Rough day with a three-way switch loop at a remodel in Oak Park

Was swapping out some old wiring at a 1950s house in Oak Park. Pulled the old three-way apart and the red traveler was completely fried. No continuity on anything after I cut the old cloth wire back. Had to re-pull a whole new 14-3 through conduit that was packed with old paint and rust. Took me 4 hours just to get the new wire through without nicking it. Boss wasn't happy about the time but what else could I do? Anyone else run into nightmare switch loops in these old places?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthonyhunt24d ago

the red traveler was completely fried" - man, that gave me chills just reading it lol. Four hours in conduit that crusty is honestly a miracle you didn't have to cut it out and start fresh. I've pulled wire through old stuff that was basically welded shut with rust and paint, it's like fighting a snake made of sandpaper. Your boss can be mad all he wants but sometimes you just gotta take the time or you're gonna have callbacks.

elizabeth_bailey2623d ago

Ngl that sandpaper snake thing is spot on. I read somewhere that old houses use something called 'knob and tube' wiring that was basically just draped through walls like Christmas lights, so everything fights you. Makes me wonder if @anthonyhunt's place was a mix of that and conduit, cause that sounds like someone tried to update it once already and just made it worse.

matthewgonzalez24d ago

Yeah @anthonyhunt, that sandpaper snake comparison is dead on. You ever notice how everything in these old houses fights you the same way? Like the plumbing, the windows, the framing. None of it was built for someone to come in 70 years later and fix it. It's like every single thing is a trap designed to waste your whole afternoon. I think that's just how old work goes. You either commit to the time sink or you half-ass it and hope nobody plugs in a space heater. Your boss would rather have 4 hours now than a callback in January when the lights start flickering, right?

-1