Knob and Tube BETA-33

Anyone care to help BETA-33 get his hallway light working.

Here is what he says he has with no power on anything.

(Knob & Tube)
Light with 2 wires
S1 3-way with 3 wires
S2 3-way with 3 wires

I know nothing about knob and tube. I am assuming that at one time it
worked with what he has. (knowing this may not be true)

So..........
The light would have to contain the neutral (coming from anywhere) and
a wire coming from S2

S2 will have the wire going to the light and 2 wires coming from S1

S1 will have 2 wires going to S2 and a dead wire that should be coming
from a source (coming from anywhere)

Does this sound right?

I would think he could look in the attic and be able to see the wire
going from the light to S2

So he should also be able to see the two wires going from S1 to S2.

That leaves the third wire coming from S1. That wire should be the
one going to a power source.

http://i29.tinypic.com/draz9h.jpg

This sketch is a common arrangement. Maybe you will have something
similar and can tell where the red wire is going.

Posted by RBM on February 1, 2008, 2:20 pm

Terry, has he been able to determine if he has a hot leg and a neutral leg?

> Anyone care to help BETA-33 get his hallway light working.

> Here is what he says he has with no power on anything.

> (Knob & Tube)

> Light with 2 wires

> S1 3-way with 3 wires

> S2 3-way with 3 wires

> I know nothing about knob and tube. I am assuming that at one time it

> worked with what he has. (knowing this may not be true)

> So..........

> The light would have to contain the neutral (coming from anywhere) and

> a wire coming from S2

> S2 will have the wire going to the light and 2 wires coming from S1

> S1 will have 2 wires going to S2 and a dead wire that should be coming

> from a source (coming from anywhere)

> Does this sound right?

> I would think he could look in the attic and be able to see the wire

> going from the light to S2

> So he should also be able to see the two wires going from S1 to S2.

> That leaves the third wire coming from S1. That wire should be the

> one going to a power source.

> http://i29.tinypic.com/draz9h.jpg

> This sketch is a common arrangement. Maybe you will have something

> similar and can tell where the red wire is going.

Posted by Terry on February 1, 2008, 2:45 pm

You can find out what I know by reading his comments to this thread

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.home.repair/browse_frm/thread/7cc30131b9e2eada/430356a9a4a064a6?tvc=1&q=kilowatt%40charter.net#430356a9a4a064a6

He says no wire is hot at any box, and the light has never worked. He
is using an inductance pocket tester. I just learned he has phoned
the wires out in the past with a continuity tester.

>Terry, has he been able to determine if he has a hot leg and a neutral leg?

>> Anyone care to help BETA-33 get his hallway light working.

>> Here is what he says he has with no power on anything.

>> (Knob & Tube)

>> Light with 2 wires

>> S1 3-way with 3 wires

>> S2 3-way with 3 wires

>> I know nothing about knob and tube. I am assuming that at one time it

>> worked with what he has. (knowing this may not be true)

>> So..........

>> The light would have to contain the neutral (coming from anywhere) and

>> a wire coming from S2

>> S2 will have the wire going to the light and 2 wires coming from S1

>> S1 will have 2 wires going to S2 and a dead wire that should be coming

>> from a source (coming from anywhere)

>> Does this sound right?

>> I would think he could look in the attic and be able to see the wire

>> going from the light to S2

>> So he should also be able to see the two wires going from S1 to S2.

>> That leaves the third wire coming from S1. That wire should be the

>> one going to a power source.

>> http://i29.tinypic.com/draz9h.jpg

>> This sketch is a common arrangement. Maybe you will have something

>> similar and can tell where the red wire is going.

Posted by RBM on February 1, 2008, 3:11 pm

Under the circumstances, I would abandon the circuit and run new cables to
each location

> You can find out what I know by reading his comments to this thread

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.home.repair/browse_frm/thread/7cc30131b9e2eada/430356a9a4a064a6?tvc=1&q=kilowatt%40charter.net#430356a9a4a064a6

> He says no wire is hot at any box, and the light has never worked. He

> is using an inductance pocket tester. I just learned he has phoned

> the wires out in the past with a continuity tester.

>>Terry, has he been able to determine if he has a hot leg and a neutral

>>leg?

>>> Anyone care to help BETA-33 get his hallway light working.

>>>

>>> Here is what he says he has with no power on anything.

>>>

>>> (Knob & Tube)

>>> Light with 2 wires

>>> S1 3-way with 3 wires

>>> S2 3-way with 3 wires

>>>

>>> I know nothing about knob and tube. I am assuming that at one time it

>>> worked with what he has. (knowing this may not be true)

>>>

>>> So..........

>>> The light would have to contain the neutral (coming from anywhere) and

>>> a wire coming from S2

>>>

>>> S2 will have the wire going to the light and 2 wires coming from S1

>>>

>>> S1 will have 2 wires going to S2 and a dead wire that should be coming

>>> from a source (coming from anywhere)

>>>

>>> Does this sound right?

>>>

>>> I would think he could look in the attic and be able to see the wire

>>> going from the light to S2

>>>

>>> So he should also be able to see the two wires going from S1 to S2.

>>>

>>> That leaves the third wire coming from S1. That wire should be the

>>> one going to a power source.

>>>

>>> http://i29.tinypic.com/draz9h.jpg

>>>

>>> This sketch is a common arrangement. Maybe you will have something

>>> similar and can tell where the red wire is going.

>>>

Posted by Don Young on February 1, 2008, 10:45 pm

> Anyone care to help BETA-33 get his hallway light working.

> Here is what he says he has with no power on anything.

> (Knob & Tube)

> Light with 2 wires

> S1 3-way with 3 wires

> S2 3-way with 3 wires

> I know nothing about knob and tube. I am assuming that at one time it

> worked with what he has. (knowing this may not be true)

> So..........

> The light would have to contain the neutral (coming from anywhere) and

> a wire coming from S2

> S2 will have the wire going to the light and 2 wires coming from S1

> S1 will have 2 wires going to S2 and a dead wire that should be coming

> from a source (coming from anywhere)

> Does this sound right?

> I would think he could look in the attic and be able to see the wire

> going from the light to S2

> So he should also be able to see the two wires going from S1 to S2.

> That leaves the third wire coming from S1. That wire should be the

> one going to a power source.

> http://i29.tinypic.com/draz9h.jpg

> This sketch is a common arrangement. Maybe you will have something

> similar and can tell where the red wire is going.

You seem to have it figured correctly. From the postings, I am not sure
whether the OP is missing a hot feed to one of the switches or whether he is
missing a neutral feed to the light. These can be verified by connecting a
long wire to a hot or neutral in a known working circuit and testing for
power between the extension wire and the wires in the problem area.

One common problem with electrical troubleshooting for me is that people
tend to say they do or do not have power at or on a certain wire. Power
never is present at one wire, only between two wires and you need to know
which two wires are being checked. And, of course, using a DVM instead of a
test light just confuses the issue even more.

Don Young

Page 1 of 18 1 2 3 > last >>

Similar Threads	Posted
knob and tube	October 17, 2008, 4:03 pm
Is Knob-and-Tube Always Dangerous?	July 25, 2006, 6:35 am
Re: Knob and Tube BETA-33	February 7, 2008, 1:14 pm
wiring question Knob and Tube	March 5, 2007, 9:28 am
Knob & Tube wiring - when did it stop?	March 1, 2008, 12:36 pm
Knob & Tube and Cloth Shielded Wiring	December 3, 2006, 2:00 pm
GFCI added to Knob & Tube to protect circuits?