Your Old Wiring [Paperback]

David E. Shapiro (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071357017 | ISBN-13: 978-0071357012 | Publication Date: December 22, 2000 | Edition: 1

*Written by a master electrician this book shows homeowners and do-it-yourselfers how to go behind the walls of their old homes and correct messy, outdated wiring

*Packed with over 250 photos and illustrations, 10 common wiring projects (like installing ceiling fans) and before and after photographs

*The only house wiring book that shows how to identify and correct old electrical wiring, simply and safely

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

What to Do (and How to Do It). What Not to Do. How to Tell the Difference

IS IT WORKMANSHIP OR GUESSWORK?

If you live in an older home, you never know what lurks behind switchplates and outlet covers, inside fuse boxes and breaker panels, writes master electrician David Shapiro. He's conquered the tangles masquerading as wiring in hundreds of old buildings, and in this book he shows you not just what should be in your electrical system, as other books do, but also what really may be there--and how to deal with it. YOUR OLD WIRING is the only guidebook available with this important feature.

Pictures show you how to:
* Distinguish good wiring and fixtures from bad
* Install a ceiling fan
* Replace a light fixture
* Change a switch
* Wire outdoor fixtures
* Select the right supplies
* Locate and repair problems
* Do preventive maintenance

SOLVE YOUR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

At last there's an easy, safe approach to that possible fire hazard (a.k.a.: your old wiring system). This informative, photo-packed book can help anyone do home electrical jobs with ease, confidence, and skill. YOUR OLD WIRING provides pictures that help you do everything from simple splicing repairs to installing a ceiling fan.

Simple and Safe Master electrician David E. Shapiro's unique pictorial approach walks you through every step, making every task simple and safe. Clear photographs show you not only what to do, but also how to handle old wiring that may not match the ideal.

Published by the leader in professional electrical references, David E. Shapiro's YOUR OLD WIRING is authoritative and thorough--yet easy to understand. This is a guide that will reliably help you with your electrical tasks now, and for many years to come.

About the Author

DAVID E. SHAPIRO is a master electrician and renowned authority on home wiring. The author of OLD ELECTRICAL WIRING, also from McGraw-Hill, and the residential columnist for Electrical Contractor magazine, he has written for the Washington Post, Practical Homeowner, New England Builder, and many other magazines. He is also an electrical consultant and a certified inspector and plan reviewer. He lives in Colmar Manor, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., where he does business as Safety First Electrical Contracting, Consulting, and Safety Education.

Product Details

• Paperback: 335 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (December 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071357017
• ISBN-13: 978-0071357012
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #345,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for remodelers, May 27, 2002

By 

Douglas B Kubel (Chapel Hill, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Your Old Wiring (Paperback)

This book is a great resource for the non-professional who has to evaluate and/or repair old residential electrical systems. It is well-organized, thoroughly safety-oriented, and practical. The author, David E. Shapiro, is a master electrician with substantial experience. He not only translates the National Electrical Code into practical advice for the do-it-yourselfer, he isn't afraid to express his opinions and recommendations, which is rare in this kind of book. This kind of practical advice, based on long experience, is more valuable than the just-the-facts approach taken by so many DIY authors.

There are two problems with the book, however, and both are related to the graphics. Many of the photographs are blurry or otherwise unhelpful, and there are a number of places in the text where more phtotographs or illustrations would be quite helpful. I would have given this book five stars if the graphics were done as professionally as the text.

Finally, the book doesn't really deal with the "knob-and-tube" type wiring found in many older homes. The author is clear that many subjects are beyond the scope of this entry-level book, and knob-and-tube is one of the subjects that doesn't make it in.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much better than the reviews say!, December 16, 2003

By 

I. Leong "mhz500" (Taylors, SC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Your Old Wiring (Paperback)

I expected the photos to be hard to discern, as it was stated by other reviewers. As a Master Electrician, I found that this is not the case. Apparently, the photos are not for amateurs, since it requires someone who has actually seen such wiring "in the flesh" to really understand them.

No other book deals with old wiring so well. The subject is too often neglected by the industry.

The author wisely recommends consulting an experienced electrician. Unfortunately, too many young ones do not understand old wiring and many old ones are up to date with the current electric code.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is Perfect, March 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Your Old Wiring (Paperback)

I found this book incredibly helpful in dealing with a 1950's house with basically good wiring...Shapiro doesn't pull any punches and only tells you what you need to know to safely do basic electrical maintenance.