Old Electrical Wiring [Paperback]

David E. Shapiro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1998

Providing a comprehensive guide to old electrical systems, this text features decriptive drawings and illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Far from being a dry, technical manual, Old Electrical Wiring Maintenance and Retrofit by David E. Shapiro, is an enjoyable readable guide to the many peculiar installations that may be encountered in older buildings. The book addresses time-worn and idiosyncratic work, and helps with the decision to repair or replace. The target audience is the practicing electrician, but non-electricians will garner lots of useful information about old systems and methods. Examples alert readers to possible problems and offer sound, experienced advice. There are plenty of case histories and troubleshooting tips here to aid in tracking down isolated glitches, such as dead outlets, mystery shorts or tired fixture locations. The well-organized chapters include just enough black & white photos and schematics for clarity, while the glossary of terms at the back of the book is an education all by itself. If your first look at that old service panel elicited a "yikes," take note: This excellent book is for you. -- The Journal of Light Construction

From the Back Cover

Learn how to repair or replace wiring in old buildings--and bring them up to Code. There are millions of wonderful old building all across America--but in many cases, their wiring differs in major ways from today's accepted standards. If you're perplexed about how to deal with old wiring, this first-of-it-kind guide will give you the tools to solve any electrical wiring problem encountered in old houses and apartment buildings--even historic residences--and in smaller commercial structures. Packed with drawings and illustrations, including pictures of old devices, this practical book will tell you whether an old electrical system needs to be torn out or repaired--and how to bring an old building up to Code. You'll find complete details on: Troublshooting-how to uncover and solve actual technical problems of old wiring; Design Changes-how to untangle the cumulative changes in a building's electrical layout, and make it legal and safe; Swtiching Layouts-how to develop solutions to dangerous and illegal systems such as Carter System (lazy neutral) swtiching; History & Resources-how to estimate the age of a system...and where to find equipment and information needed to repair it. You'll also get an extensive glossary of old wiring terms and slang--plus advice on dealing with authorities and customers regarding issues ranging from aesthetics to grandfathering.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies; Flexible edition (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070578796
• ISBN-13: 978-0070578791
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,963,689 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A mixed review from Fine Homebuilding magazine, October 29, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Electrical Wiring (Paperback)

The author is obviously knowledgeable and does a good job of transferring his experience to paper, [but the book has problems]. As I paged through the "Familiarizing Yourself with Old Wiring" section, I found myself looking for pictures of old cables so I could familiarize myself with them. There aren't any. And as I looked through the rest of the book, I noticed that this seems to be an overall problem. Instead of pictures of important things such as different types of old cable, the book offers such things as a full-page spread devoted to a permit form. Although I loved the old ads and the photos of ancient receptacles and knife switches, good illustrations are few and far between, and the quality of the photography is absolutely terrible. There is good information on old wiring in here, but you have to hunt to find it. Too often the book digresses into topics that have little or nothing to do with old cable. I found myself wondering why there's a section on photovoltacis and X-10 ultramodern control systems in the book at all. Still, the parts of the book that deal with old cable are great. I liked the book, even with its obvious problems. It's a good, necessary addition to any electrician's library, including mine. But it could have been so much more.--Rex Cauldwell

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must read" for all residential electricians!, August 7, 1999

By 

Wally Root ([e-mail]) (Licensed Electrician, Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Electrical Wiring (Paperback)

This is an excellent book dealing with the problems faced with old wiring. The content is very helpful for all levels of experience, however, it is extremely valuable for newer electricians or electricians specializing in old wiring. The descriptions of the Carter System, background information and old catalog sheets are worth the price of the book itself. Buy this book, it'll make you money!