Electrical Fuse help.....this Mexico Power.....

Life_N_Cancun · 02-03-2005

I am having some issues with my power. My place uses the old-school fuses, the ones that look like a AA battery. The guy next door was having problems with the power and opened my box by mistake and tried to remove the fuses. Well, the fuses had been in there so long that when he tried to pull them out they shaddered. So I went to the store and got some replacement 30amp 250volt fuses. They worked fine until I turned on the hot water heater for a shower. Less than a miniute after turning it on the power went out. Now.....I dont know anything about fuses...(other than car fuses) I have never lived anywhere that didn't have a circuit breaker. I know on car fuses, when they blow they break into two pieces so its clear that they are gone. These fuses for the house are the reusable kind. You can unscrew them and insert a new metal core. Upon opening the fuse the insert was still in one peice, the only sign of damage was on the inside of the brass top where I could see black burn marks. So, thinking that it just had a poor connection I screwed it back on and put it back in place, and the power worked...until I tried the water heater again. Is this how they are supposed to work.....just burning the ends so they lose connection, or are they supposed to break in the middle like a car fuse? I cant put any higher amp ones because they are a larger size than I can fit in the box. I think I might just be the victem of POS generic fuses, but before I go out and buy the high dollar, super-deluxe, gold-plated, life-time, bullet-proof, diamond-cut, titanium fuses..... I would like some advice. Someone please tell me how to deal with these ancient devices.

SarahB · 02-03-2005

Oh no! I can't help, much less understand...but don't you have a landlord for this kinda stuff (or do you own the place)?! Good luck!

Life_N_Cancun · 02-03-2005

Well.....the landlord, is a little old lady so I she isn't much help......if I cant resolve this I will have to get her to hire someone to fix it, but I would like to handle it myself if possible. I just need someone who knows a thing or two about these old fuse systems....

**Jesus** · 02-03-2005

The metal strip inside the fuse can break wherever it likes, mostly in the narrowest or weakest point, it doesn't has to be the middle.

You can ask at the Ferreteria, if you Spanish is that good, remember to write down the specifications of the water heater.

Life_N_Cancun · 02-03-2005

Thats the thing....the strip didnt break anywhere...its still in one peice, just the end where it touches the brass top was burned. Like the end it burning until it loses the connection to the brass.......so what do you think.....cheap/bad fuses?

skypilot · 02-03-2005

I would make sure that the brass is very clean for a good connection. You can use fine sandpaper to clean it until it shines. I don't know if this is the solution but the hot water heater draws a lot of juice and it may just be a poor connection between the fuse and the brass when there is a large load.

**Jesus** · 02-03-2005

Yes, I agree on that, it should be a shiny surface, if it looks dark/burn is no good for the transmision on electricity.

tommy · 02-03-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Life_N_Cancun

Thats the thing....the strip didnt break anywhere...its still in one peice, just the end where it touches the brass top was burned. Like the end it burning until it loses the connection to the brass.......so what do you think.....cheap/bad fuses?

not cheap fuses just may be to small for the load that was put on it...it does sound like to me that the fue is wasted and you need a new one...and then make sure that the clamps the fuse goes into is shinny for a good connection....Make sure all the power is off.....before you do any of this!

Bumper · 02-03-2005

Be extremely careful Life...electricity can be very tricky stuff. Keep the following in mind.

Ten Commandments for Electrical Technicians

1. Beware the lightening that lurketh in the undischarged capacitor, lest it cause thee to bounce upon thy buttocks in a most un-technicianlike manner.

2. Cause thou the switch that supplieth large quantities of juice to be opened and thus tagged, that thy days in this earthly vale of tears be long.

3. Prove to thyself that all circuits that rediateth, and upon which thy shalt toil, are grounded and thusly tagged, lest they lift thee unto radio heaven.

4. Tarry thou not amongst those fools that engageth in intentional shocks, for they are surely non-believers and are not longeth for this world.

5. Take care that thou useth the proper method when thou taketh the measure of a high voltage circuit, lest thou incinerate both thyself and thy meter.

6. Take care thou tampereth not with interlocks and safety devices, for this incurreth the wrath of thy supervisor and bringeth the fury of the safety inspector upon thy head and about thy shoulders.

