converting 50 amp

[Anonymous]

ok need some advise have a older 60 amp box in my home one fuse panel has the house on it the other has the stove we no longer have electric stove converted to gas can and how can i utilize this breaker its the old kind that has to long fuses in it that you plug into the panel thanks

[Wgoodrich]

What I am picturing is one main fuse panel with one 60 amp fuse block that says MAIN on it and a second 50 amp fuse block to the right of the first fuse block that says range. Is this correct?

If so then you may buy what is called cartridge fuse reducers and install smaller fuses such as 30 or 20 or 15 amp fuses where the two big 50 amp fuses were installed in that range fuse block that pulls out.

YOu should have a second option. You should have 4 screw in fuse holders. Look between two fuses with the panel cover removed. You should find what is called HEATER lugs. Then look between the other two screw in fuse holders and you should find a second HEATER lug. These heater lugs are protected by that main fuse block with 60 amp fuse cartridges in that main fuse block. You should be able to pull out the main fuse block and find the 240 volts available on those two heater lugs will shut off also.

These two heater lugs and hte neutral bar and the grounidng bar are the places where you would connect say a 6/3wGrnd Romex cable then run that feeder cable connected to those two heater lugs and the grounding and neutral bar to a new subpanel with breakers if you need more circuits. This new sub panel would be a slave of the main 60 amp fuse cartridges in that older main service panel.

I would suggest before you do too much to this older panel to click on the following link on our homewiringandmore.com web site. This link will provide you with detailed format to calculate the minimum main service size required to serve that home. At least then you should be able to make an informed decision as to whether you want to add more load to that old panel that may be too small to serve your panel meeting the minimum safety standards set by the NEC.

http://www.homewiringandmore.com/homewiringusa/2002/definitions/demandcalc02/DwlingDmdCalc02.html

Hope this helps

Wg