wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

First of all, I have a circuit that started tripping every time a large
appliance such as a washing machine or a dishwasher was used. I had no
money for repairs, so I just stopped using the dishmachine and ran an
extension cord to another circuit for the washer, but now the light
fixtures attached to it have stopped working. A voltmeter shows that
there is voltage going to the fixtures, and I've tested the bulbs to
make sure that they work. Any ideas? This house was built in 1935,
and the wire running to this circuits breaker is a really old one with
that cloth insulation, probably the original work. Is this something a
DIYer would have a chance of fixing without burning the house down?
If not, any ballpark guess on how much an electrician would charge for
something like this?

Second, while looking at the wires in the attic, I'm kind of skeptical
about the craftsmanship of the person who installed it. Some of the
wires are just loose, running 15 feet or more unanchored to anything.
Some are connected to porcelein discs which are connected to wooden
beams, and others are just stapled to the beams. Many of the wires and
porcelein discs are buried in sawdust-like insulation so deep you can't
see them. I had the home inspected before I bought it, and I don't
recall the inspectors saying anything about this. I'm not an
electrician and I don't know much about it, but I would think this is a
fire hazard and I'm concerned about safety issues. I've already lived
in one home of similar age that caught fire due to electrical issues.
What do you think?

circa 1935 your lucky they even bothered to tie the wiring down.

http://www.codecheck.com/wiring_history.htm
I pass this link on from someone else who posted in on this newsgroup.

Have you checked the smoke detectors batteries you bought when you moved in?
You did install smoke detectors,,, right?

I sure hope you purchased this home as a "fixer upper" Most of the houses I
have worked on from that era had 2 to 4 circuits for the whole house.
Nothing was dedicated for heavy appliances. Washers ~15-20 amps when
spinning, dishwashers with heat on ~18 amps, etc.

You want a ball park and we do not even know what planet your on.

Last one I did in Phoenix cost the little old lady $2300 for a complete
rewire and new 150 amp service. We brought every thing up to the code at
the time. We had to junction box all of the walls in the ceiling. Fished
down each wall and installed a new box and wiring. She worked during the
day so we had to work on weekends to accommodate her schedule. Took 4
weekends to finish with me and 2 helpers. House was ~800 sqft.

Get a pro to help/guide you. Yes some of the work can be done by lesser
skilled folks, but knowing how and why is the real trick. You might be able
to find someone to work with you.