Identifying a Blown Fuse in a Circuit Breaker

If you have a blown fuse in your home, you will need to replace it immediately. However, this can turn out to be easier said than done for many inexperienced people. In fact, simply finding the damaged fuse in the first place can prove to be a challenge for many. However, there is nothing stopping an unskilled person from identifying a fuse that needs to be replaced. These tips should help you access your circuit breaker and get your home's power up and running again in no time.

Lighting Problems

Actually getting to the circuit breaker itself in the event of a blown fuse can be tricky. As the lights in your home will probably be out of commission, you will need a separate source of light that is independently supplied with power.

Because of this, it is a good idea to stock your home with flashlights. Keep your flashlights spread around the house in reliable places, so that no matter where you are in your home, you will always have one nearby. By doing this, you will make operating without electricity in your home much easier, and you will be able to get your electrical systems up and running more quickly in situations like this one.

Finding the Circuit Breaker

If you have not replaced a fuse in your home before, you may not know where the circuit breaker is. In fact, if you have not replaced a blown fuse at all, you may not even be able to identify the circuit breaker itself if you do find it.

Your circuit breaker is probably in your home's basement. However, if your home does not have a basement, it is probably on the exterior of your home. Bring your flashlight to every one of these places and check thoroughly.

Opening the Fuse Box

Before you open the fuse box, you should put on shoes with rubber soles, and make sure your hands are dry. Failing to do this can be quite dangerous.

You may need a screwdriver to open your fuse box, depending on the model, so be prepared to get one out and use it to remove any screws that are standing between you and the fuses.

Identifying the Fuses

Once you have the fuse box open, you should immediately use the main power shutoff to turn off your home's electricity. This will help you to protect yourself and prevent accidents. While you might be tempted to skip this step, or feel it is not important because the power is already off, the truth is that your fuse box may still be powered, even if the systems powering your home are shut down.

After you shut down your home's electricity, take a look at the fuses inside the fuse box. You should see at least one with an end that looks charred or darkened. This is the fuse that you need to replace. Keep in mind that there may be more than one blown fuse, so be sure to check them all instead of stopping after the first damaged one you see.