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Is it worth updating the electrical system? Charlie S. 06-20-2006
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Posted by Charlie S. on June 20, 2006, 1:04 am
Bought a new air conditioner this weekend. Thought the higher BTU unit
might put too much of a strain on the circuit and cause it to blow a fuse.
Turns out to be on a separate circuit from the air conditioner upstairs and
didn't have any problem. Still, it got me thinking about this old fuse box
down cellar. It's at least 30 years old or more and this may be the time to
think about updating to a circuit breaker and rewiring some of the house.

Checking the box tonight I noticed there were a couple 30 amp fuses and the
rest were 20 amp fuses. I don't know much about electricity, but I have a
feeling 30 amps is on the high side. Not only that, the outlets throughout
the house are of the two prong variety. Whenever we plug in a 3 prong
object, we need to use an adapter. Nothing is properly grounded. The
television and computers are my biggest concern. Then again, I simply turn
off the computer during any electrical storms.

Here's my dilemma. I am not really having any problems with the electricity
in our house. Thus, the old adage. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix. I
figure it will be close to $2000 to update.

My worry is that the 30 amp fuses are probably carrying too much of a load
and could cause a fire. The other concern is the 'grounding'. I was
thinking I could address this issue separately and have an electrician
ground certain plugs. (I don't know if that makes sense or not.)

Is there anything else I should be thinking about as to the value of
updating? Is 30 amps too much? Or, needless worry?

I'm having an electrician come in Wednesday to give me an estimate. I'm
sure he'll be of the opinion updating is necessary.







Posted by kevin on June 20, 2006, 2:14 am
Sounds like needless worrying to me:

> down cellar. It's at least 30 years old or more and this may be the time to
> think about updating to a circuit breaker and rewiring some of the house.

30 years old is just fine, assuming they did a good job when they
installed it. Most houses have electrical systems at least this old, I
would imagine.

> Checking the box tonight I noticed there were a couple 30 amp fuses and the
> rest were 20 amp fuses.
> I don't know much about electricity, but I have a
> feeling 30 amps is on the high side.

High side of what? 20? And how many is "a couple"? It would be normal
to have 30A for an electric range, for a furnace, for an electric
dryer, maybe a few 30A fuses for room air conditioners, etc. As long as
the wiring was adequately sized, there is nothing wrong with 30A fuses.
Same goes for the 20A fuses. There would only be a problem if someone
was mistakenly or stupidly putting 30A or 20A fuses on wires or
circuits designed to carry less, which may or may not be the case (but
you can't tell by just hemming and hawing, you have to go check the
wires).

> Not only that, the outlets throughout
> the house are of the two prong variety. Whenever we plug in a 3 prong
> object, we need to use an adapter. Nothing is properly grounded.

Yup, this is a pain, and may make you want to upgrade to 3-wire
circuits everywhere. On the other hand, by installing a few
strategically placed GFCI outlets, an electrician can safely upgrade
many or most of your other outlets with 3 prong outlets as well. They
would be safe to use, wouldn't require an adapter, wouldn't require any
rewiring in the walls. They would have a little sticker that says "NO
GROUND" or something like that, which can be essentially ignored in
most home scenarios.

> The
> television and computers are my biggest concern. Then again, I simply turn
> off the computer during any electrical storms.

Turning off a computer might do little to nothing to protect against,
well, anything. Turning it off at a power strip will give you a little
protection against (small to moderate) surges and spikes. None of that
has anything to do with having a ground or not. If you have a surge
supressor, it may require a ground to be effective, however.

> My worry is that the 30 amp fuses are probably carrying too much of a load
> and could cause a fire.

Again, it won't be the fuses that are carrying too much load, it would
be the wires. Don't worry about the fuses being too big, worry about
the wires being too small. Nothing you mentioned so far hints at the
wires being too small (e.g., if you said "my box is filled with 50A
fuses" I would have said "well, someone probably got a box of those off
the back of a truck and stupidly used them instead of buying 15, 20,
and 30A fuses")


Posted by m Ransley on June 20, 2006, 6:30 am
30 yrs is not old 70-100 yrs is. If the circuit with the 30a fuse is of
proper wire gauge its fine. I would just have a few outlets replaced
and grounded and have an electrician give the system a check up.
Electricians want work too, so they may needlesly try to sell you a
upgrade. If you realy want to know for your saftey your city electrical
inspector or fire dept will serve you better with an unbiased overview.
For saftey consider a few GFI in bath and kitchen, a mains Surge
Arrestor and Lightning Arrestor. Having your ground professionaly
checked and grounding outlets that have electronics is a good idea.


