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12/13/10, 11:28 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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Old furnace in attic just went out...
I bought a 1965 cinderblock/stucco home here in Florida in July and have had to run the heat all this month. It had been working fine until last night when the furnace quit.... 
BF went up into the attic and came down with a handful of large & small OLD style bus fuses... the copper-ended/black paper kind 
He reports that everything on the furnace looks original to the house except the blower, which looks very new, and that the duct runs are the newer insulated box ducts.
This indicated to me that "someone" prior to us was maintaining the furnace adequately....
My questions are: What would make the fuses go bad suddenly after working for a good 4 weeks at season-start-up? And what is the average base cost of a new attic-installed furnace? The home is only 1400 sq ft.
If anyone has any further questions....BF is up there now.... 
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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12/13/10, 11:45 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 606
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Hmmmmm, those are old! The only thought that came to my mind is that those old fuses do just "die" eventually...one of the reasons that breakers are installed now-a-days. Any house that has old type fuses usually has a box of new ones close by.
I suppose a power surge could have toasted the old fuses.
ETA - can you use "time delay" fuses on this furnace? They handle fluctuations in voltage better.
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Lori
Last edited by snowshoehair; 12/13/10 at 11:49 AM.
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12/13/10, 11:54 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MN
Posts: 7,610
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Breakers go bad probably more often that the cartridge fuses do, but in either case they could just go bad.
The fan of the furnace might have oil-able bearings, and if not oiled they draw more & more amps on start-up until they pull more amps than the fuse allows. Would be a little hole for oil on top of each end of the shaft on the blower motor.
A loose wire/screw/connection can set up resistance, which draws amps to create heat, which will blow fuses/breakers.
A broken motor of course, would likely blow every fuse put in; the above things would occationally blow the fuse.
It's up to minus 6 here now, what's it like in Florida? 
--->Paul
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12/13/10, 12:12 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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Yes, there is a breaker up near/on the furnace itself, and also a labeled breaker on the box in the garage. We did have some kind of power surge last night as the microwave clock is blinking....
BF went out and believe it or not, was able to purchase those old-style fuses at Lowes in all of the correct sizes! He bought a 4-pack of each, lol.
I will find out shortly if the fuses "did their jobs" when BF comes down and tells me that it's the moment of truth and to flip the breaker back on....
By the way, he says this furnace is a Rheem REAB 1415. We are currently looking for the serial number to determine the exact manufacture date....
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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12/13/10, 12:14 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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OK! Fuses replaced and we've got heat!
Temp here is 40 degrees, going down to 22 degrees tonight.....
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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12/13/10, 12:14 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 606
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Wow, my first house in Wisconsin had an old floor furnace. Had a huge grate in the middle of the living room and it ran off propane...but that was a Rheem also!
Glad to hear your heat is back on!
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Lori
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12/13/10, 12:34 PM
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Uber Tuber
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Southern Taxifornia
Posts: 6,287
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Glad your heat is working again!
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I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.
Popeye
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12/13/10, 04:11 PM
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Murphy was an optimist ;)
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 21,577
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Glad to hear you have your heat back on. Our local weather monkey "claims" it made it up to 20 here today but I am not sure I believe him.
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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain
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12/13/10, 05:23 PM
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In Remembrance
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 6,844
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Funny your thread came up. I just finished replacing one of the fuzes in my electric furnace. Use it about 12 years and no problem. (I'm guessing it is about 20 years old as it appears to be original to this mobilehome.) Now it blows about one fuze a year. Paid repair guy $65 to replace the first one, but I watched how he did it and now keep extras on hand.
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12/13/10, 06:09 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Montana
Posts: 439
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Fuses rarely go bad but do on occasion. Watch the blower motor as it is the main load. Total amp draw should be under 7 amps for the furnace but if the blower motor is wearing the starting amp draw can be enough to pop a fuse.
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12/13/10, 06:48 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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Well, while BF was up there he inspected all of the junctions and the seals, etc. Hooooo-boy, did we have some serious leaks and gaps throughout the ductwork and even the duct for the intake was hardly sealed at all; so we've pretty much been breathing unfiltered "attic air" while we've been running the furnace  
We've also pretty much been heating the whole neighborhood... 
So, he's been up there all day with several rolls of aluminum duct seal tape, and the difference is amazing. The poor furnace was working so hard because it was drawing cold air to heat and then half of the heated air was blowing into the attic and out the vents/soffits etc.
I'm really excited to see next months electric bill....we've been horrified at the $330.00 bill each month so far for this small home! Running the A/C June-Sept. and now the heat Nov-Dec..... Guess our neighborhood was cool thanks to us this summer, too..... 
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__________________
...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Last edited by jill.costello; 12/13/10 at 07:24 PM.
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12/13/10, 07:06 PM
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Uber Tuber
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Southern Taxifornia
Posts: 6,287
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Sounds like your furnace blew it's fuses to call attention to it's need for some TLC!
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I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.
Popeye
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12/13/10, 08:02 PM
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In Remembrance
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 6,844
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Fortunately one of my BILs is a retired heating and A/C guy. He still has some of his testing tools. What do I need to ask him to check on my furnace.
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12/13/10, 09:31 PM
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In Remembrance
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: South Central Kansas
Posts: 11,076
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I agree with others that the old cartridge fuses do simply go out. For my neighbor and I it is generally one leg of a 220 circuit thus giving only 110.
Ace Hardware four blocks away is where I get my replacements. Also have a few screw in fuse circuits. I'd like to swap out the whole box but am not allowed to remove the meter to cut the feed to install a new box.
Did your BF check the depth of insulation while in the attic? In KS the box stores have cellulose for about $5.99 a bag the last I knew. With the duct work sealed, etc. that might a wise expenditure. Don't forget to change the furnace filter to allow freer air flow if not already done.
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My family---bEI
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12/14/10, 09:47 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 3,540
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He says the attic is filled fairly well with "muppet guts" insulation, lol. Someone must have *thought* they were losing heat from that in recent years, and never checked the duct seals and junctures like we just did... So they blew in the "muppet guts" and quit looking for the source of the heat loss.
Our filter is at our air intake in the ceiling of the hallway; we changed that. It sure is working, now! We can stand in the hallway with a tissue held above our heads, let it go, and swoooop! It gets sucked up to stick to the intake grate!
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...'o shame on the mothers of mortals, who have not stopped to teach; of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes; the sorrow that has no speech... from -'Voice of the Voicless', Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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12/14/10, 07:22 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Montana
Posts: 439
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I tell people to change filters oon Holidays. Labor Day to start the season, Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Valentines Day and April Fools. If you AC then add Memorial Day and Flourth of July.
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