twisting wires together, then tape it?

[PoorOwner]

Was this practice ever code compliant?

I seem to find this.. Maybe they didn't have the space for wire nut or the correct size wire nut.

Oh well, at least this last guy used a box so that's an improvement.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

I don't see a picture, BUT:
a soldered western union splice is stronger than the wire itself, and code acceptable if it's in a box, IIRC. I'd want to heat shrink it, personally.

twisted together wires in a wall with tape instead of wire nuts is not. depends on what you've got.

 

[75gmck25]

It depends on how far back you mean by "ever code compliant."

My house was built in 1940, and wired using the old steel covered flexible cable. All the junctions inside boxes were twisted to make the connection, and then covered with a tape that is more like friction tape than modern electrical tape. The tape is completely adhered to the wiring, and usually you have to break it off in chunks to remove it.

The wiring was connected to 15 amp circuits, but when I look at the wire gauge of the old cable it looks larger than 14 gauge wire. It also looks like the ends of the wire may be tinned over the copper, but it seems crazy to think an electrician would have gone through that trouble before twisting them together.

Bruce

 

[nh_yota]

If you're saying that the splice was made just by twisting the wires together without any solder or wire nut - I don't think that was ever compliant. In the days before spring-loaded wire nuts they used brass ferrules with set screws and a plastic cap that screwed over the top for insulation. Before that they used splices with solder and cambric tape.

 

[b-boy]

It depends on how far back you mean by "ever code compliant."

My house was built in 1940, and wired using the old steel covered flexible cable. All the junctions inside boxes were twisted to make the connection, and then covered with a tape that is more like friction tape than modern electrical tape. The tape is completely adhered to the wiring, and usually you have to break it off in chunks to remove it.

The wiring was connected to 15 amp circuits, but when I look at the wire gauge of the old cable it looks larger than 14 gauge wire. It also looks like the ends of the wire may be tinned over the copper, but it seems crazy to think an electrician would have gone through that trouble before twisting them together.

Bruce

My house had this type of wiring everywhere. I had old 2-wire cloth covered BX installed. It was probably from the 20s. It was incredible how much wire they could stuff into the tiny junction boxes they used back then.

My guess is that this was how it was done in the first half of the century.

 

[driftpin]

I had a built in 1926 CBS dwelling, wired in BX, a 60 amp service for the house, a separate pair of 240 V circuits was run later when they switched from natural gas to electric for the water heater and the range/stove.

When I bought the house, nearly 40 years-ago, I tried to replace some of the duplex outlets and switches. The BX cable insulation often crumbled. Eventually I ended up with a short in one leg from the service. I ended up wiring a complete new service from the weatherhead to the branch panel to the switches and outlets.

My house had this type of wiring everywhere. I had old 2-wire cloth covered BX installed. It was probably from the 20s. It was incredible how much wire they could stuff into the tiny junction boxes they used back then.

My guess is that this was how it was done in the first half of the century.

 

[driftpin]

Sorry double-post

 

[ttpete]

Back in the day, pigtail splices in boxes were soldered. They would twist them and point the splice down outside the box. When all the splices were ready, they'd go around with a can of Nokorode solder flux and dip each splice in it.

Then, a gasoline blowtorch would be fired up and a small swivel solder pot on a handle hung on the torch to heat. Once it was molten, the pot was used to dip each splice, soldering it.

The splices were then taped using rubber tape and covering that with friction tape.

My grandfather was a journeyman electrician, and I helped him on occasion doing this.

 

[Bert_]

Back in the day, pigtail splices in boxes were soldered. They would twist them and point the splice down outside the box. When all the splices were ready, they'd go around with a can of Nokorode solder flux and dip each splice in it.

Then, a gasoline blowtorch would be fired up and a small swivel solder pot on a handle hung on the torch to heat. Once it was molten, the pot was used to dip each splice, soldering it.

The splices were then taped using rubber tape and covering that with friction tape.

My grandfather was a journeyman electrician, and I helped him on occasion doing this.

This is correct.^

When you see old wiring that is silver that is because it is tinned to make soldering easier.

Some times you run into splices that were not soldered, either romex or knob and tube. Guess there were some hacks back in the day too.

 

[theoldwizard1]

It was common practice for low voltage (automotive) wiring for a long time. It might still be used but it is difficult to do well with today's smaller wires.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I don't see a picture, BUT:
a soldered western union splice is stronger than the wire itself, and code acceptable if it's in a box, IIRC. I'd want to heat shrink it, personally.

twisted together wires in a wall with tape instead of wire nuts is not. depends on what you've got.

Twisted together wires in a wall are not code acceptable even with wire nuts.

Tommy

 

[PelicanPines]

Had a house... wires in the electrical boxes, and there were a lot of them, were twisted, taped with electrical tape then something my father called "friction tape" on top of the electrical tape.

Also took apart some wiring in my shore house... all the wires had wire nuts that were then taped. Also... the outlets... after connecting the wires to the screws... they ran tape around the connectors.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

Twisted together wires in a wall are not code acceptable even with wire nuts.

Tommy

aren't they acceptable in a box? i don't think any splices are acceptable "in a wall".

not sure about code, but western union splices are NASA approved

 

[LS6 Tommy]

aren't they acceptable in a box? i don't think any splices are acceptable "in a wall".

As long as the box is accessible on the outside of the wall.

Tommy

 

[rlitman]

As long as the box is accessible on the outside of the wall.

Tommy

There are code compliant splices on the market that do not need to be accessible, but I agree that they're not simply a twist and wire nut.

 

[dscheidt]

When you see old wiring that is silver that is because it is tinned to make soldering easier.

No, it's not.

It's tinned because the insulation was rubber. The vulcanization process leaves free sulphur in the rubber, which is corrosive to the copper. (As sulphur peroxide, if I remember right.). Tinning the wire protects the copper. If you strip a big section of the stuff, you can see where the tinning was imperfect, or it was damaged, because the corrosion is obvious.

 

[rharman]

Had a house... wires in the electrical boxes, and there were a lot of them, were twisted, taped with electrical tape then something my father called "friction tape" on top of the electrical tape.

Also took apart some wiring in my shore house... all the wires had wire nuts that were then taped. Also... the outlets... after connecting the wires to the screws... they ran tape around the connectors.

I haven't seen friction tape in years.

 

[grounded-b]

It depends on how far back you mean by "ever code compliant."

My house was built in 1940, and wired using the old steel covered flexible cable. All the junctions inside boxes were twisted to make the connection, and then covered with a tape that is more like friction tape than modern electrical tape. The tape is completely adhered to the wiring, and usually you have to break it off in chunks to remove it.

The wiring was connected to 15 amp circuits, but when I look at the wire gauge of the old cable it looks larger than 14 gauge wire. It also looks like the ends of the wire may be tinned over the copper, but it seems crazy to think an electrician would have gone through that trouble before twisting them together.

Bruce

The copper wire was factory tinned back then, this kept it from adhering to the rubber insulation. (easier stripping )

Splices were twisted first, then soldered. They were wrapped with a layer or two of rubber tape and then covered with "friction" tape for abrasion resistance.

This wiring method is still in use and is listed as type AC (armored cable). Type MC (metal clad ) cable is very similar. However, the wire insulation is now typically THHN.

 

[Bert_]

No, it's not.

It's tinned because the insulation was rubber. The vulcanization process leaves free sulphur in the rubber, which is corrosive to the copper. (As sulphur peroxide, if I remember right.). Tinning the wire protects the copper. If you strip a big section of the stuff, you can see where the tinning was imperfect, or it was damaged, because the corrosion is obvious.

Interesting, did not know that.