# knob and tube wiring info wanted.



## wienerwater (Sep 25, 2006)

Hello people!
I recently bought an old house built in 1932,  in a remote old goldmining town. The place is solid, fully livable and has many upgrades such as new plumbing and some electrical. I have a 100 amp service, put in about 10 years ago, and some new wiring such as range, fridge, dryer etc. There is still K&T wiring running to most lights. It's a 2 story home, full basement, and am looking for info/schematics on how the K&T is usually wired in.I traced the attic wires, and is in excellent shape everywhere, and accessable.I have proper black and white wires, and am curious about how the switches for the lights are usually wired through the walls(no push button switiches).All light connections go into a 2 wire length of cable, then through the ceiling material and into the box for connection below.Do most switches use a 2 wire cable through the wall to control the lights, or is it K&T in the walls going from the switch and up? I would appreciate all the info I can find showing procedures and methods, along with info on  rewiring this again. I have done lots of wiring in the past, have testing eqipment etc, and this is a new challenge.


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## Snoonyb (Sep 30, 2006)

K&T will varie in different locals, single strands with wraps covered with friction tape (no "J" boxes), a form of "BX", (two conductor jute wraped and armored), flexible steel conduit or hard pipe.
The hot may be a single leg in a ceiling box with the neutral in the switch box, a two conductor switch leg. You'll need to identify.

If you rewire, save the tubes, they are ceramic and excellant knife sharpeners.


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## petey_racer (Sep 30, 2006)

Honestly, if you plan on having anyone live in this house, I would re-wire all the K&T circuits. You do not need a plan or schematic for that, which as Snoony eluded to, you will not likely find. 
You will probably have to snake in wires for 99% of the house but this is the reality of having a house such as yours.
Also, add whatever it takes to bring the house as much up to current code as possible. If you are doing this properly with permits and inspections you may not have a choice.


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## wienerwater (Sep 30, 2006)

Thanks guys for the input. I talked with the local electrical inspector the other day, and from our conversation, he is very comfortable with my thoughts and plans. Since it has a newer service, and basically fishing anything new in will be pretty simple because the basement has suspended ceiling tiles in 75% (the rest is open), the attic is straight forward and already has a new grounded cable going through and down a bedroom wall for a computer plug.I can basically use that run alone for 3 bedroom lights, and 3 plug outlets per room.All 3 switches can be accessed/fished easily, the tougher run will be the main floor, but again, because of the upper bathroom location, and having a good size hole in the floor from recent plumbing upgrades, I can fish to the dining room light, kitchen light, and the switches easily, before covering the floor back in.
We talked about the K&T, and because I have a definate white and black lead( hot and neutral), it makes it easier to work with. The difficulty level is pretty low on this one, just more time and patience, which is a good thing!


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