Grandma's fuse block

[junkhound]

Electrical service provided in 1914, linen insulated wires pulled thru existing gas pipes where possible for lighting, otherwise K&T.

There were 2 of these 'fuse blocks' using solder for fuse element. 4 outlets in the entire house until the 1950's.
This block replaced in 1950's with Edison base fuse block (my first residential 'job').

One space between studs was lined with asbestos cloth and the 'fuse block' mounted on an asbestos cloth covered wood block.

Times sure have changed.

 

[electrofelon]

for higher current rating, replace solder with #12 or #10

 

[GoldDigger]

The second photo could be an almost proper adaptation of a three phase fuse assembly to a corner grounded delta.
The wire would be a little small though.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

While it looks like solder, it was likely a fuse element. An old time contractor had a display in his window a number of years ago with a couple of partial rolls of that type of fuse element. One was marked 15 amps and the other 20 amps.

 

[Jraef]

While it looks like solder, it was likely a fuse element. An old time contractor had a display in his window a number of years ago with a couple of partial rolls of that type of fuse element. One was marked 15 amps and the other 20 amps.

Called "fuse wire".. It became illegal for this type of application a LONG time ago, but this was likely grandfathered in. Last time I saw any on a shelf was in the mid 70's. Fuse wire is still used in some appliances and electronics though, but not for installed electrical systems.

Check it out, this image is from a site documenting old electrical stuff, and mentions that this brand was sold by Woolworths! For you youngsters, Woolworths was the K-Mart / Walmart of the baby boom generation. Take a look at the site, lots of cool old images there of electrical days gone by.
http://www.flameport.com/

 

[junkhound]

Wow, learn something new everyday!

Had never seen a card like that before nor did I know it came is rated amperage spools.

Grandma's house had solder, in fact, it's rosin core in the fuse block photo. Knowing pop or grandpa penny saving proclivity, it was probably the closest thing to hand when a link blew (maybe like when a little kid stuck a hairpin thru a pencil eraser and plugged it in to see the sparks?)

I've had that block in a box or drawer for near 60 years, seemed like something neat to hold onto.

 

[user 100]

An old time contractor had a display in his window a number of years ago with a couple of partial rolls of that type of fuse element. One was marked 15 amps and the other 20 amps.

I noticed in the op's pic that the "fuse wire" (or solder according to op) on the left is thicker than the right.

I wonder how the old fuse wire would act due to an sc- "pop" in half or just kind of "melt"...

 

[al hildenbrand]

I've had that block in a box or drawer for near 60 years, seemed like something neat to hold onto.

:thumbsup:

Thanks for getting it out and sharing it! This is the first one of these I've had the pleasure to see.

 

[junkhound]

Do I feel stupid.

Had this thing all these years, the thinner fusible link is ORIGINAL, never ever blew that side. Had never taken it out of the holder or looked at it close. Knew the fatter wire WAS solder, as had put that in there when a teen and it was still operational in Grandma's house. The link it replaced had been solid and was to me then appeared to be solder - did not have a linen cord in the middle, or I mistook it for rosin.

The thinner fuse element IS a specialty wire, not solder.

Appears to be a thin lead sheath around a fine cuttyhunk cord. Photo below, try to get a better pic later.

Also, to answer the question about blowing, hooked it up and plugged it in a short. Tripped a 20 A QO breaker first. Maybe will try it with a welder to be sure it blows.

 

[K8MHZ]

Do I feel stupid.

Had this thing all these years, the thinner fusible link is ORIGINAL, never ever blew that side. Had never taken it out of the holder or looked at it close. Knew the fatter wire WAS solder, as had put that in there when a teen and it was still operational in Grandma's house. The link it replaced had been solid and was to me then appeared to be solder - did not have a linen cord in the middle, or I mistook it for rosin.

The thinner fuse element IS a specialty wire, not solder.

Appears to be a thin lead sheath around a fine cuttyhunk cord. Photo below, try to get a better pic later.

Also, to answer the question about blowing, hooked it up and plugged it in a short. Tripped a 20 A QO breaker first. Maybe will try it with a welder to be sure it blows.

View attachment 14265

QO = Quick Open. A QO will probably trip before a modern fuse as well.

 

[user 100]

QO = Quick Open. A QO will probably trip before a modern fuse as well.

I wouldn't doubt that- its pretty cool to see how ocpds have evolved from the surviving primitive example above to a modern circuit breaker.

As for junkhounds experiment above, makes you wonder exactly how much or what type of testing engineers put into these elements back then.

 

[kwired]

15 and 20 amp single pole "standard" QO breakers have a lower magnetic trip setting then a standard two or three pole version, and is lower then pretty much all other brands as well. This does make them respond faster then most other breakers to a short circuit or ground fault in a similar situation. Does cause some nuisance tripping at times with high inrush types of loads, but they do make a "high magnetic" single pole breaker that can be used in those instances, many are just not aware of it.

 

[AdrianWint]

Called "fuse wire".. It became illegal for this type of application a LONG time ago, but this was likely grandfathered in. Last time I saw any on a shelf was in the mid 70's. Fuse wire is still used in some appliances and electronics though, but not for installed electrical systems.
View attachment 14259
Check it out, this image is from a site documenting old electrical stuff, and mentions that this brand was sold by Woolworths! For you youngsters, Woolworths was the K-Mart / Walmart of the baby boom generation. Take a look at the site, lots of cool old images there of electrical days gone by.
http://www.flameport.com/

Really? No fuse wire in the US? Its still Ok here on our side of the pond. BS3036 re-wireable fuses are still made and sold. Granted not that many are fitted today (MCBs are dominant) but certainly not 'illegal'

 

[Jraef]

Really? No fuse wire in the US? Its still Ok here on our side of the pond. BS3036 re-wireable fuses are still made and sold. Granted not that many are fitted today (MCBs are dominant) but certainly not 'illegal'

You can still buy RENEWABLE cartridge fuses here, where the link can be replaced by unscrewing the caps, but the fuse manufacturers are even phasing those out now. Bussman no longer sells them over 60A.

A little more research turned up that apparently, fuse WIRE in open holders like that was outlawed here very early on, some say 1908, because it had a tendency to start fires when the hot molten solder hit something flammable. Since then all fuses have been enclosed, either plugs or cartridges. When I saw them on the shelf, I was working at an electrical company that had started in 1906, so they may have been a lot older than I thought they were.

 

[K8MHZ]

Really? No fuse wire in the US? Its still Ok here on our side of the pond. BS3036 re-wireable fuses are still made and sold. Granted not that many are fitted today (MCBs are dominant) but certainly not 'illegal'

I have never seen a fuse wire OCPD and I have seen OCPD's that were 100 years old. I have an old service disconnect with an inspection sticker on it from 1919 and it has Edison based fuses.

The site with the fuse wire on it was from the UK and it said the Woolworth's card was probably from the 70's. No way did Woolworth's sell that in the US in the 70's. The UK must have stuck to fuse wire much longer than the US.