Don’t Make This Dangerous Mistake with Fuses in Your Electrical Panel
Updated: Aug. 17, 2021If you live in an older home that has fuses rather than breaker switches in the main electrical panel, NEVER replace one fuse with another that carries a higher amp rating.
Fatal Fuse Folly
If you live in an older home that has fuses rather than breaker switches in the main electrical panel, NEVER replace one fuse with another that carries a higher amp rating. Yes, a 20-amp fuse will work with a 15-amp circuit. And it may save you the frustration of replacing fuses on a circuit that over-loads frequently. But it also allows more power flow than the circuit was designed to handle. This mistake has led to thousands of home fires, even deaths.
Originally Published: July 26, 2018