7. Toil not thou upon energized equipment, for if thou so doest, thy fellow workers will surely buy beers for thy widow and console her otherwise.

8. Service thou equipment not alone, for electrical cooking is a slothful process and thou mightst sizzle in thine own juices for hours upon a hot circuit before thy maker dost see fit to end thine misery.

9. Trifle thou not with radioactive tubes and substances lest thou commenceth to glow in the dark like unto a lightening bug and thy wife hath no further use for thee other than for thine paycheque.

10. Causeth thou to be tagged all modifications made by thee upon equipment lest thy successor of needs teareth out his hair, and babble mightilly, and goeth slowly mad in his attempt to decide what manner of creature madeth such a rat’s nest in the wiring of such equipment.

jsotherj · 02-03-2005

If this only happens when you turn on the water heater sounds to me like you may have a short or other problem with your water heater. You maybe could get by with a 5 amp higher fuse, but dont go higher than that cause it may fry the wiring.

Oops this is jx2.

MikeW · 02-03-2005

Any electricians out there that can help him??
Look online for fuse boxes, etc?
Main thing as bumper says, be very careful. Even when you pull a fuse out, one side is still hot. You may want to try tightening the wires as well as cleaning the ends. But again make sure are using well insulated tools, and there is no way for you to ground yourself while doing it.

Life_N_Cancun · 02-04-2005

Thanks everyone for you suggestions........Bumper, how many times do I have to get shocked before I start talking like your post?
I cant get a larger amp fuse in the box I have, the fuse blocks are size specific. 30A is about the size of a AA, and the next one up is 60A which is about the size of a short magic marker, so it's too fat to fit in the holder. I also don't see how my little water heater could possibly use more than 30 amps. If all else fails I guess I will just make a "no blow" fuse box. (straight wired) I certainly wouldn't be the only one with that setup.

**Jesus** · 02-04-2005

If you are going "straight wired" as much of Mexico's population, just be careful and have some fire extinguishers on hand and a fire alarm, both wich are seldomly seen in Mexican houses.

And, get an electrician to help you. They are not as expensive as in the USA.

02-04-2005

Somebody asked for an electrician? How about one that also has an electrical engineering degree? Did this issue just start happening after the guy next door pulled the fuse? If so, then the most likely problem is with the fuse or the fuse holder. As stated in earlier post, be very careful when working on this system since one fuse clip will be HOT or energized when the fuse is pulled. If the old fuse shatted when extracted, then the clips holding the fuse probably have some corrosion on them and need to be cleaned (sandpaper, emory cloth, wire brush, whatever), JUST MAKE SURE THE POWER IS OFF TO THE ENTIRE PANEL BEFORE WORKING IN IT OR IT WILL KILL YOU (I know this is shouting but electrical safety is improtant to a continueing life). Clean the fuse holder clips, buy a good quality fuse and see if the problem goes away (or buy another cheap fuse with the hope that the problem goes away but be ready to buy a quality fuse if the cheapie blows as well). Any corrosion on the fuse clips will add resistance to the circuit which means the water heater is pulling more power to run which makes the fuse heat up and burn. Also as suggested earlier, make sure the wiring connections to the fuse holder are clean and tight. If this problem was present before the guy next door did his thing, then there are probably other contributing factors and we can go through them if needed.

Life_N_Cancun · 02-04-2005

I am starting to agree that the problem must be the resistance is causing the fuse to get overheated. This morning, when it "blew", after about 4 mins of the water heater being on, the end of the plastic part had accually melted slightly. The holder looks perfectly ok, although its not shiny. All I can think to do is try and rub it with still wool or something to see if that helps. I looked at what wiring I could see relating to the water heater and it seems up to Mexican standards......that is to say, its got electrical tape around the end with an exposed ground sticking up in the air. I am very much aware how much of a wallup the electricity can give you, and I have no intention of touching anything while its live.

