SERVICES
Replace fuse box
Fuse boxes are becoming less and less common as time goes on. They have not been installed in new construction since the 1960s. It is common for circuit breaker panels to replace a fuse box anytime major electrical repairs or upgrades are performed in a home. In fact, many jurisdictions even require this.
Advantages of circuit breakers over fuse boxes
Reset circuit breaker from circuit breaker panel
The ability to simply reset a breaker from circuit panel when it trips, instead of replacing an entire fuse.
Increased amperage for modern day appliances
Fuse boxes typically reached a limit of only 60 amps when they were last installed in the 1960s. Minimum requirements for circuit breaker panels today for new home construction are 100 amps and realistically should be (and most of the time are) 200 amps.
More cost effective
Finding electricians that are familiar with fuse boxes in residential properties is becoming more difficult as time goes on. As a result, some electricians may charge a premium for dealing with a fuse box if they rarely come across them.
How a fuse box works
A fuse box works by having a series of fuses that can shut off current to a circuit if too much current flows through it. Fuses do not directly measure current to achieve this functionality. A fuse will blow when the heat generated by too much current passes through the fuse. Fuses do this by having a thin piece of metal (usually copper) that has a relatively low melting point.
Where a copper wire that is used to run a circuit could tolerate higher current for an extended period of time before causing a fire, the copper wire in a fuse is much thinner and has a lower melting point.
As a result, excess current flowing through a fuse will melt well before any fire hazards are created in the branch wiring itself. When there is a blown fuse on a circuit the circuit will no longer have current flowing through it until the fuse is removed and replaced with a new one.
If a fuse box is present this can be an indication of other parts of the electrical system being aged and neglected.
Need to replace your fusebox?
If you believe your fuse box is damaged or you want to upgrade to a circuit breaker, give us a call.
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