Knob and tube wiring (sometimes abbreviated K&T) was an early standardized method of electrical wiring in buildings, in common use in North America from about 1880 to the 1930s.[1][2] It consisted of single-insulated copper conductors run within wall or ceiling cavities, passing through joist and stud drill-holes via protective porcelain insulating tubes, and supported along their length on nailed-down porcelain knob insulators. Where conductors entered a wiring device such as a lamp or switch, or were pulled into a wall, they were protected by flexible cloth insulating sleeving called loom. The first insulation was asphalt-saturated cotton cloth, then rubber became common. Wire splices in such installations were twisted together for good mechanical strength, then soldered and wrapped with rubber insulating tape and friction tape (asphalt saturated cloth), or made inside metal junction boxes.

Knob and tube wiring was eventually displaced from interior wiring systems because of the high cost of installation compared with use of power cables, which combined both power conductors of a circuit in one run (and which later included grounding conductors).

At present, new knob and tube installations are permitted in the US only in a few very specific situations listed in the National Electrical Code, such as certain industrial and agricultural environments.

Ceramic knobs were cylindrical and generally nailed directly into the wall studs or floor joists. Most had a circular groove running around their circumference, although some were constructed in two pieces with pass-through grooves on each side of the nail in the middle. A leather washer often cushioned the ceramic, to reduce breakage during installation.

By wrapping electrical wires around the knob, and securing them with tie wires, the knob securely and permanently anchored the wire. The knobs separated the wire from potentially combustible framework, facilitated changes in direction, and ensured that wires were not subject to excessive tension. Because the wires were suspended in air, they could dissipate heat well.

Ceramic tubes were inserted into holes bored in wall studs or floor joists, and the wires were directed through them. This kept the wires from coming into contact with the wood framing members and from being compressed by the wood as the house settled. Ceramic tubes were sometimes also used when wires crossed over each other, for protection in case the upper wire were to break and fall on the lower conductor.

Ceramic cleats, which were block-shaped pieces, served a purpose similar to that of the knobs. Not all knob and tube installations utilized cleats.

Ceramic bushings protected each wire entering a metal device box, when such an enclosure was used.

Loom, a woven flexible insulating sleeve, was slipped over insulated wire to provide additional protection whenever a wire passed over or under another wire, when a wire entered a metal device enclosure, and in other situations prescribed by code.

Other ceramic pieces would typically be used as a junction point between the wiring system proper, and the more flexible cloth-clad wiring found in light fixtures or other permanent, hard-wired devices. When a generic power outlet was desired, the wiring could run directly into the junction box through a tube of protective loom and a ceramic bushing.

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Knob and tube wiring - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have a junction box in my house where all the coaxial cables come in and go out. Most of it is pretty straight forward. There is one cable that comes in from the dish and connects to a 4-way green splitter. One port of the splitter goes out to the PI and the H24 receiver, another port goes out to the DECA BB and the last used port goes out to a DECA and my HR23. There are several other cables in the cabinet that are not connected that go to various other rooms in my house. The thing that has me confused is that there is a cable that comes in and is hooked to a 2-way splitter with a white label, used because I believe the CSR didn't have a better connector, that has another cable hooked to one of the out ports that then leaves the box. I have no idea what either end of those cables are hooked to. Can anyone give me an idea of what that connection is for? I only have two receivers that are connected for Whole-Home-DVR. I'm pretty sure that was done when the CSR came to hook up my WHDVR system. My father-in-law appears to have the same sort of connection in his box and he only has one receiver.

Thanks

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House wiring question | DIRECTV Technical Forums

A motorist may have saved two lives when he alerted residents that their East Hempfield Township home was on fire late Tuesday night, fire officials said.

The 11:36 p.m. fire struck a home at 39 Bimini Drive, near Manheim Pike and Lititz Road, just north of East Petersburg, said Trooper Dustin Shireman, a state police fire marshal.

The home is owned by 79-year-old Jacqueline Ditzler. She and her 40-year-old grandson, Christopher Axe, may have been sleeping at the time of the fire, officials said.

Flames were going through the roof, but they safely got out after a motorist pulled in front of the home and blew his car horn, alerting them something was wrong, said East Petersburg Fire Company Chief James Rohrer Jr. He did not know the motorist's name.

"The people heard (the horn) and got out," Rohrer said. "If he wouldn't have stopped, the outcome could have been a loss of life."

