How Do You Fix A Blown Fuse?

Blowing fuses means having burned out something or blowing out something through overheating. How do you fix it? If your circuit breaker is tripped, it’s not an electrical short circuit or damage to wires instead, it’s a blown fuse.

When a fuse is blown there are three choices: replace it with a new one (the best way), re-route the current and use a different type of plug-in device for the same purpose. The following article will show how to identify it by checking all possible causes, including power surges or lost power, faulty connections, damaged wiring, and malfunctioning devices.

A fuse is a device that allows current to pass safely by breaking down at high temperatures. They come in various shapes, sizes and materials depending on their application. The size of the fuse determines its maximum working capacity.

The material from which they are manufactured determines their strength and resistance to heat. Some fuses also include safety devices such as thermal cutoffs (TCO). TCOs prevent excessive heating and subsequent melting of the fuse element by disconnecting power before the fuse reaches a fully melted state.

Some common causes are:

• Improper wiring.
• Faulty electrical panel equipment.
• Overloading an appliance or circuit.
• Improper use of extension cords.
• Electrical overloads caused by lightning strikes.
• Poorly installed switches.
• Excessive loading due to incorrect wiring of the load.
• Check for any of the following signs when replacing your fuse:
• It's not hot.
• It's melted.
• Your fuse box has a lot of open fuses.
• Your fuse is damaged.

If it seems like everything else is OK but there’s no electricity, check all of your breakers first. If your breaker does not work, turn off the main power switch and the circuit breaker controlling the problem area. Then, contact a licensed electrician for emergency service.

Potential problems that may result in a blown fuse.

• Power surge

This occurs when a large amount of electricity flows through a line at once. For example, if you have a lot of lights on in your house while no one is home, this could overload the circuit and blow the fuse.

• Faulty connection

When some part of the wire or fixture has been damaged, causing it to fail.

• Damaged wiring

Wires and fixtures are often damaged over time due to repeated use.

• Malfunctioning appliance

An appliance may stop working properly because of a defective component. In order for replacing the fuse to work, however, the circuit must be disconnected from any loads so that it does not continue to draw current from the circuit.
If you suspect that part of your home's electrical system is in need of replacement, contact an experienced professional immediately.

• Reconnecting Fused Circuits

The first step after diagnosing why a fuse was blown is to determine whether or not you should reconnect the circuit. To make this determination, you'll need to understand what happens when a fuse is blown.

• Circuit Breaker Tripping

It doesn't always trip; sometimes it just opens up. However, if a problem has occurred in your older home repair’s electrical engineering system, the breaker is going to open.

• Electrical Short Circuit

If a fuse blows, but the circuit isn't overloaded or damaged, then you can assume that either a shorted wire or a bad connection broke the fuse. In both cases, the circuit breaker or fuse won't be able to handle the electrical load, which results in the circuit being shut off.

In other words, a short circuit usually occurs when electricity hits a live wire or metal objects, such as a nail or screw. Another common source of a short circuit would be a loose wire touching another wire, or a piece of metal coming into contact with the ground.

If you're experiencing a short circuit, call an experienced professional in Electrical Services that offers free estimates and 24/7 emergency service.

• Damaged Wire

If none of these options applies to your situation, then you might have a wiring problem. This would require removing the fuse before checking out the rest of your electrical system. Once you've checked the wire(s) that supply power to the circuit fuse, check the remainder of the circuit.

• Check All Connections

You'll want to check each wire that connects to the fuse box, starting with the ones closest to the fuse. The first thing you'll want to do is remove the cover plate for the fuse box itself. Next, you'll want to inspect the wire connecting the fuse box to the breaker panel. Make sure that the wire is securely attached to the boxes and that they match up correctly.

At this point, you'll want to check that the main cable supplying power to the breaker is connected to the same circuit. Finally, you'll want to double-check all connections on the incoming side of the breaker, including the wires leading to the outlets and switches, as well as the wires that connect to other receptacles in the house.

If you're still having problems determining the cause of a blown fuse, don't hesitate to call a professional electrician. They are expert technicians who will get to the bottom of whatever electrical wiring dilemma you're facing and help you fix your faulty electrical system in no time. Don't wait until it's too late; contact one qualified professional today!