On Sat, 20 Nov 2010 20:34:53 -0500, "Robert Green"
wrote:

"bud--" wrote in message
. ..
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".

That's certainly my take on it, but there's always the possibility of
"inherent vice." If it were my problem, I'd be examining that fuse with a
both an ohm meter and a Dremel tool. I'd probably hook it up to an audible
continuity meter with sturdy spring-type battery clamps connected to each
end so I could shake it, pound it, put it in the freezer for a while and
heat with a heat gun to see what, if anything, allowed current to pass
before I sliced it open to see how cooked it was.

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.

That's a very good point. With the high possibility that the fuse holder
has metal parts with dissimilar coefficients of expansion, an intermittent
based on changing temperatures from a loose connection is a very likely
possibility, IMHO.

We had a disposal problem that only showed up in the spring and fall. It
would kick off, and then restart, usually when you jiggled the switch.
Turned out to be a bad backstab connection that flaked out every time it got
suddenly cold outside (the switch and outlet is was linked to were on an
outside north-facing wall). Since circuit panels are often located near
outside walls and are typically not well insulated, I believe as you do that
a loose connection to the fuse could be the real problem here. Especially
now that the OP has reported that the lights are still flickering. That's
no bad fuse, I'm afraid.

Hopefully the OP will keep us updated . . .
In this case I'll have to agree. Replacing the fuse did not totally
solve the problem, so the fuse was a symptom, not the cause.