Posted by John Grabowski on June 20, 2006, 6:30 am

> Bought a new air conditioner this weekend. Thought the higher BTU unit
> might put too much of a strain on the circuit and cause it to blow a fuse.
> Turns out to be on a separate circuit from the air conditioner upstairs
and
> didn't have any problem. Still, it got me thinking about this old fuse
box
> down cellar. It's at least 30 years old or more and this may be the time
to
> think about updating to a circuit breaker and rewiring some of the house.
>
> Checking the box tonight I noticed there were a couple 30 amp fuses and
the
> rest were 20 amp fuses. I don't know much about electricity, but I have a
> feeling 30 amps is on the high side. Not only that, the outlets
throughout
> the house are of the two prong variety. Whenever we plug in a 3 prong
> object, we need to use an adapter. Nothing is properly grounded. The
> television and computers are my biggest concern. Then again, I simply
turn
> off the computer during any electrical storms.
>
> Here's my dilemma. I am not really having any problems with the
electricity
> in our house. Thus, the old adage. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix. I
> figure it will be close to $2000 to update.
>
> My worry is that the 30 amp fuses are probably carrying too much of a load
> and could cause a fire. The other concern is the 'grounding'. I was
> thinking I could address this issue separately and have an electrician
> ground certain plugs. (I don't know if that makes sense or not.)
>
> Is there anything else I should be thinking about as to the value of
> updating? Is 30 amps too much? Or, needless worry?
>
> I'm having an electrician come in Wednesday to give me an estimate. I'm
> sure he'll be of the opinion updating is necessary.
>
>
>
>
>
>

When the electrician comes ask him to check the wire sizes inside the fuse
box on the 30 and 20 amp fuses. It has been my experience that smaller
fuses get replaced with larger ones to avoid the nuisance of them blowing
from overloads. If that has been the case than you should consider having
some additional circuits installed. If you have an ungrounded system with a
fuse box, it is probably over fifty years old.

As far as upgrading, it is not a bad idea. It would certainly help when it
comes time to sell your house. Many homebuyers are looking at things like
that. Of course a home inspector would pick up on any shortcomings to your
electrical system.

Have you made any other major upgrades to your house such as new windows or
new siding? How about a new kitchen or bathroom? How about an addition?
If you haven't done anything like that, than it may not be worth your while.
The next owner may just knock the house down and build a new one.



Posted by Charlie S. on June 20, 2006, 7:26 am

>
>> Bought a new air conditioner this weekend. Thought the higher BTU unit
>> might put too much of a strain on the circuit and cause it to blow a
>> fuse.
>> Turns out to be on a separate circuit from the air conditioner upstairs
> and
>> didn't have any problem. Still, it got me thinking about this old fuse
> box
>> down cellar. It's at least 30 years old or more and this may be the time
> to
>> think about updating to a circuit breaker and rewiring some of the house.
>>
>> Checking the box tonight I noticed there were a couple 30 amp fuses and
> the
>> rest were 20 amp fuses. I don't know much about electricity, but I have
>> a
>> feeling 30 amps is on the high side. Not only that, the outlets
> throughout
>> the house are of the two prong variety. Whenever we plug in a 3 prong
>> object, we need to use an adapter. Nothing is properly grounded. The
>> television and computers are my biggest concern. Then again, I simply
> turn
>> off the computer during any electrical storms.
>>
>> Here's my dilemma. I am not really having any problems with the
> electricity
>> in our house. Thus, the old adage. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix. I
>> figure it will be close to $2000 to update.
>>
>> My worry is that the 30 amp fuses are probably carrying too much of a
>> load
>> and could cause a fire. The other concern is the 'grounding'. I was
>> thinking I could address this issue separately and have an electrician
>> ground certain plugs. (I don't know if that makes sense or not.)
>>
>> Is there anything else I should be thinking about as to the value of
>> updating? Is 30 amps too much? Or, needless worry?
>>
>> I'm having an electrician come in Wednesday to give me an estimate. I'm
>> sure he'll be of the opinion updating is necessary.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> When the electrician comes ask him to check the wire sizes inside the fuse
> box on the 30 and 20 amp fuses. It has been my experience that smaller
> fuses get replaced with larger ones to avoid the nuisance of them blowing
> from overloads.

This is probably what happened. I remember growing up in the house when I
was younger and the fuses would blow out a lot.

If that has been the case than you should consider having
> some additional circuits installed. If you have an ungrounded system with
> a
> fuse box, it is probably over fifty years old.

I"m not sure. I think the box was replaced about 40 years ago??? I'm not
sure. The whole upstairs is on one circuit.
>
> As far as upgrading, it is not a bad idea. It would certainly help when
> it
> comes time to sell your house. Many homebuyers are looking at things like
> that. Of course a home inspector would pick up on any shortcomings to
> your
> electrical system.
>
> Have you made any other major upgrades to your house such as new windows
> or
> new siding? How about a new kitchen or bathroom? How about an addition?
> If you haven't done anything like that, than it may not be worth your
> while.
> The next owner may just knock the house down and build a new one.
>
>



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