electrical problem, continued

[bubblegummom]

We're in Seattle. Thanks for asking.

Loretta

Storm> Guess that opens up a question. Bubble Mom, where are you

[bubblegummom]

He's under a doctor's care and taking medications. In fact, he was hospitalized for awhile. He was actually doing much better and I was enjoying him being so much himself again for the few days just before this happened.

Loretta

Storm> Have you considered he might have clinical depression, and need

[Doug Miller]

That's a bit too far to drive. :-)

[Stormin Mormon]

I'm even less help, being in NY State.

[Rick]

Well, since 700,000 people lost power there last week due to the storms, have you taken anyone's advice to call the utility company?

[terry]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hi Loretta; same name as my late and much beloved wife btw.

Lots of good advice in previous posts here.

Even if you have lost all electricity to one side of your fuse panel? Which as suggested by one person may be a broken off wire or connection outside and therefore the responsibility and cost to the power supply company/utility, you still have some electricity!

So don't get too depressed. If the toaster won't work you may be able carefully to run a heavy duty extension cord from an outlet that does work etc. And use electricity sparingly until the trouble is fixed.

Also good in my opinion to not take brother's advice; that seemed to be a very negative response to immediately talk about the necessity to completely replace the fuse panel. Rather like assuming you need a tree chopping axe to make a matchstick or tongue depressor?

If it did become necessary to replace it a modern circuit breaker panel would probably be the way to go. But don't jump to the conclusion that just because one or two circuits are not working it will/may be necessary to replace the whole fuse panel! Your wiring may be OK. At the other extreme it could be old and on 'its last legs' as the saying is, and therefore dangerous and uninsurable. But don't jump to that conclusion and get unnecessarily taken advantage of.

Also if you have some sort of record of which fuse supplies which circuit you may be able yourself tell where or which circuit is faulty. That could be good information for an electrical repair and reduce the time it would take. It might be something very simple .... got spare fuses of the right size?

A reputable and trustworthy electrician is a good way to go; but their time is valuable, even the time and cost of driving to your location and having a look or making a quick test takes time.

If you know a competent and trustworthy amateur who will 'look at it' that might be the way to go before attempting any work. For example I am trained in electronics and telecommunications but not licensed to do electrical work. So I know theoretically how it all works ......... not too long ago I had to help a 'real' electrician confirm that one of the wires supplying electricity to a neighbours garage was broken at the supply pole! He therefore could not attempt the repair and as far as I know did not charge them. Trouble was same pole supplied the house and the wire to that was not broken!

Lots of helpful people here; if you can lets all of us know how it turns out cos we will all learn something for what eventually it turns out be!

Greetings and good luck from Canada.

[bubblegummom]

My husband says that since our oven and hot water heater are working fully, that is a sign there is nothing wrong with the wires coming into the house. Also, our neighborhood did not lose power.

Loretta

Rick wrote:

[N8N]

He may or may not be correct. If your oven and HWH are gas, the electrical feed to them is probably only 120V; if you have power in some areas of the house but not others it is entirely possible that you have lost a phase on your supply. This could be something as simple as a poor connection at the pole or meter. If you have a test light and your wits about you (and stand on a dry board just in case you touch something you're not supposed to) you can confirm this if you like.

If your oven and HWH are electric and 240V and are indeed operating at full power, he's likely right.

nate

[bubblegummom]

[Terry]

You should try to find out first if it is the panel or the circuit. Checking the panel is the easiest way to start. Test the load side of all the fuses with a voltage tester. If all the fuses are good then replacing the box would do nothing.

If it does turn out to be a bad fuse block then you could consider changing the "guts" of the panel to a circuit breaker type.

Changing the "guts" would not be an exorbitant amount of money.

[Terry]

[Gary KW4Z]

I'm trying to remember, older wiring and fuse boxes, but I believe that some older fuse boxes actually have a series of fuses, some smaller, round, fuses for the individual circuits and then a very large set of fuses, long fuses that fuse the incoming lines from the meter base and then yet another set of smaller, shorter yet long not round fuses that fuse a side of the line coming in yet between the meter fuses and the round individual circuit fuses. If this is right then one of those branch fuses maybe blown which could have one section of the home out yet your oven and heat still working. These fuse blocks are pull out type blocks, if I remember right. There are round (glass type) clear fuses for each circuit and at the top of the fuse box or maybe another dedicated fuse box a large, rectangle, plastic box with a pull ring attached to it. This larger rectangular, black usually, plastic looking box with pull on it will drop power to the whole house. It has two long fuses in it, each fuse has a blade on the end (copper blade that pinches in-between copper receptacles which are molded into the fuse box themselves. Below that large, usually black, rectangular plate that might be six inches across and 4 inches down (guessing here) there would be two or four smaller rectangular plates (maybe 3 inches across by 1 1/2 inches down. These smaller plates also have a pull molded into the fuse plates. When you pull these out (careful to remember which way they go in because the should only go in one way and keep power on. Some allow you to reverse them, push them back in but the circuit is not made. Anyway pay attention to how they are in. Pull them out, using the grip molded into the plate, and inside are two smaller fuses (these fuses are round but long. Maybe an inch to 1 1/2 inch long, You have to have a volt ohm meter to check these fuses but if it's the type that pull out with the plate then the fuses come out with the plate and are not still in the fuse box. Don't touch the fuses if they are still in the fuse box for they still have power and shock potential. If the fuses come out, with the plate, you can check them with the ohm's function of a volt ohm meter to see if they are open or still working. You can also take the fuses down to the local hardware or electrical or lowes and see if they are good. If bad just replace the fuses with like fuses, plug back in the plate and you'll be good to go. Some fuses, not many old ones, have a small pop out tab on the end that pops up if the fuse blows. If you see one of these tabs popped out the end then that fuse is bad for sure. If no tab then you have to remove the fuse to test it. If it's the type of fuse that is in the box and remains in the box, meaning the plastic rectangular cover is just a cover and not a cover and fuse holder and the fuse remains in the fuse box then you have to get a VOLT meter and measure voltage from Ground to each side of the fuses copper ends. One copper end on each side of the fuse. From Ground you have your meter on 250Volt scale or higher 1000 Volt scale is fine, there should be voltage on each side of the fuse. The fuse looks like a large firecracker only copper ends on each end.

That's the only other thought I would have since you said that the oven was working. That there might, given the age, be a split fuse box and intermediate fuses between the Main Fuse Panel and various branch circuit fuses which are small screw in round fuses.

Just remember this IS Electricity and everything should be considered HOT (or lethal to touch). Electricity is not for learning on the fly because it can be fatal. At least you can check to see if the fuse box has those black rectangular plates in the top of it and if so does it have only one large or one large and several smaller rectangular plates.

Last, if you have a digital camera, you might consider taking a picture of the fuse box and posting that on here along with your other post.

On 12/27/06 6:33 PM, in article [e-mail], "Terry" wrote: