When we had our new kitchen installed the electrician firstly looked at our old fuse box which was a ceramic re-wirable one from the 1950's

Yep, this house had that type of box, too. I remember thinking it was fun when I was a kid to go downstairs in the basement and unscrew a bad fuse and put a new one in. My mother had things updated to a breaker box in '97.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

At least I don't have knob and tube wiring, and I hope no one else does anymore.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

When we had our new kitchen installed the electrician firstly looked at our old fuse box which was a ceramic re-wirable one from the 1950's

Yep, this house had that type of box, too. I remember thinking it was fun when I was a kid to go downstairs in the basement and unscrew a bad fuse and put a new one in. My mother had things updated to a breaker box in '97.

We still have those fuses...

When we had our new kitchen installed the electrician firstly looked at our old fuse box which was a ceramic re-wirable one from the 1950's

Yep, this house had that type of box, too. I remember thinking it was fun when I was a kid to go downstairs in the basement and unscrew a bad fuse and put a new one in. My mother had things updated to a breaker box in '97.

We still have those fuses...

Ours were not like those. Ours were flatter, and were ceramic of some sort, with thick glass on top.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

When we had our new kitchen installed the electrician firstly looked at our old fuse box which was a ceramic re-wirable one from the 1950's

Yep, this house had that type of box, too. I remember thinking it was fun when I was a kid to go downstairs in the basement and unscrew a bad fuse and put a new one in. My mother had things updated to a breaker box in '97.

We still have those fuses...

Ours were not like those. Ours were flatter, and were ceramic of some sort, with thick glass on top.

In the US, those were edison base screw in fuses. As opposed to the ceramic 'milk bottle' type in europe.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

At least I don't have knob and tube wiring, and I hope no one else does anymore.

When I did electrical work with a licensed master electrician, we did both new and remodel work.
We had at least 2 remodel jobs while I was working for him that we found knob and tube wiring in the attic.
And it was LIVE!!! Talk about scary stuff. Most of the insulation was gone or just hanging from the wires.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

When we had our new kitchen installed the electrician firstly looked at our old fuse box which was a ceramic re-wirable one from the 1950's

Yep, this house had that type of box, too. I remember thinking it was fun when I was a kid to go downstairs in the basement and unscrew a bad fuse and put a new one in. My mother had things updated to a breaker box in '97.

We still have those fuses...

Ours were not like those. Ours were flatter, and were ceramic of some sort, with thick glass on top.

In the US, those were edison base screw in fuses. As opposed to the ceramic 'milk bottle' type in europe.

Thanks, Mark. I figured you would know! :~)

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

At least I don't have knob and tube wiring, and I hope no one else does anymore.

When I did electrical work with a licensed master electrician, we did both new and remodel work.
We had at least 2 remodel jobs while I was working for him that we found knob and tube wiring in the attic.
And it was LIVE!!! Talk about scary stuff. Most of the insulation was gone or just hanging from the wires.

Indeed, I owned one house that had that stuff, definitely scary.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

When we had our new kitchen installed the electrician firstly looked at our old fuse box which was a ceramic re-wirable one from the 1950's

Yep, this house had that type of box, too. I remember thinking it was fun when I was a kid to go downstairs in the basement and unscrew a bad fuse and put a new one in. My mother had things updated to a breaker box in '97.

We still have those fuses...

Ours were not like those. Ours were flatter, and were ceramic of some sort, with thick glass on top.

You speak in past tense.
Here we live in the past.
And the fuses are here still ceramic.
The glass is on the top of the holder that you screw into the breaker box .
When a fuse breaks the colored tip on the fuse falls down so you can see what fuse to change.
If it works why fix it:)

At least I don't have knob and tube wiring, and I hope no one else does anymore.

When I did electrical work with a licensed master electrician, we did both new and remodel work.
We had at least 2 remodel jobs while I was working for him that we found knob and tube wiring in the attic.
And it was LIVE!!! Talk about scary stuff. Most of the insulation was gone or just hanging from the wires.

Indeed, I owned one house that had that stuff, definitely scary.

That's #4 CU (copper) with jute/tar wrap in the photo. Believe it or not, knob & tube was about four times over built with over sized wire and insulators compared to todays standards.

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...

While we're on the subject of power, I just took a picture of my connections:

Grounding pole


Electricity usage meter


Whole house generator, installed 2010


Circuit breaker box in basement, installed 1997, and home generator automatic switch box.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Last time I saw a grounding pole like that was when I was in the Signal Corps 1978 setting up a communication center in some forest somewhere:)
But seriously, do you need to do that to every house in the US?

Last time I saw a grounding pole like that was when I was in the Signal Corps 1978 setting up a communication center in some forest somewhere:)
But seriously, do you need to do that to every house in the US?

Yes.
I had one at the service box, my pool pump room, garage, and gate control. Basically everywhere there was a breaker box, you need to ground it.

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Basically everywhere there was a breaker box, you need to ground it.

Of course.
But I have not seen any ground poles like that around houses here were I live.
I guess they are in the basement.

Ok I'm back, took Me 2.5hrs cause of a bottleneck from the Cajon Summit to Rt66, then an accident that I passed on both sides of the southbound i15 fwy, then 1.5hrs to get home, but I'm home in One Piece, next month I get to do this again, next time I'll leave at Noon, instead of 12:30pm...

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Vic - glad you got there and back safely despite the traffic.

Leaving a bit earlier is always a good idea - I was sent a bit of video of the i405 near where I used to live. All I can say is "I'm glad I don't live near that any longer".

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

That explains this kind of auto fuse. Wire on the outside.

I had to fix one during a camping trip and just used an aluminium gum wrapper between the poles.

That explains this kind of auto fuse. Wire on the outside.

I had to fix one during a camping trip and just used an aluminium gum wrapper between the poles.

Having had several cars in the 70s with that type of fuse I will state those are horrible.

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Eaton Breakers... This will fill up all but the last 4 blank positions, and not need any filler, which can stay that way.
6-BD-1515, $8.08ea, $9.43ea if 4 or less.

1-BR-250, $9.43ea(gas furnace)

1-#10-32 x 3/4 in. Phillips-Slotted Pan-Head Machine Screws (4-Pack)

Total amount: $59.09+4.57(tax)=$63.66

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

No I don't have $800.00, I have $2.61 now.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's