"The fire was burning above them and they didn't even know it," he said. Ditzler and Axe had gone to bed. He didn't know if they were asleep.

A neighbor also went to the home to help, but the occupants walked out on their own, Rohrer said.

About 65 firefighters from area companies fought the fire, but couldn't save the home from being destroyed.

They attacked the fire in the attic for about 15 minutes, but were unable to extinguish it, Rohrer said. They were ordered to evacuate and then fought an exterior attack, including using an aerial ladder truck to stream water onto the fire.

When the blaze was mostly extinguished, firefighters went back inside with a hand line and finished the job, Rohrer said. It all took them about 45 minutes.

Continued here:
Fire destroys home near East Petersburg

Paula Shipley with her cat Mittens outside her Cherryville home that was destroyed in a Sunday fire.

Friends of a Cherryville woman who lost everything she owns in a house fire Sunday morning have set up a fund for others to provide help.

Paula Shipley was asleep about 12:30 a.m. when her kitten woke her up, alerting her to a fire that was consuming her mobile home. She and the cat escaped, but two of her other pets died and the home was a total loss.

Fire investigators say the cause is undetermined, but believe faulty wiring may have been to blame.

Anyone who wants to help can make a donation to the Paula Shipley Fire Fund at any Woodforest National Bank, which has branches inside the Wal-Mart stores in Cherryville, Shelby and Belmont.

Shipley is sleeping on the couch at her nephew and nieces home in Kings Mountain but said she is still in need of clothes and other basic necessities. She had to cut off much of her hair because it was burned while she was escaping her home.

She had insurance, but said shes learned shell only receive a nominal amount to replace all the things she lost.

Im very optimistic, said Shipley, who has a history of helping others and of fostering abused animals. I look at the fact that Im just blessed to have the kitten and blessed that Im alive.

Shipley can also be reached directly at 704-802-4004.

Reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or twitter.com/GazetteMike.

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Fund to help woman who lost home in fire

What you should know

Fires tend to be more common in the winter when we spend a lot of time indoors trying to stay warm and cozy.

Winter fires often start with heating devices, cooking, smoking, candles, and matches. Cooking fires are the primary cause of home fires and fire injuries. The most common time for winter fires is 5 to 8 p.m. Holiday insurance claims are often tied to dry Christmas trees, turkey fryers, fireworks, and candles. Over one-third of candle fires start in bedrooms

The most common disaster response by the American Red Cross is for single-family house fires more than 52,000 U.S. home fires and helping 226,000 people. The Red Cross responds with shelter, food and emotional support.

Space heaters cause one-third of home heating fires and four out of five home heating fire deaths.

Winter electrical fires may start if circuits and receptacles become overloaded or there are shorts in cords or devices.

You could be at a high risk for fires, especially if you live in a home over 30 years old or with fuses. Todays lifestyles often require a large electrical supply all in one place. For example, your desk may have a heater, digital TV, cable box, lamp, and radio nearby. But you might also have a computer with screen, desk phone, printer, modem, mobile phone recharger, speakers, coffee warmer, phone, fax, scanner, and shredder. Many old homes were not build for such high demand in just one room. Some older homes have dangerous aluminum wiring as well.

Working smoke alarms are extremely important for helping you react and escape from a potential fire.

What you should do

Develop a fire escape plan. Practice your plan at least twice a year with everyone, including young children. Ask everyone to meet outside in a specific place in case of a fire. Everyone should know two ways to escape from each room.

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Healthy Memphis: Make home cozy without risk of winter fire

An electrical problem started a fire that caused damages totaling $175,000 at a North Lebanon Township home Thursday afternoon, a fire chief said.

The fire was sparked by the electrical wiring of a water filtering system, said Weavertown Fire Chief Donald Steiner.

The fire caused damages of $100,000 to the home at 614 E. Maple St. and $75,000 to its contents, he said. The basement sustained fire damage, and the rest of the house had heavy smoke damage. Steiner said smoke detectors in the house did not go off, possibly because of dead batteries.

Firefighters from nine fire companies were dispatched to extinguish the fire.

aggravated assault >> Julie Graham, 25, Harrisburg, was charged with having unprotected sexual intercourse with a 25-year-old Swatara Township man at his home between June 1 and 30, knowing she was HIV positive and not telling him, state police at Lickdale said Saturday. They also had sex at Graham's home in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County, during that time, police said. Police said Graham also lied about her HIV status.

