How the Obscure Use of Horsehair in Early Electrical Wiring Still Claims Fingers Today

Introduction

During the early days of electrical wiring, an obscure material was sometimes used as insulation - horsehair. At the time, it seemed like an innovative solution. However, the use of horsehair in electrical systems has led to many accidents over the years, often claiming people's fingers and causing severe injuries. In this article, I will explore the history of horsehair wiring, discuss how it can be dangerous, and provide recommendations for identifying and removing this obsolete wiring from homes and buildings.

A Brief History of Horsehair Wiring

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, electrical wiring was still in its infancy. Wires were insulated with various materials, like cloth, rubber, and even paper. However, these early insulators were not always effective or durable.

Around this time, some electricians began experimenting with horsehair as an insulator. Horsehair was inexpensive, easy to obtain, and seemed to do a decent job of insulating wire. Here's a quick overview of how horsehair wiring worked:

• Obtaining the Horsehair - Horsehair was collected from the tails and manes of horses. Sometimes scrap horsehair was purchased from upholstery shops or mattress manufacturers.

• Preparing the Hair - The horsehair was boiled in water and baked to make it supple and drive out moisture. This prevented rotting.

• Insulating the Wire - The prepped horsehair strands were tightly wrapped around each wire segment. This formed the insulation around the conductor.

• Final Assembly - The insulated wires were assembled into circuits and installed in buildings. Homes built in the early 1900s sometimes relied on horsehair wiring.

While innovative, this unusual wiring method created risks that are still felt today.

Dangers of Horsehair Wiring

At first, horsehair seemed to work fine as an insulator. But over time, it proved to be highly problematic and dangerous:

• Brittle and decayed - Horsehair is organic, so it decays. As it ages, it becomes dry and brittle. The insulation cracks and falls apart, exposing bare wires.

• Fire hazard - Exposed wiring creates a dangerous fire hazard. Faults or shorts in the wiring can ignite surrounding material. Fires linked to obsolete horsehair wiring continue to occur today.

• Shock and electrocution - Damaged horsehair wiring also poses a shock and electrocution risk, especially in older homes. People are injured or killed by touching exposed conductors.

• Difficult to spot - Horsehair wiring is hard to distinguish from modern rubber or plastic wiring. Homeowners often don't realize they have hazardous horsehair wiring until it's too late.

• Often concealed - Much of the wiring is behind walls, ceilings, and floors. Damage can go unnoticed for years before sparking a fire.

These factors contribute to horsehair wiring still harming people long after its installation. Even today, it continues to claim many fingers and hands each year.

How Horsehair Wiring Claims Fingers

Horsehair wiring claims fingers in several ways:

• Unnoticed shocks - Frayed wiring may go unnoticed for a long time, delivering small shocks. These can cause nerve damage and burn injuries to fingers.

• Accidental contact - Fingers can accidentally touch exposed conductors while feeling behind walls or working in tight spaces. This causes severe shocks and burns.

• Cuts and lacerations - The brittle insulation breaks apart irregularly, leaving sharp wire ends exposed. Fingers sliced on these sharp wires often require stitches.

• Electrocution injuries - Full electrocution can cause severe burns and finger amputations. In some cases, the force of the shock can physically blow fingers off the hand.

• Probe injuries - Fingers are often burned when homeowners try to probe behind walls with screwdrivers to find wiring problems.

These gruesome but preventable finger injuries continue to occur because hazardous horsehair wiring still lurks in many older buildings.

Identifying and Replacing Horsehair Wiring

Many structures built between 1880 and 1930 used horsehair wiring, including homes, factories, schools, theaters and more. If you suspect your building dates to this era, be proactive in identifying and replacing any dangerous wiring.

Warning signs of horsehair wiring:

• Brittle, textured insulation falling apart

• Wiring insulation with a braided or woven look

• Wiring insulation that appears burnt or blackened

• Fuses that blow or circuits that trip for no clear reason

• Lights dimming and flickering

• Buzzing, humming, or sizzling from outlets

• Burning odor from outlets or switches

• Discolored or warm outlet or switch plates

Stay safe by taking these steps:

• Have a qualified electrician inspect your older home

• Ask electricians about their experience with horsehair wiring

• Consider an infrared scan to identify hot spots behind walls

• Replace old fuse boxes with modern circuit breakers

• Rewire the building with modern wiring when possible

While we can't undo the past use of horsehair wiring, we can prevent further harm by identifying and removing any that lingers in buildings today. With proper precautions, we can keep hazardous horsehair wiring from claiming any more fingers in the future.