# When / why did homes first get electrical outlets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 6, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885 "2012-09-06T18:45:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/1 "2012-09-06T18:45:24Z")
Obviously, people initially wired their houses for electricity so that they could have electrical lighting. But I was wondering when the ubiquitous plug socket started to appear in homes… The only information I can find is that the plug and socket were invented by Harvey Hubbell in 1904. But I can’t think of any electrical appliances that would have been available for sale in those days. So presumably they were pretty useless at first. So when did people start to have sockets installed in their homes? And what appliance(s) attracted them to do so? When would the average suburban home have had electrical outlets? (Just in case I’m stranded back in time and need to charge up my Iphone :p) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/2 "2012-09-06T18:50:38Z")
Early light fixtures didn’t have plugs. But it didn’t take long at all for other electric appliances to hit the market. The earliest ones were designed to go into the light bulb socket. I’d guess Westinghouse was a major contributor to the use of outlets, while Edison probably didn’t like the idea of his electricity being used for things he didn’t sell. Here’s an [article about the history](http://illumin.usc.edu/122/a-powerful-history-the-modern-electrical-outlet/). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/3 "2012-09-06T19:04:20Z")
Actually, the sockets or bases for the bulbs by various manufacturers didn’t get standardized until after the turn of the 20th century either, which should not be a surprise: > **[Edison screw](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_screw)** > > Edison screw (ES) is a standard lightbulb socket for electric light bulbs. It was developed by Thomas Edison (1847–1931), patented in 1881, and was licensed in 1909 under General Electric's Mazda trademark. The bulbs have right-hand threaded metal bases (caps) which screw into matching threaded sockets (lamp holders). For bulbs powered by AC current, the thread is generally connected to neutral and the contact on the bottom tip of the base is connected to the "live" phase. > In North America and... > [@](#): > > Early U.S. lamp manufacturers used different and incompatible bases. The Thomson-Houston Electric Company used a threaded stud at the bottom of the socket, and a flat contact ring. The Sawyer-Mann or Westinghouse base used a spring clip acting on grooves in the bulb base, and a contact stud at the bottom of the lamp. By about 1908, the Edison base was most common, with the others falling out of use. [1] > > In response to Edison’s patent, Reginald Fessenden invented the bi-pin connector for the 1893 World’s Fair. Other lamp bases include the bayonet mount and wedge base. Early things other than light bulbs meant to be used withe the light fixtures probably came out fitted for a variety of connections, and I would imagine that many people simply stripped the wires and hooked them up to the light fixture any way they could. I would WAG that various electric heating devices came out almost immediately. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/4 "2012-09-06T19:13:16Z")
An example - a guy named Henry Seely patented the electric clothes iron in 1882: [http://www.oldandinteresting.com/vintage-electric-irons.aspx](http://www.oldandinteresting.com/vintage-electric-irons.aspx) Also note the picture of the lady ironing clothes with the iron obviously screwed into a light socket. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/5 "2012-09-06T19:14:01Z")
before plugs and receptacles the Edison screw was used on small appliances (e.g. toaster). it was a bulb base shape on a ceramic form on the end of a cord. you might use a splitter in a drop cord or wall fixture. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/6 "2012-09-06T19:17:11Z")
BTW, there’s something of an analogy to the cigar/cigarette light in your car, which has survived to fill a large variety of other purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/7 "2012-09-06T19:20:23Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > An example - a guy named Henry Seely patented the electric clothes iron in 1882: > > [Early electric irons, self-heating flat irons, sad irons](http://www.oldandinteresting.com/vintage-electric-irons.aspx) > > Also note the picture of the lady ironing clothes with the iron obviously screwed into a light socket. _“not only the lady of the house will rejoice; also the poor, hen-pecked husband will be in transports of delight”_ I love old ad copy! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/8 "2012-09-07T07:47:21Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > before plugs and receptacles the Edison screw was used on small appliances (e.g. toaster). it was a bulb base shape on a ceramic form on the end of a cord. you might use a splitter in a drop cord or wall fixture. Another factor encouraging connecting appliances via the Edison screw base light connections was that electric companies charged a cheaper price for electricity used for lighting vs. other electricity. Houses & businesses at that time were wired with separate circuits for lighting electricity, with a separate meter. This was because electric companies of the time were competing with gas lighting companies, so they underpriced electricity for lighting to try to compete. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/9 "2012-09-07T12:26:37Z")
In the U.S. in the 1930s – [Rural Electrification Administration.](http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0842689.html) [More info](http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/malone.electrification.administration.rural) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/10 "2012-09-07T12:43:06Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > BTW, there’s something of an analogy to the cigar/cigarette light in your car, which has survived to fill a large variety of other purposes. I am amused by the fact that my most recent car (2007) has no cigarette lighter, but has the socket for it and my cell phone car charger is made to plug into it. This design could last a long time; maybe until 110 outlets are routine in cars. A friend of mine lives in an old apartment. Probably 19th century. It does have electric sockets (too few of course) presumably retrofitted. But he discovered that the two conductors in the wall run about two feet apart. At a guess someone was afraid to put the two conductors too close together. Maybe insulation wasn’t as good then. My house was built in 1942 (in the middle of the war!) When a wall switch stopped working, I decided to replace all six wall switches that were still connected to something. So I bought six switches, turned off the house power (one bright summer day) and did it. What I discovered astonished me. All six of the old switches were different, no two alike. One looked different from anything I had ever seen. I bet is was from the 20s or even earlier. I conclude that during the war they were unable to find new switches and scavenged old ones from wherever they could find them. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/11 "2012-09-07T13:00:46Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > A friend of mine lives in an old apartment. Probably 19th century. It does have electric sockets (too few of course) presumably retrofitted. But he discovered that the two conductors in the wall run about two feet apart. At a guess someone was afraid to put the two conductors too close together. Maybe insulation wasn’t as good then. Power lines have no insulation to save weight and costs. I’ve thought that in the wall wiring of that type-I misremember the name-came about because the distribution wire had no insulation, and it is safely inside the wall. Probably far enough apart that a rodent in the wall couldn’t short it. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/12 "2012-09-07T13:05:27Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Power lines have no insulation to save weight and costs. I’ve thought that in the wall wiring of that type-I misremember the name-came about because the distribution wire had no insulation, and it is safely inside the wall. Probably far enough apart that a rodent in the wall couldn’t short it. I’ve never seen NO insulation in home wiring (but I’m not an electrician), but I think you are referring to [knob and tube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knob_and_tube_wiring) wiring. Romex hadn’t been invented yet. Heck, neither had today’s principles of grounding, color coding and safety. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/13 "2012-09-07T13:14:44Z")
The comments about cigarette lighters in cars makes me wonder just how they came about (Wikipedia [doesn’t say much](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_lighter_receptacle#History) about their history); I mean, why _cigarette lighters_? Just seems like a silly addition to a car, as if they were so important that cars just had to have one, especially as one of the first(?) accessories to become more or less standard (why not cigarette lighters built into homes?). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/14 "2012-09-07T13:29:09Z")
I think a hands-free cigarette lighter would be more important in a car than a home, so matches aren’t convenient. And in a car, you are always in front of the lighter; in the dash, you don’t have to worry about finding a loose unit. In a home, if it was mounted somewhere, you’d have to go to it, like home phones were once. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/15 "2012-09-07T13:42:56Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I’ve never seen NO insulation in home wiring (but I’m not an electrician), but I think you are referring to [knob and tube](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knob_and_tube_wiring) wiring. Yes, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/16 "2012-09-07T13:47:52Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Power lines have no insulation to save weight and costs. I’ve thought that in the wall wiring of that type-I misremember the name-came about because the distribution wire had no insulation, and it is safely inside the wall. Probably far enough apart that a rodent in the wall couldn’t short it. likely thinking of knob and tube wiring. it had to be insulated with a wire covering or run in the open mounted on insulators. if it ran through a solid (e.g. wall stud) it went through a insulating tube. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/17 "2012-09-07T14:01:45Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > likely thinking of knob and tube wiring. it had to be insulated with a wire covering or run in the open mounted on insulators. if it ran through a solid (e.g. wall stud) it went through a insulating tube. Thank you, too. 🙂 This forum requires that you wait 60 seconds between posts. Please try again in 3 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/18 "2012-09-07T14:03:04Z")
> [@Michael63129](#): > > Just seems like a silly addition to a car, as if they were so important that cars just had to have one, especially as one of the first(?) accessories to become more or less standard (why not cigarette lighters built into homes?). people smoked. you find them on old farm tractors. fancy houses or fancy ash trays did have electric lighters. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/19 "2012-09-07T14:49:25Z")
> [@Michael63129](#): > > The comments about cigarette lighters in cars makes me wonder just how they came about (Wikipedia [doesn’t say much](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_lighter_receptacle#History) about their history); I mean, why _cigarette lighters_? Just seems like a silly addition to a car, as if they were so important that cars just had to have one, especially as one of the first(?) accessories to become more or less standard (why not cigarette lighters built into homes?). Might not be the fact that people needed cigarette lighters to be in their cars because they didn’t have matches, but they needed a way to light a cigarette with one hand with the window open. You can’t light a match while driving and you can’t do it with the window open. You can light a lighter with one hand while driving but not with the window open. Windows used to be open a lot more I’m sure, and they weren’t as easy to close. Smoking was more popular too. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_G7subs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885/20 "2012-09-07T15:14:04Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > likely thinking of knob and tube wiring. it had to be insulated with a wire covering or run in the open mounted on insulators. if it ran through a solid (e.g. wall stud) it went through a insulating tube. My buddy in high school lived in a 19th century farm house that originally had no electricity. It had been added sometime in the 30’s. The downstairs had been converted over to modern wiring in the 70’s, but the upstairs still had knob and tube with exposed wire running down the wall that was still being used as late as 1983. Ask me how I know it was live. :rolleyes: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-did-homes-first-get-electrical-outlets/633885.md?page=2)