I have a double fuse (I don't know the technical term) that is half off and half on. It appears to be two separate switches that are joined together at the top. One side shows on the other side shows off. In our house some of the living room outlets are off as well as the light and fan in the bathroom and the back outside light is off.

When I tried to switch it off and back on I got a crackling sound and a puff of smoke from the fuse.

I had a similar case with a single fuse a few months ago. That fuse only controlled the outlet for the dryer. I posted here and the instructions I got were to unplug the dryer and then reset the fuse and then plug the dryer in again. That advice worked fine and we haven't had a problem since.

I am mentioning that as I am now wondering if the fuses and/or fuse box is old and if it would be better to replace it all. Do fuses and/or fuse boxes wear out?

For the current problem should I just make sure everything is unplugged and switched off before reseting the fuse?

Robert

Robert

Robert,

Do you have fuses or circuit breakers? Fuses are a one time use item that is thrown away. Circuit breakers can be reset. your description sounds like you have circuit breakers.

If it is a circuit breaker & you're getting a puff of smoke & crackling, I recommend calling in an electrician to determine what the problem is (probably a faulty breaker). Ask the electrician to also examine the busbar where the breaker attaches to make sure no damage has been done.

Tom

Tom

yeah! what Tom said! This is NOT a job for a DIY'er with no electrical experience, and in many areas requires a licensed electrician and a building project permit/inspection.

Forgive my missuse of the word fuse. Yes I am quite sure they are circuit breakers.

I have no intention of doing anything more than reseting the circuit by pushing the button for that circuit.

If the circuit is worn out and needs replacing I will get an electrician to come. How expensive is it to replace all the circuits? And move the breaker box indoors? I've never liked the idea that it is outside where anyone could come in the back yard and mess with the buttons.

Robert

Robert,

Prices vary considerably from one part of the country to another so you should ask a few contractors for quotes on this work.

Most outside breaker boxes have a provision for putting on a padlock. You may want to buy a padlock after you get those electrical quotes.

Tom