Los Banos Rotary Club History
Most House Wiring Is Dangerous And Expensive, Says Speaker

The electrical wiring in Los Banos, including some of the newer ones, is probably dangerous from standpoint of fire hazard, and probably expensive from standpoint of efficiency.

Such is the statement made to members of the Rotary Club Tuesday noon by Floyd Marks, of the Fresno office of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
Illustrating his point, Marks pointed out that in the average home within the serving area of the P.G.&E's Fresno division, the use of electricity has increased from 600 kilowatt hours per year in 1930 to 3,087 kilowatt hours per year in 1956, and will be further increased to some 5,000 kilowatt hours per year by 1965. By comparison, most of today's homes still continue to use the original wiring of a size and capacity that was originally intended to light only a few lights and possibly a small one-element toaster of electric percolator.

In 1930, he said, there were some 19 kinds of electric plug-in appliances on the market. Today there are almost 100 electric appliances and conveniences that are available for home use merely by plugging into the nearest wall switch, or by adding another 3-way outlet onto another 3-way outlet that was installed several years ago because the old-time house wiring had few if any such outlet conveniences.

Using a newly coined word "housepower," Marks said that whereas 30 years ago a 30-ampere 2-wire electrical service was ample for the needs of the average home, such service capacity could be classified as 30 housepower. Today, with fast-heating electric ranges, powerful vacuum cleaners, multiple unit toasters, 3-way electric lamps, no less than 100 "housepower" can be considered as the basic requirement for average home living.
Marks pointed out that many cities, including Los Banos, are fast recognizing the need for increased electrical capacity and are enacting ordinances providing a minimum of 100 housepower, or 100 ampere service installation for new homes.

Last year, Marks said, fires caused by inadequate wiring or abuse of existing wiring, resulted in a property loss of $75,000,000 in this country.
In addition, the efficiency loss in the appliance caused by overloading the electrical supply lines amounted to a loss than can only be guessed at. For instance, he said that an ordinary 100-watt electric globe operating in a home with only a 10 per cent electrical overload operates at only 75 per cent of its potential efficiency. "You are paying for 100 per cent watt consumption," Marks pointed out, "but only getting a 75 per cent return on your dollar."
Marks recommended that every householder make an immediate survey of the electrical wiring in his home, being especially aware of flickering lights, of continued blowing of fuses, and of undue heating of small wire extension cords.

To insure your home against loss by defective or inadequate wiring and to get full value for your electrical dollar, Marks recommends that today's home be wired in accordance with the "Certified Adequate Wiring Standards," as approved and adopted by the national electrical industry.

January 23, 1957

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