"Wadsworth" Fusible Panelboard's Bus Kit

Attached image shows another Fusible Bus Kit recently removed from a Residential location as part of a Service Upgrade.

This Kit is Manufactured under the "Wadsworth" name, and uses Fuses exclusively.

Below is a compiled page of images:



Image #1: "Wadsworth" Fusible Panelboard's Bus Kit

Details on this Bus Kit:

120/240 VAC 1Ø 3W. 60 Amps Max. Maximum of Six (6) Poles.

Bus Kit contains a "Pull-Out" type Fusible Disconnect - located at the top of the Kit (large Black Rectangle).
Inside the Pull-Out are (existing) Two (2) 35 Amp 250 VAC Cartridge Fuses (Non-Rejection Type), similar to the "NON" line of One-Time Fuses.
These Guys are named "Royal-Noark", made by Royal Electric Co. Inc. Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Branch Circuits are protected by the commonly used of the era "Edison Base" Fuses.
As shown here (existing), each Branch Circuit has a 30 Amp Fuse, which are type "TL", manufactured by "Buss / Tron".
All Six Fuses appear to be the same age, and are covering some well arced Screwshell Sockets!

Should be finding more Antique stuff here and there, so I'll add as they appear.

Scott35

Posted 04/22/2004

Orig. File: (WS6) F:\E_Lessons\ECN_Upload\Antique_Im\Upld\WW_01J.JPG

Scott: Thanks for sharing these pictures. I hope you will post more of these. I have also seen several of these panels in use (and I am fortunate to have a couple in my collection ). Most of the ones I have seen have been installed in mobile home systems, and I have seen them wired a couple of different ways. In addition to the conventional way you describe - main pullout + six branch circuits - I have seen them wired where the main conductors are connected to the sub-feed lugs located between the pullout and the plug fuse section, then the pullout is fitted with 50 amp fuses to supply an electric stove. I would guess that this is probably not "kosher" and is a violation of code or violation of listing for the device (since I believe the device is rated for 60 amp...not to mention the fact that the plug fuse sockets cannot be de-energized prior to replacing a burned fuse).

...All 30 amp fuses in there, huh...I'd be willing to bet that the only wiring in there better then No. 14 or No. 12 was the main conductors!!

Mike (mamills)

[This message has been edited by mamills (edited 04-22-2004).]

Mike;


LOL!!!

Oh ya, all Branch Circuits were #14 or #12! Almost a default overfuse "Requirement" it seems to be when any House has Edison Fuses!


*** Possible Stupid Statement #1,205 ***

"It don't blow them 30 Amp Fuses at all! They must be made better than the 15 or 20 Amp ones!"

The Square D "All-In-One" kit defied this Pseudo logic a bit, as the Fuses were only 25 Amp ones on #14 & #12, instead of 30 Amp Fuses on #14 & #12.
Wonder what's up on that one!?

Scott35

My aunt used to have one of those "Main + Range + 4" boxes in her house (approximately 2500sq. ft., the entire upstairs being on one fuse) . She used to keep that thing loaded with 30's all the time. Her rationale: "Those ones with the 30 on them cost the same as the ones with the 15 or 20, but they last so much longer". It took me quite a while to set her straight on this thing, and even longer to convince her to let an electrician have a go at her house.

Before she died, she took great pleasure in showing off her new Square D panel to her friends in the garden club !!

As for the 25's in that All-In-One panel, maybe the guy only wanted to "push the envelope" a little bit...

Mike (mamills)



[This message has been edited by mamills (edited 04-22-2004).]

Scott....
No pennies in this one?


-Randy

Randy: According to the 1910 NEC, pennies would not be acceptable. A 30 amp circuit would require a quarter and a nickel...

Mike (mamills)

Fuse panels properly used are safer than, circuit breakers, [FuseStats].

They don't heat up and lock!!, they open.

A friend of mine has a (for Austrian measures) ancient breaker panel (supposedly 1961 when everybody else still had Diazed fuses). It has some quirks... there are indivdual breakers for phase and neutral of every circuit... and the breakers more or less refuse to trip!
They're 10 amps H characteristics, meaning the magnetic trip should act extremely fast (H breakers are known to already trip at the startup surge of a modern vacuum cleaner), but iin three out of four dead shorts the 25amps main fuse blew before the breakers even thought of tripping. On Thursday the entire panel has to go.