02-03-2005	#1 (permalink)
Life_N_Cancun life=playa Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cancún, Mexico Posts: 535	Electrical Fuse help.....this Mexico Power..... I am having some issues with my power. My place uses the old-school fuses, the ones that look like a AA battery. The guy next door was having problems with the power and opened my box by mistake and tried to remove the fuses. Well, the fuses had been in there so long that when he tried to pull them out they shaddered. So I went to the store and got some replacement 30amp 250volt fuses. They worked fine until I turned on the hot water heater for a shower. Less than a miniute after turning it on the power went out. Now.....I dont know anything about fuses...(other than car fuses) I have never lived anywhere that didn't have a circuit breaker. I know on car fuses, when they blow they break into two pieces so its clear that they are gone. These fuses for the house are the reusable kind. You can unscrew them and insert a new metal core. Upon opening the fuse the insert was still in one peice, the only sign of damage was on the inside of the brass top where I could see black burn marks. So, thinking that it just had a poor connection I screwed it back on and put it back in place, and the power worked...until I tried the water heater again. Is this how they are supposed to work.....just burning the ends so they lose connection, or are they supposed to break in the middle like a car fuse? I cant put any higher amp ones because they are a larger size than I can fit in the box. I think I might just be the victem of POS generic fuses, but before I go out and buy the high dollar, super-deluxe, gold-plated, life-time, bullet-proof, diamond-cut, titanium fuses..... I would like some advice. Someone please tell me how to deal with these ancient devices.

02-03-2005	#11 (permalink)
MikeW añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 13,089	Any electricians out there that can help him?? Look online for fuse boxes, etc? Main thing as bumper says, be very careful. Even when you pull a fuse out, one side is still hot. You may want to try tightening the wires as well as cleaning the ends. But again make sure are using well insulated tools, and there is no way for you to ground yourself while doing it. Last edited by MikeW; 02-03-2005 at 11:12 PM.. Reason: Edited

02-03-2005	#2 (permalink)
SarahB añejo Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Playa...now Iowa Posts: 2,888	Oh no! I can't help, much less understand...but don't you have a landlord for this kinda stuff (or do you own the place)?! Good luck!

02-03-2005	#3 (permalink)
Life_N_Cancun life=playa Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cancún, Mexico Posts: 535	Well.....the landlord, is a little old lady so I she isn't much help......if I cant resolve this I will have to get her to hire someone to fix it, but I would like to handle it myself if possible. I just need someone who knows a thing or two about these old fuse systems....

02-03-2005	#4 (permalink)
Jesus Nutty Peep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Posts: 6,017	The metal strip inside the fuse can break wherever it likes, mostly in the narrowest or weakest point, it doesn't has to be the middle. You can ask at the Ferreteria, if you Spanish is that good, remember to write down the specifications of the water heater.

02-03-2005	#5 (permalink)
Life_N_Cancun life=playa Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cancún, Mexico Posts: 535	Thats the thing....the strip didnt break anywhere...its still in one peice, just the end where it touches the brass top was burned. Like the end it burning until it loses the connection to the brass.......so what do you think.....cheap/bad fuses?

02-03-2005	#6 (permalink)
skypilot lost on fifth Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 15	I would make sure that the brass is very clean for a good connection. You can use fine sandpaper to clean it until it shines. I don't know if this is the solution but the hot water heater draws a lot of juice and it may just be a poor connection between the fuse and the brass when there is a large load.

02-03-2005	#7 (permalink)
Jesus Nutty Peep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Posts: 6,017	Yes, I agree on that, it should be a shiny surface, if it looks dark/burn is no good for the transmision on electricity.

