Skip to main content

Better Safe Than Sorry

In this episode - Better Safe Than Sorry . . .

Can you identify the device in the photo? Here's a clue: it's the size of your thumbnail and functions as a safety device that shields an electrical circuit from excessive current flow. Often found in modern-day furnaces, this device is a 3-amp fuse. Fuses are essential components in electrical systems to protect equipment and wiring from overcurrent conditions that can cause electrical fires or damage other electrical components.

We recently had our home repainted and had to remove all the light fixtures, electrical outlet covers, heater grates, and the thermostat that manages our HVAC system. An electrician advised me that it's important to unplug your furnace from its electrical outlet, cover exposed wires with electrical tape or wire nuts, or shut down the power from the circuit breaker panel box before starting any electrical work. Why? Because the thermostat, connected to the furnace, is powered by a DC transformer that is commonly damaged if not protected by a fuse. The "3" on this fuse indicates its current rating. This means the fuse will allow up to three amperes (or three amps) of electrical current to flow without blowing or "tripping" a circuit. If the current exceeds three amps due to a short circuit (wires touching) or some other fault in the circuit, the fuse will heat up and melt, breaking the circuit and cutting off the flow of electricity. This action protects the connected devices and prevents potential damage or fire.

Fuses are available in various sizes and current ratings, the appropriate rating depends on the specific electrical circuit and the devices connected. Using a fuse with too high a current rating for a circuit can lead to inadequate protection while using one with too low a rating can result in frequent, unnecessary fuse blows. Selecting the right fuse for a given application is essential to ensure safety and proper circuit protection.

A qualified electrician would easily recognize this particular fuse. However, you might need help to identify this one if you have never seen the various shapes, sizes, and capabilities of different fuses. 

Historically, (1950s & 60s) fuse panels had round fuses roughly the size of a quarter. They had a glass window that allowed you to see if the fuse was blown and the connection severed. In the movie Christmas Vacation, a modern breaker box with built-in circuit breakers acted as fuses to protect the circuits.

Also, if you have ever browsed Home Depot's electrical department, you may have seen fuses that looked like large lipstick tubes with copper ends.

Once the painting project was finished we reconnected the Nest Thermostat to its backplate, an error message appeared, "No power to the unit." We tested the power wire using an AC voltage meter, but that didn't work. You see, the thermostat operates from a DC transformer, which can easily burn out without proper protection from a fuse. Your doorbell may also use a DC transformer - on a different circuit.

When asked to check if the furnace fuse was blown, I realized I had no idea what to look for. If you are facing a similar problem, check the fuse first. Remember, electricity can be dangerous, and it's always best to call a qualified electrician if you have any doubts.

My friends, it's better to be safe than sorry.

I'm Patrick Ball; thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

Comments

Most Popular of All Time

Mom Was Right

In this episode: Mom Was Right (Again!) . . . Remember that old saying, "Mom knows best?" Well, this week, it resonated profoundly. I vividly recall my mother's steadfast remedy for the common cold, which was ingrained in my 1960s childhood: "Rest in bed, drink plenty of fluids, and take aspirin to reduce pain and fever." . . . Or now that I think about it, this may have been a Bayer aspirin commercial–Simple . . . Fast-forward to the age of AI and endless medical information at our fingertips, and guess what? Not much has changed. Yet, somehow, this week, Lori and I were blindsided by a cold—the first in over five years. My incredulous "How could this be?" quickly morphed into a dawning realization. Our company's annual meeting, a melting pot of colleagues from Illinois, Texas, Vietnam, Colorado, Northern California, and the Central Valley, was a veritable petri dish of germs. And, oh, the germs found me! Getting sick, especially after a long str...

Whispers of Spring

In this episode, Whispers of Spring . . . Spring has a way of sneaking in when you’re not looking. One day, you’re shaking off the last chill of winter, and the next, you realize the light has shifted, stretching shadows just a little longer. It didn’t make a big fuss about it—no dramatic entrance, no trumpets—just a quiet unfolding, like an old dog settling into a sunny spot on the porch. Last week, Daylight Saving Time kicked in, which meant we all fumbled with our clocks, grumbled a bit, and then, like frogs taken aback by a warm rain, leapt forward into longer evenings. The sun now lingers, in no rush to set, hanging in the sky like a tossed coin that refuses to fall. With the extra daylight, we find ourselves drawn outside once again, migrating to the back patio like folks are drawn to a warm campfire. The lawn chairs are right where we left them, waiting like old friends. The air hums with wind chimes, their tuned cylinders catching the breeze and weaving together something that...

Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It?

In this episode: Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It? (And a Little Baseball Nonsense) Welcome, fellow baseball aficionados and purveyors of the peculiar, to a very special, dare we say unpredictable, issue of On the Fly! Today, the air is thick with . . . well, probably just regular air, but a specific mischievous something is buzzing around. Can you feel it? Does that tingling sensation make you double-check your shoelaces and suspiciously eye any unusual packages? Yes, dear readers, it’s April 1st! A day steeped in mystery, shrouded in playful deception, and frankly, a day where you shouldn't believe anything you read (except maybe this . . .maybe). But before we descend into a whirlwind of whimsical falsehoods (don’t worry, we’ll mostly keep it light!), let’s take a quick, slightly wobbly, historical flight through the origins of this most unreliable of holidays. Whispers from the annals suggest a few intriguing possibilities for why we dedicate this particula...

At 92–Don's Digital Daydream

Listen to the audio here. In a world of his own–lives, ole' Doctor Don, Not one world, but three, 'til the setting of the sun! There’s his Blog-World , so bright, with words all a-whirl, And Book-World , with stories of boy and girl! Then, Day-World , where legs didn't leap, didn't run, Just shuffled and creaked 'til each day is done. But his brain, oh, his mind, it’s zippy and keen, A most curious fellow that ever was seen! At ninety and two, with a twinkle so bright, He met Chatty and said, "What a strange delight!" This box with the answers, so quick and so bold, Of theology and stories, new truths to unfold!" "Integrity, relationships, where do they fit? This thing makes me wonder, bit by bit!" He ponders and pokes with laughter and a grin, "Til POOF! he has gone to a world from within! A world made of words, a fantastical place, Where limits of the body, left not a trace! He Soares, and he zooms, with a thought and a rhyme, Trans...