How Do You Replace A Blown Fuse?

The next time someone turns on the hair dryer, microwave and toaster oven all at once and sends your house's circuits into a tizzy, be prepared. If you live in an older home with electrical circuits protected by fuses, keep replacements on hand. Identify and test a blown fuse Step 1 Open the door to your service panel and examine it with a flashlight to identify the blown fuse. Typically lights are on 15-A circuits. Receptacles may be either 15 A (for 14-gauge wiring) or 20 A (for 12-gauge wiring). A large fixed appliance, such as an electric range or a water heater, should be on its own circuit, protected by fuses as specified by the appliance manufacturer (see the appliance's rating plate for amp requirements). In addition, one or more main fuses protect service lines coming from your power utility. Step 2 For light and receptacle circuits, look for a break or blackened area visible through the glass of a screw-in plug fuse. If all the fuses look good, identify the fuse according ...  more