- Jul 7, 2007
- 1,639
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So there I am, minding my own business. We have a crew out replacing the garage floor concrete (It has/had a huge crack in it and had sunk about 1".
Anyhow, I'm watching Youtube when I smell a faint burning smell. Could it be the garage peeps machinery? I ask one of the dudes. Nope - they're using a gas powered generator on wheels to power their jackhammer, so that's not it. Stumped, I wander back inside via the laundry room. The smell is a bit stronger. The dryer is on so I get my head closer and sniff - nope, not it. I walk up the 2 steps into the kitchen dining room and the smell is definitely stronger there. There's an old(er/est?) breaker/fusebox there. I think it's the original one from when the house was built in the 30's or 40's. I put my hand on the cover - dayum it's quite warm!
Now, sufficiently alarmed, I open the cover and touch one of the.........uhhhhh....I dont know what they're called. Big plastic blocks about 3" X 4" with a handle on them for removal/yanking out. Danged near burned my hand!
So I turn off the dryer 'cause it's the only thing I know is running (except for fridge and HVAC, the wife's computer and a lamp), then retrieve my Flir camera and take a few snaps..............
As you can (hopefully) see, the temp went down after I turned off the dryer.
Now, knowing this......I'm guessing the next thing may be a call to an electrician?
There are 3 panels in this house - the original one above, and 2 more (1 newer and another a couple years old) down in the basement.
Why the old-timey one was even kept connected is beyond me. I'm guessing it was cheaper *shrugs*
At any rate, what are my options ATHG? I can at least pull the one big connector out (or both - 1 at a time) and see what it powers, and also check it for damage. I'm thinking checking all the connections in there would be a good idea. But it's so old-timey I'd rather not have that one connected at all. I reckon it would be a pretty penny to transfer all that stuff to the basement 'newest' panel (obviously not as expensive as a new house tho lol)
I'll definitely be contacting an electrician but would like to be somewhat 'in the know' when he starts telling me this and that. Not that I dont trust 'em, I'd just like to know what is what so I can understand it way ahead of time. Thus my post to y'all
For the time being Im going to take a look-see at the big block connector things (and the screw in fuses as well - although I think they're all good.
Thank you for your time!
Blah-Toe
Anyhow, I'm watching Youtube when I smell a faint burning smell. Could it be the garage peeps machinery? I ask one of the dudes. Nope - they're using a gas powered generator on wheels to power their jackhammer, so that's not it. Stumped, I wander back inside via the laundry room. The smell is a bit stronger. The dryer is on so I get my head closer and sniff - nope, not it. I walk up the 2 steps into the kitchen dining room and the smell is definitely stronger there. There's an old(er/est?) breaker/fusebox there. I think it's the original one from when the house was built in the 30's or 40's. I put my hand on the cover - dayum it's quite warm!
Now, sufficiently alarmed, I open the cover and touch one of the.........uhhhhh....I dont know what they're called. Big plastic blocks about 3" X 4" with a handle on them for removal/yanking out. Danged near burned my hand!
So I turn off the dryer 'cause it's the only thing I know is running (except for fridge and HVAC, the wife's computer and a lamp), then retrieve my Flir camera and take a few snaps..............
As you can (hopefully) see, the temp went down after I turned off the dryer.
Now, knowing this......I'm guessing the next thing may be a call to an electrician?
There are 3 panels in this house - the original one above, and 2 more (1 newer and another a couple years old) down in the basement.
Why the old-timey one was even kept connected is beyond me. I'm guessing it was cheaper *shrugs*
At any rate, what are my options ATHG? I can at least pull the one big connector out (or both - 1 at a time) and see what it powers, and also check it for damage. I'm thinking checking all the connections in there would be a good idea. But it's so old-timey I'd rather not have that one connected at all. I reckon it would be a pretty penny to transfer all that stuff to the basement 'newest' panel (obviously not as expensive as a new house tho lol)
I'll definitely be contacting an electrician but would like to be somewhat 'in the know' when he starts telling me this and that. Not that I dont trust 'em, I'd just like to know what is what so I can understand it way ahead of time. Thus my post to y'all
For the time being Im going to take a look-see at the big block connector things (and the screw in fuses as well - although I think they're all good.
Thank you for your time!
Blah-Toe