She was arraigned Friday before District Judge Kim Wolfe, who set her bail at $25,000, police said. In addition to aggravated assault, she was charged with sexual assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person, police said.

Burglary >> Two people broke into the Schubert Best gas station, 5836 Four Point Road, in Bethel Township by throwing an object through the front door and shattering glass at 4:50 a.m. Saturday, state police at Hamburg said. The pair entered the store and took a cash register and cigarettes.

One of the burglars wore a white, hooded sweatshirt, jeans and sneakers, police said. The other wore a checkered hooded sweatshirt believed to be black and white, jeans and sneakers. The gender, height, weight and age of the burglars could not be determined. The suspect wearing the white sweatshirt fled from the store with the cash register, and the other took the cigarettes. The two split up and headed in opposite directions when they left.

Anyone with further information should call police at at 610-562-6885.

Water investigation >> Two adults and a child were displaced by a water supply line break Friday night in the first block of East Pine Street in Cleona.

Originally posted here:
Police blotter, 1/5

CHICKASHA

A man was arrested earlier this week for second degree burglary after allegedly stealing copper and part of a rolling chair from an unoccupied home.

Chickasha Police detained Donald Guffee for second degree burglary and possession of stolen property after they responded to an unknown address in the 600 block of S. 13th St. for a burglary in progress. The reporting party said they saw a male subject, later identified as Guffee, in a detached garage behind a residence on Sunday afternoon.

After initially not finding anyone, officers staked out the area when they saw Guffee walk up with dragging a gray, 55-gallon trash can and carrying a black and yellow toolbox. The officer observed that the trash contained copper fittings, wire and other items.

When Guffee was asked what was going on, Guffee replied that a black male named "Vernell" told him to go to the residence and drag a trash can out into the alley so he could come pick it up. The officer asked Guffee if the items were his, and he replied that they were not.

The officer placed Guffee under investigative detention and investigated the back door of the residence, which was open. Copper wiring had been ripped from a wall in the living room area, and it appeared that the home was obviously in the middle of a remodeling.

Police then contacted the homeowner, who said that no one had permission to be inside the house or garage or to take any of his things. The homeowner said that a roll of 12/2 yellow coated wiring should be inside the house. The officer said that this wiring was actually in the trashcan that Guffee had been dragging.

The officer had also seen the top of a Craftsman rolling chair, made of metal and later identified as belonging to the homeowner, in the trashcan that Guffee had been dragging.

Guffee said that a friend of his named Josh had told him to go to the residence and take the trashcan to the alleyway so he could pick it up. In a later interview, Josh said that Guffee had not been at his residence that day.

Guffee told another officer that a black man named "Vernell" who was drunk and at Josh's house gave him $18 to come take the trashcan out to the alleyway. Guffee said that an electrician told him that there was wiring in the trashcan. The officer reported that Guffee later changed his story, saying that it was a plumber who told him about the items. Guffee also provided different locations than he was coming from. First he said he was coming from Josh's house and the later said he was coming from another subject, "Mike's" home. When it was brought to Guffee's attention that his story was changing, Guffee stated that the officers were making him nervous.

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Alleged copper crook arrested after story corrodes

An electrical problem started a fire that caused damages totaling $175,000 at a North Lebanon Township home Thursday afternoon, a fire chief said.

The fire was sparked by electrical wiring of a water filtering system, said Weavertown Fire Co. Chief Donald Steiner.

The fire caused damages of $100,000 to the home at 614 E. Maple St. and $75,000 to its contents, he said.

The basement sustained fire damage and the rest of the house had heavy smoke damage, the fire chief said.

Steiner said smoke detectors in the house did not go off, possibly because of dead batteries.

Jim Light, who lived in the home, said he laid down Thursday afternoon and was drifting off to sleep when his dog, Quinn, barked and woke him. He said he then heard water pipes banging in the basement and discovered his kitchen was filled with smoke.

Light and his dog escaped the fire unharmed.

Firefighters from nine fire companies were dispatched to extinguish the fire.

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Electrical problem caused North Lebanon fire

SAN MATEO -- Uatesoni and Anna Paasi spent the morning of Black Friday at Kmart buying a new oven. They needed it for a special occasion: a party following the ceremonial blessings of two infant grandchildren.

