Old Knob & Tube Three Way: Check Out This...

jbelectric777

I actually had this in an old K&T home, The guy called me and was ready to have his entire home rewired because 4 or 5 contractors gave up on trouble shooting it. I was lucky I learned this a long time ago. Maybe it will help one of you in the future, or maybe ya saw it in the past.........

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" For all those whom beleive in Telekinesis, Raise my Right Arm"

jbelectric777

I hope the pic is o.k..... It's not a legal hook up because as you can see they are switching the hot and neutral between the three ways and they tapped the second floor power from the second floor three ways travelers....... lol

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" For all those whom beleive in Telekinesis, Raise my Right Arm"

mdshunk

Called the "Carter system". It was legal up until the mid 30's.

jbelectric777

Yup....... Man them old timers really knew how to make things work !

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" For all those whom beleive in Telekinesis, Raise my Right Arm"

mickeyco

I just learned the name of that "Carter System" not to long ago (MD told us the name about a month back), you have got to wonder how many people will find these drawings and use it today. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with publishing the pictures (hell, I've seen back-stabbing illustrations on some big sites). No matter what you do some bozo is allways going to do the "easy" electrical work.

mdshunk

There are innumerable ways for a hack to screw up electrical work. Following an old Carter system diagram is among them. As long as the drawing is accompanied by text that explains that it's illegal or hazardous, who cares.

RobertWilber

if ya think THAT's ugly, first time I saw it was on overhead festoon lighting with a three way between a house and remote garage with a recp in the garage that "worked all the time."
The bad part was that the overhead lines had been knocked down in a storm and all that was left at the peak of the house were the hot, neutral and ONE wire that toggled
I was new with less than 6 months in the trade, and when I suggested this as an answer I was told I was nuts ..... until we told the boss my idea and he said that was the answer ...
[they had done the hot/neutral travelers feed at both ends and run a toggling common from each end, with the lights suspended in between - there were four wires - two with lights between them - and only three terminations at each end ..] and everything had been torn away from the buildings

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Philadelphia electrician