Hey everyone! I'm working on adding a new outlet in my 2nd floor bedroom of an old 1920's house with plaster walls. I'm looking at going from the attic down, and I've confirmed that the cavity is clear. The previous owner added a new line for the bathroom just on the other side of the wall where I'm installing the new outlet. On that line, I have four outlets, a light fixture, and an exhaust fan. There's a splice in a metal box about 8 feet away from where I want to drop down the new outlet. Would it be better to branch off the existing splice and run about 13 feet of new wire to my outlet, or should I just add another outlet box directly above the drop point and branch from there? Also, in the attic, I currently have live knob and tube wiring and poorly fitted fiberglass batt insulation. The k&t only powers around six light fixtures and several outlets, but I'm planning to replace it soon during my insulation upgrade. If I go with adding a box right by the drop, I'll be raising it above the blown-in insulation that I'm planning to install. Thanks for any advice!
3 Answers
I get what you're saying, but honestly, it might be a good idea to have an electrician look at this. Knob and tube wiring can be really dangerous, and it's better to be safe than sorry. As for your question, I’d recommend running a whole new circuit for the bedroom instead of tying it into the existing line, especially since you're working with an older house's wiring. It keeps things simpler and safer in the long run. Plus, you won't have to worry about overloading your current circuit!
It's good that you confirmed the cavity is clear, but I would suggest not to mix bathroom and bedroom circuits. If you're going to do this as a temporary measure until you put in new circuits, just keep in mind that work like this needs to comply with electrical codes. Make sure your family member can check your work when he gets back!
What’s going on in the existing box? Is it just a splice to the bathroom? I’d want to know if there are any issues there before making any decisions on adding your new outlet.