[mbrando1994]

Hi again,

I removed some drywall that was covering up the cellar ceiling and so far have not found any knob and tube wiring. Is this only commonly found after the wires are split up? I've tracked many circuits and so far haven't found any k&t nor any evidence of it ever existing there.

I did find a few circuits containing older looking wiring that resembles that used with k&t. I could not decipher any writing on it but some of the older wiring says 14/2 and 12/2. So I'm assuming this is older wiring but does not use knob and tube.

In my current house (the one I'm not working on) there are clear signs of k&t. The question I have is why does it only start to appear when in the middle of the house? The wiring looks fine up until that point but once it exits one of those ceramic ceiling light fixtures it just goes straight into knob and tube hell. I'm worried this is mirrored in my new house (it's literally three doors down and a row home). I plan to remove more drywall from the ceiling to inspect this in different areas of the basement. I understand that even though k&t isn't present in the basement this doesn't mean it's not present elsewhere.

Please let me know your thoughts on these images. I do know for certain that most outlets in the house are only two prong and are located on the baseboard molding. Can wiring exist and only carry two conductors with no ground and not be knob and tube?

Pictures:

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/mbrando1994/media/IMG_0313_zpsm0whggud.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/mbrando1994/media/IMG_0312_zpsd7pmlocm.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/mbrando1994/media/IMG_0310_zps67segcwg.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/mb...ring/IMG_0304_zpst39i80tv.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

http://s772.photobucket.com/user/mbrando1994/media/IMG_0311_zpsywg1adzl.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[Jim Port]

Two wire cables were common up til the early 60's. It the two house were built around the same time I would expect similar wiring methods.

 

[mbrando1994]

Two wire cables were common up til the early 60's. It the two house were built around the same time I would expect similar wiring methods.

Does all two wire cable utilize knob and tube however? My father did some electrical work and the wires he installed back then look the same as the ones originally wired with the house, however they contain the ground wire. I am confused why they even used the knob and tube if they routed the cable with both wires through several joists/studs before splitting it apart and running the two wires separately.

 

[Oso954]

Knob and tube was single conductors run parallel to each other, not cable assemblies with two or more wires.

Google knob and tube wiring and go to images to see what it looks like.

 

[mbrando1994]

Knob and tube was single conductors run parallel to each other, not cable assemblies with two or more wires.

Google knob and tube wiring and go to images to see what it looks like.

I've been working with it a lot in my current house, and it does seem like a single cable (with 2 conductors) splits apart and carries on as two separate single conductors which then splits up into two branches that use knob and tube.

I was just wondering if it was common to see something like that. Since I inspected all of the open areas of the basement to find no single conductors at all. Except that for our doorbell/thermostat.

 

[Oso954]

it does seem like a single cable (with 2 conductors) splits apart and carries on as two separate single conductors which then splits up into two branches that use knob and tube

I have never seen that in original K&T installations. I have seen it where someone removed a section of the K&T circuit and then fed the remaining section of K&T with a newer cable.

The thing to look out for is, some people have only replaced the K&T in the attic, and reused the K&T in the wall runs down to the switchs or receptacles, vs fishing in newer cables for them.

 

[mbrando1994]

I have never seen that in original K&T installations. I have seen it where someone removed a section of the K&T circuit and then fed the remaining section of K&T with a newer cable.

The thing to look out for is, some people have only replaced the K&T in the attic, and reused the K&T in the wall runs down to the switchs or receptacles, vs fishing in newer cables for them.

Yessir that's what they did here on further inspection. There's an older wire but still romex running to the old k&t to feed it. It looks like the k&t is running to our bathroom..not good. Though I guess it's not good no matter where it's going ha.

As far as my new house goes, I still haven't found any. I may just pull a section of plaster upstairs and look around in between the studs by receptacles/etc. I'm not sure how else to locate it without tearing the whole house apart.

 

[mbrando1994]

On pulling more of the basement ceiling, I discovered evidence of knob and tube wiring. However, the wires were cut and not connected to anything, there was also a new cable running upstairs (well new old cable) in its place. So it does look like someone rewired a portion of the house, hopefully they removed all of the knob and tube, one can wish!