Steps for Repairing a Blown Fuse

A fuse protects the electrical circuit from sustaining damage if an electrical short does occur. Electrical circuits will typically fail at the point of least resistance which may be the fuse. Fuses can be found in many places: cars, homes, lights and appliances. Replacing a blown fuse is easy once it is located.

Repairing a Blown Fuse

1. Open the door to your service panel; examine the panel using a flashlight to identify the blown fuse.

2. Look for a break or blackened area visible through the glass of the fuse.

3. If all the fuses look good, you will need to locate the fuse manually.

4. Remove the fuses one at a time. If you have a new fuse handy, insert a new fuse to test the circuit. If you have a continuity tester, touch the probe to the fuse's tip and the clip to its threaded shaft. If the tester does not glow, the fuse is bad.

5. For fuse blocks, pull straight out and remove the individual cartridge fuses from the block using a cartridge-fuse puller. Test the fuses with a continuity tester by probing the two ends.

6. Make sure the replacement fuse has the same rating as the original. Screw in a new plug fuse, or install a new cartridge fuse in the fuse block and press the block back in.