Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum - Vintage Electrical http://www.electriciantalk.com Discussion, pictures, and vendors related to vintage electrical installations. en Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:14:06 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.electriciantalk.com/images/misc/rss.jpg Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum - Vintage Electrical http://www.electriciantalk.com Vintage two-prong tamper-proof outlet http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/vintage-two-prong-tamper-proof-outlet-16128/ Sun, 29 Aug 2010 00:15:13 GMT I found this one in a pile of old ripped-out stuff going to the trash at a renovation job we did on a very high end house in the Forest Hill area of... I found this one in a pile of old ripped-out stuff going to the trash at a renovation job we did on a very high end house in the Forest Hill area of Toronto about a month ago. This is the only one of its kind I could find. It's a Bell, and it says made in USA. You have to twist the spring-loaded front to insert the plug. The terminal screws are slotted only...which must have sucked for the electrician who originally installed it. It's also unpolarised. Any idea when it dates to?

Another thing, it says 125v 15A and 250V 10A. Does that mean outlets like these were actually used for 250v(or 240, or whatever) somewhere?

]]> Vintage Electrical Vintage Sounds http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/vintage-two-prong-tamper-proof-outlet-16128/ <![CDATA[Some old codebooks I've collected]]> http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/some-old-codebooks-ive-collected-16091/ Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:05:00 GMT Just some random old codebooks (not NEC!) that I've collected.

1937 Cleveland Ohio

1930 Chicago Illinois

1929 PSE&G (Newark, NJ)

1915 Commonwealth Edison, Chicago Ill.

1932 Syracuse NY

]]> Vintage Electrical 480sparky http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/some-old-codebooks-ive-collected-16091/ Old switch http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/old-switch-16079/ Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:02:24 GMT I bought an old scroll saw last week that was using this switch to turn it on and off.

I've never seen one like it. I love how they can be completely dissembled.
It was real dirty inside so I cleaned it up.

You can see in picture below it has a few special features.
There are two places to attach to the line side, either from above or from below.
The common can be landed on the piece that hold the switch in.
I guess that eliminates the need for a wire nut.

]]> Vintage Electrical bigredc222 http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/old-switch-16079/ <![CDATA[Odd 1940's NM]]> http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/odd-1940s-nm-15963/ Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:42:29 GMT Just looked at a job here in LA. The house was supposedly built about 1943. Saw in a receptical box what looked to be NM. Rubber with cloth. ... Just looked at a job here in LA. The house was supposedly built about 1943.

Saw in a receptical box what looked to be NM. Rubber with cloth. The "cable" seemed to consist of one insulated conductor, and one un-insulated conductor. The insulated seem was wired top the hot side of the receptical, and the uninsulated wire to the neutral.

The box seemed to be much newer than the wire, and there was no stain relief.

Looked in another box supporting the front porch light. That box looked to be original, and again one insulated conductor, one not.

The client is renting the house out, and I did not want to talk in front of the tenant.

Has anyone seen this sort of NM? I have not. I have see plenty with two insulated conductors, all sorts of rubber and cloth, without a ground wire. But never this.

Anyone? ]]> Vintage Electrical BrightLight http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/odd-1940s-nm-15963/ Monday Photo Fest http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/monday-photo-fest-15831/ Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:56:32 GMT Stuff I saw today while at an US Army post that dates back to 1901. Image:... Stuff I saw today while at an US Army post that dates back to 1901.

Good thing this stuff was de-energized back in the 60s.:laughing: ]]> Vintage Electrical 480sparky http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/monday-photo-fest-15831/ old test eq. http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/old-test-eq-15720/ Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:03:51 GMT i don't use these but i thought they were cool

Attached Images

	DSC01557.JPG (74.9 KB)
	DSC01558.JPG (73.9 KB)

]]> Vintage Electrical ampman http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/old-test-eq-15720/ Old fluorescent ballasts from the 50s, 60s and 70s! http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/old-fluorescent-ballasts-50s-60s-70s-15714/ Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:48:05 GMT I have a particular interest for old fluorescent ballasts, the older the better! I found most of them in the scrap metal container at the local... I have a particular interest for old fluorescent ballasts, the older the better! I found most of them in the scrap metal container at the local recycle centre. I've been quite surprised by the age of some of them! :blink:

Let's begin by these three. They've been made (from top to bottom) in 1971, 1962 and 1967. The only working one is the little one from 1967. I kept the empty case of the top one, and I've been dumb enough to throw away the middle one.... Fortunately I found today a similar ballast from the same year, but working! I found the three pictured almost two years ago.

More recent finds this time. Here are two ballasts from 1964, only the bottom one is working unfortunately.

Another one, also from 1964. It works, but the case is live for some reason (I learned it the hard way LOL)

And now the highlight! A GE ballast from September 1959! Amazingly it works like a charm, no noise. I don't know if it gets very hot, probably not, considering its (impressive) half-century of service! ]]> Vintage Electrical M400APowrDoor http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/old-fluorescent-ballasts-50s-60s-70s-15714/ <![CDATA[Stuff from the 'old' books]]> http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/stuff-old-books-15580/ Sat, 07 Aug 2010 12:49:48 GMT Here's a collection of stuff that was actually found in old handbooks:

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]]> Vintage Electrical 480sparky http://www.electriciantalk.com/f24/stuff-old-books-15580/