# Old Crouse Hinds panel



## acro (May 3, 2011)

Surprised at the lack of oxidation on the buss.

Not your average panel for the time, I'd imagine.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

How Kool is that ??


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## acro (May 3, 2011)

House is all masonry, including interior walls. Story is that the previous home on the site burned. So they built one a little more fireproof. In the 20's I believe.

Anyone know the age of that panel? 125A


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

acro said:


> Anyone know the age of that panel? 125A


Looks like 48A 125V 

That is definitely the best made 48A panel I have ever seen.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

i know 4 and 8 are stamped there, but maybe that is per leg ?
that many ccts would seem to be more than 48A total ?


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## acro (May 3, 2011)

Agreed, looking closer. In my haste, I thought those were double pole circuits. But it appears they are breaking and fusing the neutral as well.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

it is still 16 circuits, a good size panel for that day
i have seen old k/t using one 30 amp fuse for the entire house at 120V
of course they initially only had lights
and sometimes one plug per room
a radio, maybe a record player, ...


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

acro said:


> Agreed, looking closer. In my haste, I thought those were double pole circuits. But it appears they are breaking and fusing the neutral as well.


Look how the neutral is on top on half of them, and on the bottom on the other half. 
That would take some getting used to.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

splatz said:


> Look how the neutral is on top on half of them, and on the bottom on the other half.
> That would take some getting used to.


yeah i was looking at that, but otherwise it would make the disco handle more complicated
and back then , complicated wasnt a word they had any use for in mfg


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Almost Retired said:


> yeah i was looking at that, but otherwise it would make the disco handle more complicated
> and back then , complicated wasnt a word they had any use for in mfg


I was thinking it might be so they could double up the neutrals on the same busbar tap... they have two types of handle there, one has the long busbar connector on the top, one has the short on the top.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

i dont understand the different handle length
they could have changed the tap bar length instead
....idk ...
i guess it was six of one or half dozen of the other ...
no doubt they had a reason


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

Looks a lot like one I removed from the University Club in Phoenix, 40+ years ago.
Fused neutrals, from my experience were the sign of DC generation. Leastwise that was the way it was when I was working on DC when I barely knew what AC was.

Mine disappeared during one of my moves, sadly.


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## wiz1997 (Mar 30, 2021)

I would try and convince the homeowner the panel needs to be replaced for the increased safety of a breaker panel.

Then offer to haul off the "junk".

I would mount that one on the wall of a "man cave" and wire it up using low voltage power and lights.
That one is just too cool.

Back in the early 80's, the contractor I was doing my apprenticeship with, was contracted to update the Gulf Oil Building electrical system.
Building was build in 1929 and had these huge electrical rooms on each floor.
There were large pieces (8' x 4') of slate on the walls, covered with old knife switches and fuse holders, everything was exposed.

All that old slate mounted electrical came out.
One of the large "panels" went to the contractor's shop, not sure what they did with the rest.
We were allowed to take the smaller ones.
I have two that are about 12"x 12" with a 3 pole knife switch and fuse holders.
Haven't seen them in quite sometime, best guess is they're in the attic.






TSHA | Gulf Building, Houston







www.tshaonline.org


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

We had a few here similar to that one. 
the homes were 55/55 with the wire run through field bent gas pipe. Some of the fixture boxes had 3/8 ko’s and the wire was from the triangle wire company. 1909 build era.


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## acro (May 3, 2011)

Lol wiz. This one isn't going home with me. It was abandoned in place. Complete with the vintage boxed fuses and that Whittaker clutch assembly. I thought it was a knock out, but don't think so now. I'll look when I go back. 


I do believe I remember seeing some old wire in gas pipes on the attic as you mentioned. Wasn't aware it was a common method.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

acro said:


> Lol wiz. This one isn't going home with me. It was abandoned in place. Complete with the vintage boxed fuses and that Whittaker clutch assembly. I thought it was a knock out, but don't think so now. I'll look when I go back.
> 
> 
> I do believe I remember seeing some old wire in gas pipes on the attic as you mentioned. Wasn't aware it was a common method.


i have seen bent gas pipe wiring ,, once


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## NoBot (Oct 12, 2019)

I worked on a house built in 1926 that had a similar panel.


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## brodgers (Aug 5, 2007)

Ah yes, from the days when you used to fuse neutrals before it was prohibited by code.


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## acro (May 3, 2011)

When did the 1st 240v devices make it to people's homes?


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## mburtis (Sep 1, 2018)

I wish electrical equipment still looked that cool. Sure it's dangerous if you go sticking stuff where you shouldn't, but it is just exuding quality and craftsmanship.


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## acro (May 3, 2011)

I can't believe this hasn't been polished periodically. But there's no sign of residue.

It's just off the kitchen at the top of a set of stairs. So, it has never lived a damp life in a basement.


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## mburtis (Sep 1, 2018)

Even though it would be a shame to modify it, how cool would it be to remove the door and replace it with a nice wood framed glass door.


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## Almost Retired (Sep 14, 2021)

mburtis said:


> Even though it would be a shame to modify it, how cool would it be to remove the door and replace it with a nice wood framed glass door.


make it plexi-glass !


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## acro (May 3, 2011)

Took another look at it today. Looks like the back and sides of the panel are slate. And the wire terminations are just spring clips. 

Check out those circuit #s.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

These slate back,back, slate sided, panelboards are ubiquitous all over the city of New York and other major cities in population centers. Remember cities got electricity long before farms in suburbs every did and by the time farms in suburbs ever got electricity, materials and wiring methods had already advanced past exposed brass and exposed copper busing and so forth and dead front was the name of the game by then.


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