On Sat, 20 Nov 2010 10:05:17 -0600, bud--
wrote:

wrote:
On Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:42:25 -0800 (PST), "hr(bob) "
wrote:

On Nov 19, 8:32 am, al wrote:
On Nov 18, 6:42 am, al wrote:

Some of the outlets in my house stopped working. Outlets on
individual walls in different rooms work while others don't. They are
associated with different fuses, but the fuses are okay. I double
checked them by replacing them anyway and affected outlets still don't
work. Any idea what would cause this?
Problem solved.

Contractor's estimator checked everything, double-checked the fuses
and discovered a main fuse that was bad. Replaced it and solved the
problem.

My all to obvious error was not checking the main fuses. I just
checked the round screw in fuses. Since moving in here, I've never
touched or even thought of touching those red cylindrical fuses. Now
those fuses aren't the only things that are red.

Anyway, the estimator said as some of you have that the fuse panel
should be replaced with a breaker panel and is preparing an estimate
for that job. Breakers are probably a better option for someone
susceptible to failing to explore all options before raising the alarm
anyway.

Thanks for all the input.
Thanks for your closure to this, we all learned something.
Fuses fail from age/temp cycling. Since the lights SOMETIMES worked,
the fuse was not blown due to a short or overload - the fuse just
"failed"


The lights may sometimes work because they are powered from the other
leg through a 220V load like a water heater.

I would not bet that the fuse "just failed".

A loose connection near the fuse can generate heat to blow the fuse at
lower than its rated current. With a loose connection you may see
flickering lights.
I have seen many fuses "just fail" over the last 50 years, both
automotive and "mains". And like incandescent (filament) lamps, I've
seen them "mend" themselves temporarily - sometimes several times,
before final total failure.
An intermittent "failed" fuse can really be a bugger when
troubleshooting an intermittent electrical problem.