In a rental house I have, built around 1910, I ran across a system used to convert gas lighting to electrical.
I had to rip apart the ceiling and install a new electrical box, adequate to support a ceiling fan, after discovering a cast iron fitting, shaped somewhat like a thick letter "H", mounted horizontally on a pipe nipple. Each corner of the "H" was drilled and had a BX cable slid though it, from above, fastened by a set crew on each corner of the cast iron "H". The wires were just joined by solder connections below the "H". There was really no box enclosure. The "H" was supported by a black iron pipe nipple, threaded through the center of the "H" coming down from horizontal gas lines in the ceiling (the gas lines have long been disconnected from any "live" gas).
I've now run into this again in my own residence, built in the same era. I dropped a vintage 1925 ceiling light to hang a small chandelier when I discovered the same sort of "H". In this case there is no evidence that this house was ever lit by gas.
It's going to be more of a pain to change things this time because the ceiling is a nice vintage texture. However, there is a big open attic, floored with wide plank floor boards. I guess I'll just have to rip up several floor boards to change it to a modern box. The small current lamp is only supported by a light cross bar also threaded onto the pipe nipple.
It's interesting that despite this wiring being nearly 100 years old, it's BX and not knob and tube wiring. Apparently BX existed earlier than I thought. Also the double cotton covered insulation of this BX is in excellent shape with no brittleness. Anyone run across this kind of system? What did they call those cast iron "H"'s??
tnx,
Doug
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Posted by: Douglas <sparks06524@yahoo.com>
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