Best Wireless Switches for replacing K&T

[UVNH]

I am replacing K&T in a 100 year old house trying to do minimal damage.

Front hallway has a ceiling center light with 4 switches on the first floor and 1 switch on the second floor. Would be great to just run new romex to the light and use wireless switches. What system is best? Would like to use regular toggle switches to match the rest of the house. I notice some are "European" square switches and some are decora.

Here is a picture of a cast iron single gang box from 1902.

 

[Jack D]

I'm sure you will get lots of opinion on this. I use Insteon as my wireless switches and I have done what you are looking to do.

There is one thing you need to have to use Insteon and that is a 'neutral' must be in the box that you are placing the switches. You put the same switch in your other box ('neutral' also required) and the two switches are slaved to each other using a button on each switch. Once they are communicating over the house power and RF (similar to a wireless home phone) either switch will control the light just like you wired a three-way switch.

You can get real fancy with all kinds of controllers and hubs with smartphone access but this will work for your purposes.

 

[American Locomotive]

We have an Illumra wireless switch in the kitchen of our 241 year old farm house. I like the Illumra because the switch is self-powered, doesn't need any batteries and has an internal antenna. You can stick it anywhere if you wanted.

The range is also ridiculous, I was able to turn my kitchen light on/off about 150 feet outside of my house.

 

[Bert_]

If your not tearing open walls and see no obvious modifications (hack work) to the knob and tube, then my advice would be to leave it alone.

I would try to run new wire to the recepts. since they are much easier and can have more load. And just leave the lights as is.

Most of the issues with old wiring is caused by "handyman" type changes.

 

[yeldogt]

If your not tearing open walls and see no obvious modifications (hack work) to the knob and tube, then my advice would be to leave it alone.

I would try to run new wire to the recepts. since they are much easier and can have more load. And just leave the lights as is.

Most of the issues with old wiring is caused by "handyman" type changes.

That's what I always did with my rehabs -- the few ceiling fixtures and associated switches being isolated from the rest of the wiring.

 

[ishiboo]

I'm sure you will get lots of opinion on this. I use Insteon as my wireless switches and I have done what you are looking to do.

There is one thing you need to have to use Insteon and that is a 'neutral' must be in the box that you are placing the switches. You put the same switch in your other box ('neutral' also required) and the two switches are slaved to each other using a button on each switch. Once they are communicating over the house power and RF (similar to a wireless home phone) either switch will control the light just like you wired a three-way switch.

You can get real fancy with all kinds of controllers and hubs with smartphone access but this will work for your purposes.

I use Insteon as well.

I've never had to use one, but they do make a switch that works without a neutral.

 

[UVNH]

To be clear, the work will be done by a licensed electrician not myself.

I have a good independent guy willing to do the work at $50 versus the normal big company $80 per hour. He has done some stuff already and is comfortable in an old house. And last time I had the big company replace a couple K&T fixtures with romex so that I could blow insulation, they did exactly that and left all the K&T live! And good thing they did since the entire master bathroom is on that circuit. But I would have appreciated if they told me they left it live.

Around here you need K&T gone to insure on a new sale or take a haircut for the new owners to replace. I will eventually have to pay to have it all out one way or another. Most of the K&T has been replaced either by prior owners or me.

Priority will be
1. Outlets
2. Ceiling fixtures where walls are plaster
3. Ceiling fixtures where walls are wall papered. Those will likely be deferred until room is being redone.

I did see that Insteon now has a remote wireless switch now that does not required a common wire. The Illumra looks more professional and is self powered. But only available through limited distributors and at full price.

Another company I found online like Illumra was "adhoc electronics". Looks like the same switch.

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[American Locomotive]

You can find the Illumra switch on Amazon for about $100. It's pricey, but to me the ability to put the switch anywhere, it's very long range, and the fact that it's self-powered are what sold us on it.