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Glass Fuse Panel box question?

8K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Scuba_Dave 
#1 ·
I'm new here, so please bear with me.

Yesterday, I noticed a slight smell in the vicinity of my panel box. The box is a 140A fuse box. Crouse-Hinds I think (Label is half torn off). (I purchased the house Sept past. The house was built in 1974.) When I opened the panel, one of the two fuses to the Hot water boiler was glowing red hot in the fuse. I pulled the fuse , without buning my fingers. I replaced the fuse and the circuit seems fine.

one question is what could have caused this? Was it the panel arcing? Was it a faulty fuse? obviously, I have a concern here.

Another question is what to expect in a panel upgrade without rewiring the house?

My plans were to upgrade to a 120/240 service, but not right away.
 
#3 ·
The main question here is to make %100 you replaced the fuses with the same amp fuse. It is a FIRE HAZARD to replace one with a higher amperage. Also make sure they haven't tapped into the old wire somwhere else before you moved in. I would highly recommend changing the old glass fuse box out to a breaker type and would make sure that is it a romex type wiring which should be a plastic insulation around the wire. The older type wiring did not have a ground as well, not a major problem though. An easy way to check it to look and see if you have the two prong receptacles throughout the house. if you have any other questions let me.
 
#4 ·
The main question here is to make %100 you replaced the fuses with the proper amp fuse
Fixed it for you :thumbsup:

The glowing fuse may have been undersized?? The water heater fuses are probably supposed to be 30 amp. A 15 or 20 amp fuse might glow red before burning out???

Hell, I didn't think fuses were being installed in 1974. Out here, breakers have been the standard since the early/mid 60's.
 
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