On Sunday, Dec. 1, the Mormon couple hosted more than 50 friends and relatives in their backyard, serving roast leg of pork and other Tongan specialties. They had held dozens of family gatherings since buying their York Avenue house in 2006. This may have been the last.

Three days later, Anna Paasi stood in the street in shock, watching flames consume their home in San Mateo's North Shoreview neighborhood. Despite the heat from the fire, she was shivering.

"It was not too cold," recalled Anna Paasi, 53, "but I was shaking."

No one was hurt in the fire, which began around 10 p.m. and burned into the early morning, but the Paasis lost most of their possessions, including a pickup truck that was parked in the driveway. The fire marshal has not determined the cause, but the Paasis say firefighters told them it may have been electrical wiring in the garage.

Their home is insured through their bank, they say, and they hope to rebuild. But they did not have insurance for their belongings. A friend of the family has begun an online fundraising drive to help them put their lives back together.

Blackened shell

On Thursday, Uatesoni and Anna Paasi drove to their charred two-bedroom house from a San Mateo homeless shelter where they are staying along with five family members, including two sons and a grandson, who lived with them.

The broken windows of the one-story building are boarded up. There is a pile of trash on the lawn. Inside the blackened, gutted house the carpet is still spongy from the water that put out the flames. The Paasis' prized oven is rust-colored, oxidized by the fire and heaped with insulation that fell down from the attic.

Anna Paasi picked through the ruins of her bedroom, looking for salvageable clothes. She and her husband were wearing outfits they bought with a $1,000 debit card from the Red Cross.

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Fundraiser supports San Mateo family who lost home in fire

Wiring Panel for Structured Wiring The Wiring Panel is the heart of any Structured Wiring job. You should have already chosen the location of your wiring panel when you created your Wiring Plan. This should probably be placed in the basement if you have one. Otherwise, a closet will work too. The benefit of proper structured wiring plan is that all wires terminate in one location - your wiring panel. This makes it much easier to change your setup and to diagnose and repair problems.

Purchasing a wiring panel can add a professional finish to your work, but they can also be expensive. The empty panel might start as low as $50, but you end up getting trapped into using their overpriced modules for phone, cable, and internet distribution. I was able to find a standalone 24 port internet switch for less than the cost of a Leviton 4 port hub. If your wiring panel will be visible (it is located in a closet or small room) then you might want to go with a real wiring panel like the one shown above. Since my wiring panel is hidden in an unfinished closet in the basement, I prefer to save the money and just mount everything to the wall. The wires are visible, but it also has more room makes it easier to move things around.

Any non-electrical wires from outside the home should be run to the wiring panel. As you can see below, most companies are trying to offer the big 3 services (phone, TV, & internet). Having all wires start from the same location makes it easier to switch between companies. Everyone is always offering a better deal for new customers to get them to switch. The panel will then distribute these to the rest of the home. This includes:

With a structured wiring plan, the cable modem is located at the wiring panel in the basement. The incoming cable is run to the cable modem. The Cat5 cable is then run to a internet switch which can then distribute the internet throughout the home. A typical wiring panel will contain a Cable or DSL modem, a internet switch, a WiFi router, phone splitter, TV / satellite splitters, and an alarm panel.

Before cutting any wires, do a rough layout of where each switch, splitter, switch, and panel will be. I like to start at the top with the wires coming in from the street, then the grounds, then splitters at the bottom.

The second method for phone distribution is to simply buy a multi-port phone splitter.

Each wire must be terminated with a 6 pin phone connector. A special crimping tool and phone connectors are required to do this. Each wire in the braid is inserted through its own hole in the connector, then the wires are crimped to hold them in the connector. Finally, the excess wire is trimmed from the end of the connector. Only untwist as little wire as necessary.

For coaxial wires, you must crimp on a coax connector before connecting it to the splitter. Do not use the twist on connectors. You can use a standard wire stripper to strip the coaxial cable, but a custom coax stripper will give you a perfect cut. After stripping the wire, push the braid back on the wire and then crimp on the connector. The white insulator should just be visible inside the connector. Be sure to get the correct RG6 (not RG59) connectors. Make sure that the braid and the inner core do not touch.

All coaxial wires (cable or satellite) coming in from the street should be grounded. Most splitters have built in ground connections, but if they don't you can use a separate grounding block. If the builder hasn't already provided a ground, you will need to run a copper wire from your copper water pipe to under the screw on the grounding block.

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Wiring Panel - Structured Home Wiring