The breakers reset and can be “switched back on”–so there is no need to replace anything. The destroyed fuse must then be replaced with a new one.Ĭircuit breakers, on the other hand, have internal switches that are tripped by electrical surges to temporarily disable a given circuit. This is what stops the fault (aka “short” or “power surge”). You will see that the fuse has melted, and there might be charring on the panel.Ī true fuse typically consists of a piece of metal, most commonly an encased wire, that actually melts when overheated. You might be wondering, then, how to tell if a fuse is blown–an actual fuse, that is. This makes it hard to answer the question, “Why do fuses blow?” Yet people commonly use the expression “blown fuse” to describe just about any unexpected electricity-related occurrence, especially one involving a loss of power.Ī “blown fuse” can mean many different things–several of which have little to do with actual fuses.

Most people nowadays have had the old-fashioned fuse panels (also known as fuse boxes) in their homes replaced by modern electrical panels with circuit breakers–if the fuse boxes were even still there when they purchased their houses. So today we’re going to guide you through your electrical panel or fuse box, as well as many things in your home that are connected to it, and give you what should prove to be very helpful information. Blown fuses are a common occurrence.īut how often do you actually think about what might have caused the fuse to blow, much less called an electrician to make sure everything’s OK? If you’re like most people, the answer to that is probably “Never.”

If you’re a homeowner, that person probably is you. Someone always knows what to do when this happens. Most people probably have experienced a blown fuse at one time or another.

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