Knob & Tube question...

[c2500]

I went today and looked at a house for some friends in an old part of town. I saw plenty of the regular k/t on ceramic insulators. However, I also saw some that was run exposed up a stairwell and then run around to a few ceilings in rooms for lighting. It looked kinda like a train track in the sense the mounting brackets were rectangular shaped and spaced every 3 feet or so. The switches were these tiny circular knobs. It may have had a cover on the wire but it was all heavily painted. I did not have a camera handy so no pictures to show. My question is any guess to the age of the system based off of the above description?

Thanks,

c2500

 

[dwellselectric]

I would think 1908-1920 but I could be wrong

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

How about "Old"


Knob and tube was installed from the late 1800's to the 1930's, maybe some even into the 40's.

Who knows there is probably someone installing it as an extension of the existing work today.

 

[charlie]

It looked kinda like a train track in the sense the mounting brackets were rectangular shaped and spaced every 3 feet or so.

The rectangular ones are called cleats. They are in two pieces with the conductors in grooves between the two pieces and then nailed. :smile:

 

[c2500]

I know K/T was used into the early 30's in my neck of the woods. I don't have a ton of experience with it, but I am glad to know that "cleats" are what is holding it to the wall. This house could fall into late 1890's to around 1920. I didn't know if the cleats would date it a bit closer.

The worse part is the friends (no experience with home repair) are determined to buy it and I don't think I scared them out of it. The house needs gutting to the studs and rebuilding. Plus it is in a bad area of town. Ironically 3 blocks away it would be worth double. Maybe I can film it as a new "Money Pit" movie.

c2500

 

[cpal]

The cleats were neat they have notched grooves that maintaine the spacing between the conductors ( I think 2-1/4" or 2-1/2"??) but they only griped in the old cotton braid rubber ins. Porcline knobs, tubes, cleats and loom. The rotary switches and caplets.

Sorry, the good old days

 

[LarryFine]

This is sirface wiring. Next time you watch M*A*S*H, look at the switches on the walls.

 

[c2500]

The cleats were neat they have notched grooves that maintaine the spacing between the conductors ( I think 2-1/4" or 2-1/2"??) but they only griped in the old cotton braid rubber ins. Porcline knobs, tubes, cleats and loom. The rotary switches and caplets.

Sorry, the good old days

Thanks,

Always like to learn new things :grin:

c2500

 

[jaylectricity]

Who knows there is probably someone installing it as an extension of the existing work today.

I'm pretty sure we've had a thread about how to run off of knob and tube within the last six months.

Using THHN and whatnot.

 

[GUNNING]

I had a house with knob and tube and the main and only circuit breaker was a hollow wooden door knob on a board with a hole on it. A wire was strung on the small post end of the knob that would act like a fuse. There were round hand nuts to tighten down the service line which went into a bolt with a hole in it and was # 10 (I think). The service line would run from one side of the board through the wire on the end of the "door knob" and back to the other lug. The door knob post end was the perfect size of a penny. No neutral lug on the board though. I think it was treated maple maybe pine, it had softened with age. Now a days calling it a Fuse would be a double entendre'. A real piece of history. No sign of fire or burning or combustion or any of the other terrible things people get excited about now. Just plain physics. Open, close, to much current the wire burns in two.