02-03-2005	#9 (permalink)
Bumper Class Clown Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 14,212	Be extremely careful Life...electricity can be very tricky stuff. Keep the following in mind. Ten Commandments for Electrical Technicians 1. Beware the lightening that lurketh in the undischarged capacitor, lest it cause thee to bounce upon thy buttocks in a most un-technicianlike manner. 2. Cause thou the switch that supplieth large quantities of juice to be opened and thus tagged, that thy days in this earthly vale of tears be long. 3. Prove to thyself that all circuits that rediateth, and upon which thy shalt toil, are grounded and thusly tagged, lest they lift thee unto radio heaven. 4. Tarry thou not amongst those fools that engageth in intentional shocks, for they are surely non-believers and are not longeth for this world. 5. Take care that thou useth the proper method when thou taketh the measure of a high voltage circuit, lest thou incinerate both thyself and thy meter. 6. Take care thou tampereth not with interlocks and safety devices, for this incurreth the wrath of thy supervisor and bringeth the fury of the safety inspector upon thy head and about thy shoulders. 7. Toil not thou upon energized equipment, for if thou so doest, thy fellow workers will surely buy beers for thy widow and console her otherwise. 8. Service thou equipment not alone, for electrical cooking is a slothful process and thou mightst sizzle in thine own juices for hours upon a hot circuit before thy maker dost see fit to end thine misery. 9. Trifle thou not with radioactive tubes and substances lest thou commenceth to glow in the dark like unto a lightening bug and thy wife hath no further use for thee other than for thine paycheque. 10. Causeth thou to be tagged all modifications made by thee upon equipment lest thy successor of needs teareth out his hair, and babble mightilly, and goeth slowly mad in his attempt to decide what manner of creature madeth such a rat’s nest in the wiring of such equipment.

02-03-2005	#10 (permalink)
jsotherj añejo Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Where the river meets the sea.... Posts: 1,928	If this only happens when you turn on the water heater sounds to me like you may have a short or other problem with your water heater. You maybe could get by with a 5 amp higher fuse, but dont go higher than that cause it may fry the wiring. Oops this is jx2.

02-04-2005	#12 (permalink)
Life_N_Cancun life=playa Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cancún, Mexico Posts: 535	Thanks everyone for you suggestions........Bumper, how many times do I have to get shocked before I start talking like your post? I cant get a larger amp fuse in the box I have, the fuse blocks are size specific. 30A is about the size of a AA, and the next one up is 60A which is about the size of a short magic marker, so it's too fat to fit in the holder. I also don't see how my little water heater could possibly use more than 30 amps. If all else fails I guess I will just make a "no blow" fuse box. (straight wired) I certainly wouldn't be the only one with that setup.

02-04-2005	#13 (permalink)
Jesus Nutty Peep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mexico City, Mexico Posts: 6,017	If you are going "straight wired" as much of Mexico's population, just be careful and have some fire extinguishers on hand and a fire alarm, both wich are seldomly seen in Mexican houses. And, get an electrician to help you. They are not as expensive as in the USA.

register to remove these adverts

02-04-2005	#14 (permalink)
Steamboat Guest Posts: n/a	Somebody asked for an electrician? How about one that also has an electrical engineering degree? Did this issue just start happening after the guy next door pulled the fuse? If so, then the most likely problem is with the fuse or the fuse holder. As stated in earlier post, be very careful when working on this system since one fuse clip will be HOT or energized when the fuse is pulled. If the old fuse shatted when extracted, then the clips holding the fuse probably have some corrosion on them and need to be cleaned (sandpaper, emory cloth, wire brush, whatever), JUST MAKE SURE THE POWER IS OFF TO THE ENTIRE PANEL BEFORE WORKING IN IT OR IT WILL KILL YOU (I know this is shouting but electrical safety is improtant to a continueing life). Clean the fuse holder clips, buy a good quality fuse and see if the problem goes away (or buy another cheap fuse with the hope that the problem goes away but be ready to buy a quality fuse if the cheapie blows as well). Any corrosion on the fuse clips will add resistance to the circuit which means the water heater is pulling more power to run which makes the fuse heat up and burn. Also as suggested earlier, make sure the wiring connections to the fuse holder are clean and tight. If this problem was present before the guy next door did his thing, then there are probably other contributing factors and we can go through them if needed.

02-04-2005	#15 (permalink)
Life_N_Cancun life=playa Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Cancún, Mexico Posts: 535	I am starting to agree that the problem must be the resistance is causing the fuse to get overheated. This morning, when it "blew", after about 4 mins of the water heater being on, the end of the plastic part had accually melted slightly. The holder looks perfectly ok, although its not shiny. All I can think to do is try and rub it with still wool or something to see if that helps. I looked at what wiring I could see relating to the water heater and it seems up to Mexican standards......that is to say, its got electrical tape around the end with an exposed ground sticking up in the air. I am very much aware how much of a wallup the electricity can give you, and I have no intention of touching anything while its live.