# Vintage Receptical



## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

Here is a receptical in my uncle's house.
It still works.
between A&C;A&D;D&B; and D&C there is 120V
Between A&B there is 0 volts.

Does anyone know what this could have been used for?


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

pudge565 said:


> Here is a receptical in my uncle's house.
> It still works.
> between A&C;A&D;D&B; and D&C there is 120V
> Between A&B there is 0 volts.
> ...



At one time, there were two competing designs for plugs. Harvey Hubbell Liked the kind where the blades were in-line, like the slots on a NEMA 6-15 today. But the parallel blades were gaining in popularity, so manufacturers came up with the receptacle you have. It accommodates both plug types.

Contrary to what some believe, it is NOT intended for either 120 or 240. It is meant to be used at 120 V.


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

i taken one of these out of a house before. it just has 2 screws on the back. inphase is correct with what he says. these things are pretty common actually


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

You can pretty well date the receptacles like that to about a 10 year period. I think it was the 30's, if I'm not mistaken. Like the other guys said... two competing designs for 110V receptacles, and for a period of time many manufacturers accommodated both designs in the same receptacle.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

pudge565 said:


> Here is a receptical in my uncle's house.
> It still works.
> between A&C;A&D;D&B; and D&C there is 120V
> Between A&B there is 0 volts.
> ...


D&C should be 0 volts B&C should be 120


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## steelersman (Mar 15, 2009)

how bout B to C? You didn't tell us that one.


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## steelersman (Mar 15, 2009)

drsparky said:


> D&C should be 0 volts B&C should be 120


 
I agree with you. The OP either made a mistake or it was wired wrong. Because D-C should have the same hot conductor feeding them both.


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## heel600 (Oct 31, 2007)

pudge565 said:


> Here is a receptical in my uncle's house.
> It still works.
> between A&C;A&D;D&B; and D&C there is 120V
> Between A&B there is 0 volts.
> ...


I saw one of those for the first time ever 2 weeks ago. It was yoke mounted though.

It was in a 1960's house. The owner was 'handy'

Got paid a ton to fix everything the owner did.

When will people learn that it's cheaper to hire an EC to wire it right, than to fix it after it's wired incorrectly.


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

i seen those mounted above mantles on fireplaces. i found them in a 1900 house too


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

But hey.. The home owner can save allot of money doing it themselves..
Things like boxes, marrettes.. And all that other stuff not needed to make it work..


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

Thanks for the replies. That does make sense. I will recheck the voltages tonight when I go to his house to assemble our new grill. I was going off memory to state the voltages so I could be wrong. I will repost my findings from tonight.


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

you guys were right A&B along with C&D are 0 volts. All others have 120V between them.:thumbup:


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

pudge565 said:


> Here is a receptical in my uncle's house.
> It still works.
> between A&C;A&D;D&B; and D&C there is 120V
> Between A&B there is 0 volts.
> ...


It's for a Czechloslovakian leg shaver. Needless to say, you'll be going "au natural..."


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## Larry Fine (Oct 24, 2007)

pudge565 said:


> Here is a receptical in my uncle's house.


I have a duplex receptacle with the same configuration, removed from a friends house years ago.


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## Larry Fine (Oct 24, 2007)

electricalperson said:


> i seen those mounted above mantles on fireplaces. i found them in a 1900 house too


A 4" square house?


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