Fused neutrals

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K8MHZ said:
I have, in my collection a 120 volt service that not only has the neutral fused, but both the neutral and the hot have 2 fuses in series.

If I wasn't feeling so lazy I would take a pic of it and post it. There is an inspection sticker in it from the 20's
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What can we do to ease the qualm? Must see this work of art :cool:
 
The above disconnect was still in service when it was pulled, circa 2008 or so. It was feeding a 200 amp 120/240 volt panel. This was in a large house, 2 stories. Window shaker A/C. The inspector had the POCO shut off the electricity to the house. The disco was fed by 2 30 AWG conductors coming from the bottom of the meter.
 
mbrooke said:
GU24 is your friend ;)


sogu24-06.jpg
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Isn't this the same socket you use to plug in the 'starter' on a fluorescent light?
 
K8MHZ said:
The above disconnect was still in service when it was pulled, circa 2008 or so. It was feeding a 200 amp 120/240 volt panel. This was in a large house, 2 stories. Window shaker A/C. The inspector had the POCO shut off the electricity to the house. The disco was fed by 2 30 AWG conductors coming from the bottom of the meter.
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Why the power cut? I don't see a dire emergency.
 
K8MHZ said:
I have no idea. I have never seen anything like that before or since. The bottom fuse holders fit right inside knockouts. They may be lamp holders that someone decided to use for a fuse holder. I don't know.
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I think they were added latter. Just my guess.
 
mbrooke said:
The requirement of earthing early electrical systems.
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:blink:
Well, ya, that's what you are wondering about. You said that in the previous sentence,

And then you said that the eleven page PDF shed some light on it.

So, now that you are seeing light shed on what you are wondering about, in your own words, what are you understanding from the eleven page document?
 

Note the open rectangular cutout in the sheet metal of the top of the box. In my experience, this was for the electric meter to settle on, and allowed the conductors to and from the meter to pass.

I'll bet that this is a PoCo approved Service Center, may even have been supplied by the PoCo with the meter. The Safety Switch lever handle, allowing the occupant to operate the disconnect without opening the enclosure, offered the same additional safety for personnel that the bottom, exterior fuse holders would also supply.

I regret that I don't have a photo, but I removed a dwelling single branch circuit 30 Amp 120 Volt service center, manufactured by Square D, that was quite similar. At the time I removed it, for a service relocation and upgrade, it was still in service with the PoCo meter present. It had a deadfront that allowed the replacement of the Edison fuse without opening the wire containing enclosure.
 
synchro said:
Agree, they look just like these lampholders rated at 660 watts - probably good for no more than 6 amps :happysad:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...-Incandescent-Lampholder-White-9350/301667455
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From the "Electrical Record" you posted a link to earlier in this thread,

synchro said:
A short discussion about fused neutrals from 1922, under heading "The Solid Neutral":
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synchro said:
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In the section titled "Loading of the Final Circuit" they write about the "so-called 660 Watt rule." And later talk about the 6 Amp flat iron. I think a lot has to do with who was regulating the installation of the specific Premises Wiring (System) at that time. The is good indication of how Electrical Engineers didn't have regulatory standing until around 1920.​
 
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