TL screw in type fuse blown, but still have power?


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Old 03-26-16, 12:58 AM
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TL screw in type fuse blown, but still have power?

Earlier this evening I smelled burning solder coming from the fuse box. It was hot as hell and using a flashlight I could see one of the fuses was blown. Screw in type. They are all green 30a slow blow. The thing is I have power everywhere. Removing it did nothing. Curiously I removed the one to the left of it. And nothing happens. I have power. It seems I have power with the main box unless I take out the main 60 amp fuses... Pretty sure this is not right. Can anyone tell me if I'm correct?
 
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Old 03-26-16, 04:40 AM
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What equipment and appliances (hair dryer? clothes iron?) were you using at the time?

Someone may have made changes in the fuse box wiring to bypass the fuses, which also led to the overheating.

While you are at it, check screws in the fuse box for tightness. Unscrew each fuse before touching the screw next to it. Loosen each screw a quarter turn and retighten.. (Don't use tremendous force that could strip the screw threads.)

While you are at it, figure out what receptacles and lights are, as of today, controlled by which fuse which is actually off topic related to your original question but might give you some hints. Label everything.

Thirty amp fuses are nowadays not proper for wiring to ordinary receptacles and lights. Twenty amps are the maximum for those branch circuits. As soon as you can, replace the fuses with 15 amp fuses unless you determine for sure that there is no 14 gauge or thinner wiring in the respective branch circuits, otherwise use 20 amp fuses.
 

Last edited by AllanJ; 03-26-16 at 05:06 AM.
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Old 03-26-16, 05:33 AM
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I've seen this way to many times.
Fuses start blowing because since that old panel was installed long ago were using more power and higher amp. appliances that where not even invented when that panel may have been installed, so they got tired of changing fuses and added the higher amp. fuses.
Now the wiring because the fuse.
Main cause of house fires is electrical, may be time to bite the bullet and look into getting this place up to modern codes.
 
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Old 03-26-16, 06:27 AM
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Fuses

Remove the fuses and visually inspect the bottom of the fuse sockets. Conform that there is no foreign material in the bottom of the sockets.
 
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Old 03-26-16, 06:59 AM
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Such as a penny, Wire puller?
 
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Old 03-26-16, 09:07 AM
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I forgot to mention this particular fuse always gets hot. And it's blown twice before, and worked as it should with power being cut. I believe it runs most of the house. Washer, dryer, living room and kitchen outlets. I was running dishwasher(with water heating selection off) and dryer. All lights that were on are between 13w and 23w CFLs max 40w per fixture. Fridge was running at the time too(it runs continuously almost, but that issue is for another thread).
This is not my house, I rent it. I text my land lady late last night but she hasn't replied.

There is no foreign objects in the socket/s.
 

Last edited by Jordonbrooks; 03-26-16 at 09:12 AM. Reason: Additional info
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Old 03-26-16, 09:22 AM
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This is not my house, I rent it. I text my land lady late last night but she hasn't replied.
I wouldn't feel very comfortable renting there.

Plain and simple.... there is too much load on an oversized fuse.
This is an absolute recipe for a fire.
 
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Old 03-26-16, 09:33 AM
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Give your landlord notice you are moving immediately unless the situation is safely satisfactorily fixed. Even if you have a lease failure to fix an unsafe condition is usually considered a constructive eviction voiding the lease.
 
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Old 03-26-16, 01:32 PM
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Do you know for sure the fuse was blown?If things still worked.If you leave the fuse out,do things still work?
 
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Old 03-26-16, 03:10 PM
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Thats what I stated... lol I can take the branch fuses out it doesnt matter, still power. Mains work as they should. Got it looked at by someone, landlady cant get an electrician till monday. There are what look like insulating washers in the sockets, one doesn't have anything and 2 others look bad/worn. He said they may just end up putting a new box in depending on what is actually wrong once the electrician looks at it. Until then i'm running one major appliance at time.
 
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Old 03-26-16, 05:09 PM
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It is possible that fuse socket got overheated and insulation failed.
It is also possible some connection inside fuse box melted and fused together.
 
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Old 04-06-16, 11:08 AM
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Electrician told the landlady last week that it was a very dangerous situation. It's all being replaced today at a cost of at least $3,000.
 
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Old 04-06-16, 04:15 PM
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Did electrician ever find out what caused this issue? I'm just curious to find out.
 
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Old 04-06-16, 07:03 PM
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Let us know how the replacement goes. As you've found, fuses aren't inherently unsafe, but through the years people find innovative ways to bypass some of the safety features making them much more worrisome.

Glad to hear your place is getting safer!
 
 

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