insulation in the attic. Fact of the matter is would you have it in your house? Where your kids sleep at night a say I have no worries?

Then the circuit is overloaded. How is that the insulations' fault?
 
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