Any Electricians out there?

[romantico]

Okay, short story here. This morning my lost power. At first she thought it was everyone on her street. Turns out its just her house. Went down in the basement & checked the fuse box. Let me just say that I am no electrician. I'm heading out to Home Depot to buy some new 25 amp fuses plus & took out the 'big' fuse & am taking that down there as well. Its been VERY cold here in the Northeast the past few weeks. The house is still pretty warm & she has a fireplace that she's terrified to use. My question is, if its not the fuse, what would be a second possible theory. Thanks all & wish me luck!

[Floogeldy]

1. Don't forget to turn the power off before changing the fuse

[BlueJazz]

2. if she lost power to the entire house it's ....

...(most likely) either the main circuit breaker (fuse) or worse, as far as time involved, the power lines leading to her house are "down"
either at the pole or in the junction at her meter or fuse box.

On edit: Don't try to fix the lines going in to the house or meter or fuse box....it takes someone with great skills (such as the power company folks)

[romantico]

4. Hey thanks!

Yes, my Mom even reminded me about turning off the power. I'm getting ready to leave in a few minutes. I am hoping its the main fuse. No power lines down. She's thinking a mouse is in the basement & has chewed the lines are something. Who knows.Thanks again!!

[radwriter0555]

6. Call the electric company FIRST...

They will send someone out right away. It's possible the line dropped.

Hopefully the bill is paid?

[romantico]

7. Yup, bills paid!

If its not the circuit breaker we're calling the Power company today.I'm waiting for her to get home now so I can go with her to Home Depot. Thanks again!!!

[oneighty]

3. Call an electrician

Do not take chances with electricity. Twenty five amp fuse is pretty darn heavy duty for a house.

IMHO

[Starryhope]

5. My husband's an electrician

And he would say the same thing as oneighty - call an electrician. You don't want to mess around with it unless you really know what you're doing.

[hunter]

8. We once lived in an old house with a 30 amp service...

...120 volts, with two wires coming off the pole on the street. That was interesting. The house had three fuses -- a thirty amp main, and two fifteen amp circuits off of that.

We had a small air conditioner, a refrigerator, a sump pump, a washing machine, and a gas drier. The refrigerator and the sump pump were the jokers in this deck. If it was night and started to rain hard enough for the basement to leak and the sump pump to go on, and the refrigerator turned itself on, and we were doing laundry, the fuse would blow.

Also, we couldn't do laundry and turn on the air conditioner at the same time.

It was sort of a fun game, like juggling.

Still, calling an electrician or the power comapany is always good advice when you don't know what's wrong.

[oneighty]

9. My upstairs apt

where I live much of the time is fed by a thirty amp circuit breaker feeding ten wire to a second service box. The up stairs is modern wired with twelve wire. There are six circuits with twenty amp breakers feeding them. Yes it is over wired. I have a fridge, tv, music boxes computer, and lights. Never any problems.

180

[romantico]

10. Hey thanks again all!

Well, its not the circuit breaker. Mom & the dog are spending the night at my place. She's had a long day at work & doesn't want to deal with this tonight(don't blame her)Calling Electric company tomorrow. Thanks again to everyone! I say it everyday but I'll keep on saying it. DU Rocks!

[Sgent]

11. General piece of advice...

Electritions are catious with the breaker box, especially the main fuse and incoming wires. This isn't DIY, call an electrician. Remember, with electricity, even if it works today doesn't mean it won't cause a fire tommorrow.