Fuse box buzzing

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Cycsk

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Last night during the game, we were watching in our basement and someone in another room told us that the fuse box was buzzing. It seems that the space heater was drawing too much power, but the circuit breaker didn't switch off. Any advice?

Should I:

1. Replace only the circuit breaker that was buzzing but not tripping? Cue the "buzzed" and "tripping" jokes.

2. Replace all the circuit breakers? The house is 28 years old. I would hire a pro to do it.

3. Leave it to the Fire Department to take care of.

4. Use the insurance money to build a better mancave.

Other snarky comments are welcome, but I hope to get a few actual expert tips too. For instance, is this something I should take care of immediately?
 
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CyCloned

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Oct 18, 2006
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Never heard of a breaker buzzing, but I would replace it soon. Just because one is acting up, doesn't mean they are all bad. I would also have someone look at anything that routinely trips breakers.
 

jdcyclone19

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CYdTracked

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Mar 23, 2006
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Replace the circuit breaker or have an electrician look at it. Have a friend that is a good electrician, I had the same problem once where the box was buzzing/vibrating so I sent him a video of it. He went through and found the one causing it and replaced it and had no issues since...

Well other than my house getting hit by lightning about a year later which I had all the breakers in the box replaced after that when I lost several electronics. Was able to claim that expense on my insurance claim though because even the claims guy that came out recommended I get them replaced after that. Installed a whole house circuit breaker when I did that, if you get a surge into your main box it will trigger that breaker and cut power to the entire house. It won't protect you from lightning but it's another barrier to guard against surges before they got into any other circuits in the house
 

CyCloned

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Get a space heater that draws less power?

Space heaters generally are pretty big power draws. What is the amperage of the breaker that is buzzing? Don't usually see anything less than 15 in homes, but hard to tell. How many other things are plugged in the circuit?

dqMsF.png
 
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isufbcurt

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I've heard this happens a lot with space heater use. They draw so much power and put a strain on the breaker but not enough to trip it when it should trip it. Because it doesn't trip the breaker it can overheat and that's bad. This is what my electrician friend told me when i had a similar issue in our old house.
 

KnappShack

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It's probably nothing, sounds like a problem for future you to worry about.

I **** over tomorrow KnappShack all of the time. That prick has to deal with a lot.

Mostly hangovers and results of bad decisions made drinking. But.....really.....**** that guy. Tomorrow me can clean up the mess.

I live for today, mother *******!
 

Cycsk

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Replace the circuit breaker or have an electrician look at it. Have a friend that is a good electrician, I had the same problem once where the box was buzzing/vibrating so I sent him a video of it. He went through and found the one causing it and replaced it and had no issues since...

Well other than my house getting hit by lightning about a year later which I had all the breakers in the box replaced after that when I lost several electronics. Was able to claim that expense on my insurance claim though because even the claims guy that came out recommended I get them replaced after that. Installed a whole house circuit breaker when I did that, if you get a surge into your main box it will trigger that breaker and cut power to the entire house. It won't protect you from lightning but it's another barrier to guard against surges before they got into any other circuits in the house


Yes, we have a video of the electrical box buzzing.
 

Cycsk

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Space heaters generally are pretty big power draws. What is the amperage of the breaker that is buzzing? Don't usually see anything less than 15 in homes, but hard to tell. How many other things are plugged in the circuit?

dqMsF.png


Top lights (canned lights), table lamp, plasma TV, space heater, and maybe an occasional microwave. Hmmm. Now that I write it out, it was pretty much like your photo.
 
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