RV problem

Larry,

Depemding on the type of fuse you're dealimg with, it shouldn't be too difficult to make a “dummy” fuse that is nothing more than a device to plug into the fuse socket and extend the leads elsewhere.    Might take a bit of clever craftsmanship to make the adaptors, but I'm sure you can do  it.  Then, instead of running the leads to a new fuse holder and fuses, install equal amperage circuit breakers instead of fuses.That way you just reach in a cabinet and push the circuit breaker and all is reset.  I did this same thing with a fuse that used to blow all the time in my old truck.   Since it was under the hood it was a pain to deal with so I “remoted” it to the cab and used a circuit breaker.  Problem solved!

What Rich said. Also, have you tried slo-blo fuses?

Good catch Larry. If you think that's bad, I have a Zinsco circuit panel in my house I need to change out. Google Zinsco and you'll see what I mean.

I have a Zinsco panel in the cabin and it's fine, although new breakers are pricey by comparison. The big issue with Zinsco was the old style breakers, not the panel itself. The new style breakers have better bus bar clamps and also have screw lugs for the wires instead of the push-in type.

Mine let the smoke out of one breaker last year. My wife was using a leaf blower to clean off the driveway and the extension cord she was using shorted out. The cord melted and was just starting a small patch of hay on fire in the driveway when I came home. I ran inside and had to grab a chair and use it to beat the circuit breaker to the off position. It melted the wall outlet on the sun porch. I've since set 90% of the house up on GFI circuits. Now that we picked up a hot tub that needs to be wired it's a moot point anyway, the Zinsco box is full with only 14 breakers, mostly doubles. Twelve years ago we went to Costco in Bend and were gone several hours and the moment we got in the front door the baseboard heater in the living room shorted out, spraying sparks across the living room. Again the breaker didn't trip on it's own. I guess you could call these “Fake” breaker panels.

Years ago an electrician friend told me to stick with Square D breakers and panels and I've followed his advice.  No problems.  I've got a funky old panel in my rented shop space that makes nervous, but at least the issue with those breakers is that they pop too easily – I can live with that.

The house I grew up in had the glass fuses, but I suspect the first owners of the house didn't have that problem. It was up in the Oakland hills, and was built in 1848, 2 years before California became a state.

The house my parents owned when I was in junior high school had electricity as a retrofit since it was built before the turn of the 20th century.  It did have gas piped to every room for lighting, though.  It was a nifty old mansion in its day.  Sadly, when they added electricity sometime in the 30's, no one thought to save the gas fixtures.  A couple were converted to electric but most were simply gone.  A real shame, as the house was fitted with gas valves on the walls to control the ceiling lights, something pretty rare from what I understand. 

I live in a house built in 1904 which originally had gas lamps.  Some of the lines are still there and using special hooks the terminal fittings are now used to hold hanging light fixtures.  Beware when you work on them as many are still live!  My electrician buddy has told me that many times as he disassembles for one reason or another he starts to hear  hissing and has to yell for someone to turn off the gas! 

If I had such a situation in my house, I'd hook up a couple of gas lamps to the lines and use them.  While dirty and a bit of a nuisance, to say nothing of the fire hazard, gas light is a wonderful soft color that is relaxing and cozy.  Granted, electric lighting is much more sensible, but there's something to be said for a bit of nostalgia if you can get away with it.