Rewiring a 1930s House comments

[LarryFine]

All #12 for receptacles even where not required? :?

When wiring a whole house, I usually do that, as done in commercial. 20a receptacle circuits, 15a lighting circuits.

Advantages:
1. More than one circuit per area in case of circuit outage.
2. Lighting doesn't dim when running the vacuum.
3. Greater number of receptacles/rooms per circuit.
4. Easier routing of wiring, lights up, receptacles down.
5. Logical circuit landing and labeling in the panel.

 

[growler]

It will even dampen the noise from outside.

Perhaps, but the difference is irrelevant. Neither plaster nor drywall is an effective thermal insulator.

"dampen" (verb): add a small amount of water to.

Amazon sells sound dampening material for your car.

Think it's a spray bottle full of water?

English is not my first language, I'm from the South.

 

[tom baker]

All #12 for receptacles even where not required? :?

Yes, but that's just me.

 

[going_commando]

Many plast/lath homes were framed w/ 2x4's on edge, so we use a lot of>>

Carlon B117RSW


~RJ~

I learned the old fashioned way and use 2.5" deep steel boxes on walls with 2x's turned sideways. You have to clip the clamp screws off, but the steel box screwed to the lathe with #4 wood screws still works fine.

 

[ceknight]

All #12 for receptacles even where not required? :?

Cable's stiffer, easier to poke through the rubble pile at the bottom of the stud bay inside lath and plaster walls.

 

[peter d]

Cable's stiffer, easier to poke through the rubble pile at the bottom of the stud bay inside lath and plaster walls.

That's one way to look at it.

I prefer the metal old boxes that Going Commando posted for old work and using #12 in them is an absolute nightmare. I would much rather use #14.

 

[ceknight]

I prefer the metal old boxes that Going Commando posted for old work and using #12 in them is an absolute nightmare. I would much rather use #14.

Regardless of which boxes I'm using, I only fish #12 when I have to. Life's short enough already.

 

[Clodbuster]

I just finished up a house of similar vintage and can share some things that worked well for me:

I used a hand jab saw for all box work. MUCH gentler on walls, with the drywall fleam teeth it cuts plaster, drywall or lath equally well and can be used to groove studs so boxes fit tight against them if there's an ear sticking out.

If the nails go THROUGH the old box, get a tool called a nail jack. You can pull them from INSIDE THE BOX without any metal cutting and the box comes out like a dream. Also, visible nail head crimp pattern tells you what side the stud is on.

After finding some unexpected complexities in the walls I bought a cheap borescope camera off Amazon. With the narrowest head I could drill a small hole in wall above/below box and see what was going on, even guide a fish stick through holes and then patch it with a quick couple coats of squeeze tube spackle when done. Touch up paint with Q-tips if wall color isn't white. If you keep the paint dot small you won't notice it even if not a perfect match.

To locate boxes and make sure I wasn't going to drill into a duct in crawl or something you can drill a locator hole through ceiling or floor (if carpet) and stick a bent piece of bare copper through to find on the other side later. Makes it a one man job and more precise than tapping.

Try tying pull cord to old wiring and pulling before drilling new holes. There may be no staples in walls at all and you can use old wire to pull cord to pull new wire. This is the best when happens.

I used metal cut-in boxes for any replacements. They grip better to wall without stud screws and the tabs are thinner than plastic ones. This allows you to use the draft gaskets and the cover plates fit tight to the walls. Otherwise they don't lie flush and the plates warp trying to screw them tight to close the gap. RACO 512s are my favorites if they'll fit. That clamp style works better against uneven lath and plaster vs. the ones' with points that stab against wall. I've had those break through. I used squeeze tube spackle to seal box to wall when done. If you do neat work and gap's not big it will be dry in an hour.

My $0.02. Good luck with your project!

 

[Frank DuVal]

All #12 for receptacles even where not required?

Yes, always, all receptacle circuits, unless there is some reason to go 14 (box size, existing hole restriction). Especially in existing homes where there is a high likelyhood of space heaters being plugged in, or window air conditioning.