Single bare wire behind stucco wall
Jun 4th 2014, 3:34 am
#46
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Single bare wire behind stucco wall
LOL.
These days, the L.A. building codes require plywood sheathing for seismic reasons. However, before this was required, the method of doing a stucco wall on a wood frame structure was to nail the bare wire to the studs as a backing, tack the builder's felt to the studs, put in the "chicken wire" lathing with nails with cardboard washer put it out from the felt about a 1/2" or so, put on scratch coat on the wire lath, then the finish coat.
The first set of wire to there to simply hold the builders felt in place because putting on the scratch coat will otherwise cause the paper to bulge if not out and out rip. Once the plaster is dry, the wire serves no use.
Bottom line: no need to worry.
[p.s. my house was built in 1939 and that is how it is stuccoed. The detached garage shows the wire and felt on the back of the exterior walls. Much of the wire and the builders felt is deteriorated from age while the plaster is just fine and dandy and after 75 years.]
These days, the L.A. building codes require plywood sheathing for seismic reasons. However, before this was required, the method of doing a stucco wall on a wood frame structure was to nail the bare wire to the studs as a backing, tack the builder's felt to the studs, put in the "chicken wire" lathing with nails with cardboard washer put it out from the felt about a 1/2" or so, put on scratch coat on the wire lath, then the finish coat.
The first set of wire to there to simply hold the builders felt in place because putting on the scratch coat will otherwise cause the paper to bulge if not out and out rip. Once the plaster is dry, the wire serves no use.
Bottom line: no need to worry.
[p.s. my house was built in 1939 and that is how it is stuccoed. The detached garage shows the wire and felt on the back of the exterior walls. Much of the wire and the builders felt is deteriorated from age while the plaster is just fine and dandy and after 75 years.]
Jun 4th 2014, 5:06 am
#47
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Single bare wire behind stucco wall
Knob and tube wiring is very common in SF buildings that were built in the decades after the 1906 earthquake. There was some in my attic when I moved in - building was built in 1922. And all the siding is redwood, something else you're unlikely to see these days.
Jun 4th 2014, 2:40 pm
#49
BE Commentator
Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 8,430
Re: Single bare wire behind stucco wall
When my house was built, it had overkill of 100 amp service including 220v circuit an electric stove.
In the late 60's the two gravity heat units were replaced with forced air and A/C. For the A/C, an additional 220 v circuit was installed for one unit and the other used what had been installed for the stove. The fuses were replaced with circuit breakers.
When we redid the kitchen in 2000, we went to install an electric wall oven. In computation of the amps needed, we discovered that we needed to upgrade the amperage, the maximum upgrade in the existing box was to 125. We also discovered that we would not be able to run both A/C's and use the oven at the same time. Fortunately, our micro-climate will have us running both A/C's during a heat wave and who would want to cook? So, no problem.
In 2011, we finally upgraded the A/C units and the newer "energy star" units used a lot less in the way of amperage. So we now could notionally run the A/C's and use the oven at the same time.
We were going to upgrade our service to 200 amp, but it turns out that the DWP would have made us move and redo the main power input to the house which was extremely expensive. We decided to "grandfather" the existing input for the time being. However, if we should ever install a pool, we will have to bite the bullet and redo the power input layout because it is not allowed to have live wires over the pool.
Jun 4th 2014, 3:00 pm
#50
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: CT
Posts: 33,528
Re: Single bare wire behind stucco wall
Hmm. From the days of knob and tube, 60 amp was huge service.
When my house was built, it had overkill of 100 amp service including 220v circuit an electric stove.
In the late 60's the two gravity heat units were replaced with forced air and A/C. For the A/C, an additional 220 v circuit was installed for one unit and the other used what had been installed for the stove. The fuses were replaced with circuit breakers.
When we redid the kitchen in 2000, we went to install an electric wall oven. In computation of the amps needed, we discovered that we needed to upgrade the amperage, the maximum upgrade in the existing box was to 125. We also discovered that we would not be able to run both A/C's and use the oven at the same time. Fortunately, our micro-climate will have us running both A/C's during a heat wave and who would want to cook? So, no problem.
In 2011, we finally upgraded the A/C units and the newer "energy star" units used a lot less in the way of amperage. So we now could notionally run the A/C's and use the oven at the same time.
We were going to upgrade our service to 200 amp, but it turns out that the DWP would have made us move and redo the main power input to the house which was extremely expensive. We decided to "grandfather" the existing input for the time being. However, if we should ever install a pool, we will have to bite the bullet and redo the power input layout because it is not allowed to have live wires over the pool.
When my house was built, it had overkill of 100 amp service including 220v circuit an electric stove.
In the late 60's the two gravity heat units were replaced with forced air and A/C. For the A/C, an additional 220 v circuit was installed for one unit and the other used what had been installed for the stove. The fuses were replaced with circuit breakers.
When we redid the kitchen in 2000, we went to install an electric wall oven. In computation of the amps needed, we discovered that we needed to upgrade the amperage, the maximum upgrade in the existing box was to 125. We also discovered that we would not be able to run both A/C's and use the oven at the same time. Fortunately, our micro-climate will have us running both A/C's during a heat wave and who would want to cook? So, no problem.
In 2011, we finally upgraded the A/C units and the newer "energy star" units used a lot less in the way of amperage. So we now could notionally run the A/C's and use the oven at the same time.
We were going to upgrade our service to 200 amp, but it turns out that the DWP would have made us move and redo the main power input to the house which was extremely expensive. We decided to "grandfather" the existing input for the time being. However, if we should ever install a pool, we will have to bite the bullet and redo the power input layout because it is not allowed to have live wires over the pool.
Being that the wiring all had to be replaced anyhow, along with the (almost nonexistent) panel, upgrading to a full 200amps just made sense. Especially with the pile of electronics and computer equipment we have here.
