|
|
Changing a Blown Fuse
Home » Electrical Supplies » Fuses » Changing a Blown FuseFuses blow, or trip, because too much voltage is racing through the current, thus causing the metal element in the fuse to melt and the fuse to blow. Appliances that use high amounts of electricity and thus risk blowing a fuse include hair dryers, space heaters, microwaves, and toasters. You will know when you blow a fuse because all the electricity running on that circuit will stop. The room will go dark, the hair dryer will stop working, and the computer will shut off.
If you blow a fuse, you first need to go to the fuse box and determine which fuse you blew. Make sure the fuse box is completely dry, and take a flashlight to your fuse box so that you don’t accidentally grab a live wire. Hopefully, the fuses in your fuse box are labeled, but if they are not, look for a fuse with burned or blackened glass. If you still are unable to find the blown fuse, you can purchase a fuse tester or simply do trial and error. Trial and error is a hassle, though, because you have to turn off all electrical appliances in the house before you begin.
Once you find the blown fuse, make sure every electrical item attached to that circuit is either turned off or unplugged. Then, carefully unscrew (if it is a plug fuse) or pull out (if it is a cartridge fuse) the old fuse and replace it with the new fuse, making sure to use a new fuse that is dry and identical to the old fuse. If you use the wrong type of fuse, it may not fit into the plug. Only touch the non-metal parts of the fuse.
Once you have replaced the fuse, move something to a different circuit so as to protect against another overload, and then turn on the electrical items again. If they still do not work, doublecheck to make sure you have identified the correct fuse and that you completely screwed in the new fuse.
If nothing you do fixes the problem, the problem is probably not the fuse; it could be a bad circuit or a problem with the wiring. A burned fuse indicates an overloaded circuit while a blackened fuse signifies that something has shorted out the circuit, so you may need to do more than simply replace the fuse. In any case, if simply replacing the fuse does not fix the problem, contact an electrician and tell him what you have done so far.
Related Fuses Articles