Power and the RA82

[Scott Stevens]

On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 10:58:33 -0600
Kevin Handy <kth at srv.net> wrote:

> McFadden, Mike, A wrote:
> 
> >I once had a chance to walk through my neighbor's basement in an old
> >log cabin summer house where he had lots of knob and tube wiring
> >right about head height.  He was in the process of figuring out which
> >circuits were connected to it and how to replace it.  The nails were
> >set into the edge of the 2 X 6 floor joists.  It was scary since the
> >floor joists were only 6 feet off of the concrete floor that had been
> >added over the original dirt and rock.  I've got poor peripheral
> >vision and I was afraid of sticking my head up against the wires.  
> >
> 
> >I think it's gone now.
> >
> >  
> >
> Burned down?
> 
Knob and tube wiring isn't inherently hazardous, in fact it's usually
very well installed.  People took electricty seriously in the early
years.  It is spaced so that it doesn't suffer as much when it
deteriorates as a lot of later wiring.  And if you bang your head up
against it in the cellar of an old house, you're going to get a shock,
you won't burn the house down.

I would MUCH rather live in a house with under-current (I think we have
80 amp service here) knob and tube wiring than in a 'modern' house built
in the 70's with, say, Aluminum wiring.  And I'm NOT impressed with a
lot of the new wiring supplies.  A plastic-base lamp housing is a LOT
less reliable than an all ceramic and metal one.