Blown fuse is hot to the touch
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 1
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Blown fuse is hot to the touch
A fuse blew in our panel tonight - nothing was different. It did blow the outlet that our dehumidifier was plugged into, but we have used it many times before in that spot.
Concern was that the 15 amp mini breaker that blew was hot to the touch. Replacement one we put in seems to be warm now as well?
Is this a concern?
Concern was that the 15 amp mini breaker that blew was hot to the touch. Replacement one we put in seems to be warm now as well?
Is this a concern?
#2
Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: orange county
Posts: 268
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Did you inspect the condition of the bus-bars during the replacement procedure of the new C/B? Had one recently that had stucco paint all over all the tabs. The quad C/B was burnt to crispy critters. The plastic insulators were also charred badly. The panel will have to be replaced. This info may or may not apply to your situation. I would definitely take a peek at the tab the C/B sits on. Be carefull working around panels. As a minimal safety precaution I always wear a pair of good leather gloves when working in a panel.
#3
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 339
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Also check that circuit. Why did it trip? It sounds like you might have an overload condition. Breakers do not have a quick trip at just over their current limit. In other words a 15A breaker would not trip for a considerable time with 16A being drawn but it wold eventually. In the process it would get quite warm. I would not say hot but then that is subjective.
#4
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 283
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
i would get rid of the mini breaker and put a 15 amp fuse back in. In my own experiences the mini breakers simply never trip but physically destroy themselves. Either by being so hot for so long they become brittle, to litterly grenading in the panel.
gl
nova_gh
master electrician
gl
nova_gh
master electrician
#5
What is the amp rating on the humidifier? And do you plug in/unplug this thing a lot, in that one particular outlet? And do you have copper or aluminum wire?