Old wiring help

Jodeyodoe · Feb 16, 2020

Hi there, I’m confused about old wiring and the setup in the home my mother lives in. I’m trying to fix a few things at her request and not ?. The home was built in 1932 and seems to have old wiring. She’s trying to get the wiring for the switch to the basement lights, which is currently in the kitchen to turn the basement lights on. It seemed the light switches were daisy chained in the kitchen (one cable wire going to kitchen light and other switch and separate cable wire coming up from basement). The old push switches were quite daunting so I put a new switch in place but decided to wing nut the old wire going to switch for the basement. Now the basement lights won’t turn on of course. My question is, can I daisy chain the cable wire from switch to the cable running from basement to get power down there? Then add a switch from the light? Any info would go a long way! ?

telectrix · Feb 16, 2020

lokking at that wiring, I think your problems go beyond changing switch/es

Jodeyodoe · Feb 16, 2020

Jodeyodoe said:
Hi there, I’m confused about old wiring and the setup in the home my mother lives in. I’m trying to fix a few things at her request and not ?. The home was built in 1932 and seems to have old wiring. She’s trying to get the wiring for the switch to the basement lights, which is currently in the kitchen to turn the basement lights on. It seemed the light switches were daisy chained in the kitchen (one cable wire going to kitchen light and other switch and separate cable wire coming up from basement). The old push switches were quite daunting so I put a new switch in place but decided to wing nut the old wire going to switch for the basement. Now the basement lights won’t turn on of course. My question is, can I daisy chain the cable wire from switch to the cable running from basement to get power down there? Then add a switch from the light? Any info would go a long way! ?

The first picture shows both old push switches. I removed the left switch to the basement which the bottom wire hit both switches(left and right). Top wire from the left was wing nut shut. I want to get power to the basement still but not with a switch. So can I join the bottom wire that went to the basement switch and kitchen light to the wire coming from the basement light?
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telectrix said:
lokking at that wiring, I think your problems go beyond changing switch/es

This is a general question if you know how to follow and read, sur.
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telectrix said:
lokking at that wiring, I think your problems go beyond changing switch/es

The kitchen light new switch works fine. I just need to understand the basement part I removed the switch for in the kitchen. The kitchen is on main floor. The basement is below the kitchen..

westward10 · Feb 16, 2020

I would recommend you do not interfere with that wiring too much it looks well past its reasonable service life. I would suggest getting an electrician in to give a verdict on its safety.

Jodeyodoe · Feb 16, 2020

westward10 said:
I would recommend you do not interfere with that wiring too much it looks well past its reasonable service life. I would suggest getting an electrician in to give a verdict on its safety.

You can’t answer a question either? I thought help could be found at a forum. Not this one... funny how it’s only a wiring question too. Nobody can even mention a voltage meter and how to check. Home Depot and Lowe’s employees gave me better information. Lame ohhhhmmms

telectrix · Feb 16, 2020

you have had good advice in posts #2 and #4. if you choose not to follow advice, it's your funeral.

westward10 · Feb 16, 2020

Did the basement light work previously before you changed the wiring. The advice given is for your mother's safety, the electrics in her property from the pictures you have shown would appear to be long overdue an upgrade. Interfering with the existing wiring may well be detrimental to her safety.

Jodeyodoe · Feb 16, 2020

telectrix said:
you have had good advice in posts #2 and #4. if you choose not to follow advice, it's your funeral.

Y’all aren’t helping at all. Deterring from the question/s. Like you believe I’m going to do something stupid because you’ve told me nothing. This is Not rocket science. But obviously you couldnt direct anyone to test
Something out and know how to teach them. I’ll just blame you when I die.
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westward10 said:
Did the basement light work previously before you changed the wiring. The advice given is for your mother's safety, the electrics in her property from the pictures you have shown would appear to be long overdue an upgrade. Interfering with the existing wiring may well be detrimental to her safety.

Yeah. It worked fine. But I removed the bottom wire which was the only one touching both switches. I capped it off and same with the one coming from the basement.

telectrix · Feb 16, 2020

you could try connecting the wires that went to the old switch together. then the basement light should be on permanent. might even improve your attitude. I'm out.

westward10 · Feb 16, 2020

Theoretically if you have joined the two wires from the switch together it should function. The problem is as previously stated is the wiring is well beyond its reasonable service life and you may well have caused damage to the fragile wiring.
Insulting members on here who are considering you and your mothers safety is not going to help.

Megawatt · Feb 16, 2020

westward10 said:
Theoretically if you have joined the two wires from the switch together it should function. The problem is as previously stated is the wiring is well beyond its reasonable service life and you may well have caused damage to the fragile wiring.
Insulting members on here who are considering you and your mothers safety is not going to help.

Jody you need to listen to these guys. This forum is for us to help you but you have a terrible attitude. The best advice is to call an electrician to straighten out that mess and we cannot give a DIY answers because you wouldn’t know what we was talking about anyway and you could possibly burn down your moms house. Remember that you came to us not the other way around and your mouth has nobody wanting to help. Come back when your attitude changes