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LaMorte Blog

Fuses vs. Breakers

1/24/2019

5 Comments

 
Picture
If you have a fuse box in your house that looks anything like the picture to the left, I would recommend you have it upgraded to a breaker box. 

There are several reasons I say this:

1.It is old.
2.I can almost guarantee it is overloaded. Any house nowadays requires more circuits than the old fuses boxes hold.
3.It will increase your resale value.
4.Some homeowners insurance companies raise your rate, or even cancel your policy, 
if you have one. (it just happened to a customer of mine recently)
5.They are a known fire hazard, because people oversize the fuses, and the wires can get very hot, without blowing the fuse.
6.It is somewhat difficult to tell if a fuse is blown, compared to a breaker.
7.There is no room for new circuits, whereas a new panel could have 42 spots
(yours likely has less than 12).
8.When a breaker trips, you don't need to run out to the store and buy a new one. 
9.Looking at the face of the fuse panel, you can not tell what is the proper fuse size. The cover needs to be removed to determine wire size.
10.Changing fuses can occasionally be hazardous. I have been shocked when inserting a fuse, because it was wired backwards.


Picture
When your fuse panel is upgraded to a circuit breaker panel, it will look like the picture to the left.

When a circuit trips, due to overloading, or a short circuit, you simply find the breaker that is in the Middle position, turn it all the way off, and then back on again.

If it immediately trips again, I would call an electrician to locate the problem.
5 Comments
professional electrician link
11/11/2020 08:24:56 pm

Modern structure or buildings use breaker box. We can really see how the electrical industry is improving by conducting further discoveries that will enhance our energy supply in safest way possible. Always refer to your electrician for things like this, remember do not DIY.

Reply
Nigel link
12/12/2020 01:34:04 am

This blog is awesome! I didn't know that upgrading my fuse box to a breaker box is this very important and this convenient.

Reply
why choose us link
4/27/2022 09:46:11 pm

Consider the position also, since it is a terminal port, it could be targeted by thieves if you put it outside.

Reply
EEAP team link
5/3/2022 10:27:28 pm

How about the panel? People needs to know what are these things to have knowledge about how to deal with these risky areas in our homes.

Reply
Bianco Electric link
1/6/2023 12:20:27 pm

Thanks for sharing this piece, really informative and helpful. I'd be using this for my upcoming post in biancoelectric.com. I really like the fact that you share the value and importance of our role as electrician helping every household be safe.

Reply



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    Here we, the owner's, of LaMorte Electric Heating and Cooling share the many strange and scary things that we see out in the world of construction. 

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LaMorte Electric was founded by Brian LaMorte  to provide quality electrical and HVAC contracting services to Ithaca, Tompkins County and the surrounding areas. Brian is a highly skilled and licensed electrician in the City of Ithaca. We specialize in everything from electrical repairs, to generator sales/installs, to car charger installs, to furnace and air conditioner sales, installs and repairs. 

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