Rewiring a 51 year old oven

[wuapinmon]

Our oven's element melted on New Years Eve, and we've decided to get a new one. It's a wall oven, and it was installed in 1962. The wiriing is original. It looks fine, no corrosion, but the insulation is the old webbing stuff. If it were going to cost about $300 to rewire it (100 feet of 8-3 romex + labor), from a safety standpoint, should I or shouldn't I?

The electrician said if it were his house, he'd leave it.

[Moliere]

I'd buy a new oven. Maybe one of those double ovens so you can bake two things at different temps at the same time.

[Moliere]

The electrician said if it were his house, he'd leave it.

That's also a mean thing for your electrician to say. Did he not like your house at all?

[falafel]

I'd buy a new oven. Maybe one of those double ovens so you can bake two things at different temps at the same time.

He's buying a new one. The question is whether he should update the wiring in the wall.

[Moliere]

He's buying a new one. The question is whether he should update the wiring in the wall.

Ah, I was really confused by the title and the initial post.

In that case, I'd buy a new house. Maybe a two story with a balcony on the second floor.

[wuapinmon]

Yeah, I screwed up the title. I have a migraine.

[pellegrino]

how well do you know your electrician and how much do you respect his opinion?

IMO the only reason to rewire it would be if there is a safety issue with the old wiring, or if the new oven requires an upgrade in the gauge of the wire. If neither of these conditions are met then just leave it. It appears the electrician doesn't think it's a safety issue. If it is in the metal cable then there is not likely nothing wrong with it. If you trust his opinion then there's no reason to throw money at a problem that doesn't exist.

I know how it is to live in an old house and to want to have everything, not just the finished surfaces, new and to the latest standard. Resist the temptation, your wallet and your wife will thank you.

[wuapinmon]

how well do you know your electrician and how much do you respect his opinion?

IMO the only reason to rewire it would be if there is a safety issue with the old wiring, or if the new oven requires an upgrade in the gauge of the wire. If neither of these conditions are met then just leave it. It appears the electrician doesn't think it's a safety issue. If it is in the metal cable then there is not likely nothing wrong with it. If you trust his opinion then there's no reason to throw money at a problem that doesn't exist.

I know how it is to live in an old house and to want to have everything, not just the finished surfaces, new and to the latest standard. Resist the temptation, your wallet and your wife will thank you.

Yeah, I trust him, especially since he is losing money by telling me not to get it done. The wires, even in the circuit panel, look shiny and new. The insulation is not pretty though. It's not decaying, so, we'll probably leave it.

Now, I've got to decide if I want to buy it online and save a couple of hundred off the Lowe's price and no sales tax, but not be able to return it, or bite the bullet and buy from Lowe's up the street.

[pellegrino]

Yeah, I trust him, especially since he is losing money by telling me not to get it done. The wires, even in the circuit panel, look shiny and new. The insulation is not pretty though. It's not decaying, so, we'll probably leave it.

Now, I've got to decide if I want to buy it online and save a couple of hundred off the Lowe's price and no sales tax, but not be able to return it, or bite the bullet and buy from Lowe's up the street.

Bad insulation is the problem. Uninsulated wire runs hot and starts fires. It's unlikely that the insulation has decayed anywhere but at the outlet or the junction box.

To fix it you can put shrink wrap insulation over the wires in old BX cable where the cloth insulation has deteriorated. I've seen it at all the big box stores and you can order it online. Just get a kit that has red, white, and black and then match the wire color so there's no confusion in the future. You just slide it over the wire with the bad insulation and take a blow dryer or other safe heat source to it. It's really simple, I've done it for numerous outlets in my home.

[Uncle Ted]

[wuapinmon]

[pellegrino]

wuap, what kind of cable is that? It's not BX, and it's not Romex. I've never seen one like it.

It looks like it's in pretty good shape, and that it hasn't deteriorated much at all. I would probably put some shrink wrap over the part that comes out of the wall and then a bit of electrical tape for good measure and call it good.

What does your electrician say about it after seeing it?

[wuapinmon]

wuap, what kind of cable is that? It's not BX, and it's not Romex. I've never seen one like it.

It looks like it's in pretty good shape, and that it hasn't deteriorated much at all. I would probably put some shrink wrap over the part that comes out of the wall and then a bit of electrical tape for good measure and call it good.

What does your electrician say about it after seeing it?

I don't know what kind it is. It's 220 8 gauge. He says he'd leave it.

[pellegrino]

I don't know what kind it is. It's 220 8 gauge. He says he'd leave it.

I did a little research. This type of wire falls into the romex category. It has a fabric sheathing that has been dipped in an oil based substance to make it water resistant. Apparently it was the standard in the sixties, before PVC became the standard in the 70s, so your whole house likely has it. So long as the sheathing doesn't deteriorate (and it doesn't look like it has) then it should be fine.

[wuapinmon]

I did a little research. This type of wire falls into the romex category. It has a fabric sheathing that has been dipped in an oil based substance to make it water resistant. Apparently it was the standard in the sixties, before PVC became the standard in the 70s, so your whole house likely has it. So long as the sheathing doesn't deteriorate (and it doesn't look like it has) then it should be fine.

Cool. Thanks for that.