Switching From a Fuse Box to a Circuit Breaker Panel

It's not uncommon to find older homes in the Greater Cleveland area with fuse boxes rather than newer circuit breaker panels. Homes with fuse boxes typically also have outdated wiring and insulation.

Switching from a fuse box to circuit breakers will provide the safety and convenience of resetting tripped circuits rather than replacing fuses. If you've ever needed to replace a blown fuse only to discover that you have no replacement fuses... and the hardware store is closed, you'll appreciate the simplicity of flipping a switch to restore the power.

SEE: Upgrading From a Fusebox to a Circuit Breaker Panel

The Power to Handle Today's Lifestyle

With the typical home's ever increasing demand for electricity, old services can quickly become inadequate.  Simply installing larger fuses will create a fire hazard. Over time, as fuse boxes are updated, it's not unusual to find a single fuse lug with more than one wire. This is referred to as double tapping or double lugging. If your fuses are overloaded, they should be rewired to have only one wire per fuse that's rated to handle the load.

If your home has a typical 60 amp fuse box, you're missing the flexibility to handle electrical loads for multiple appliances running at the same time. For example, when remodeling a kitchen your electrician will likely recommend having separate circuits for the dishwasher, the disposal, for outlets, for the lights, and yet another for the microwave and refrigerator. For larger appliances, 220v circuits are usually required.  This adds up to at least six separate circuits in your electric panel. If your home only has an 60 amp panel with has six spaces available for the entire house, it makes sense to upgrade to a circuit breaker panel.

Upgrading to a Circuit Breaker

Replacing a fuse box with a circuit breaker panel is a job for a licensed electrician, not a homeowner. The first step is to diagram the electrical panel and note of breaker sizes. The wire gauges will be checked to confirm the amperage. Next, your electrician will determine if the wiring needs to be upgraded or replaced. For example, if the home has aluminum wiring or knob-and-tube wiring.  When upgrading to a circuit panel, it's also a good idea to consider making electrical upgrades. New outlets, switches and lighting will add convenience and safety and ensure that you have sufficient power today and down the road.

Have questions about upgrading from a fuse box to a new circuit breaker panel? Give Clover Electric a call.. You'll be glad you called!