Featured Antique Electric Fuse Box

Just picked up this old 40 lb slate fuse panel. I don't think it would pass today's standards? Any clue when it was made or what it was used for??

 

Knife switches? I think not! The inspector would have a cow. Something to do with commercial electric lighting. Street lights maybe. Furthest I could get.

 

If you didn’t know what was safe to touch, you learned quickly ( if you were still around) Insulation is for wimps anyway! It actually appeals to me as something that would look cool shadowboxed, but I’m an old engineer.

 

Bet it would still work fine if you could find the fuses. Not up to modern safety standards, but that old school tech was close to kill-proof. I'd set it into the base of a coffee table instead of trying to hang 40 pounds of rock on a wall. (metallurgist's daughter; I understand the vibe.)

 

https://archive.org/details/electricalnews1913p1/page/n705/mode/2up
The answer might be in catalogue no. 12

 

There is a whole rack of these type fuses at our local Rural King store, they are still used today it seems.

 

I think it's beautiful! Function IS Beauty!

 

Still many homes that have similar

 

Not up to modern codes, but as long as you don't get them wet or feed them after Midnight you're probably good.

 

Sure it can be made usably safe, but what would the motivation be, it's an antique - tag looks typical 1900-30. Brass components look just fine - with new wiring to the power source it would function.
Sort of like taking that model T out on the road . . . as Paul Giamatti said, "The world is catastrophe - life is perspective" !

 

Why? Because you can. Because it sounds like fun if you were raised by engineers, or are one yourself. Call it Geek Fun.

 

Interesting thing. Today's standard in UK is RCD protection for starters. Not sure about US. I don't think you are seriously thinking about incorporating it into a working installation though? Would make a great piece of steam punk decor though. Be mindful of any asbestos present in it.

 

Definitely NOT planning on using this! I just picked it up for resale. These things don’t go for cheap. I have been waiting for the correct vintage fuses. The way my hands shake, trying to open one of the switches with power on would certainly be fatal!!

 

That is seriously cool. I wouldn't try wiring it up to much either, mostly because I don't know how. My late dad would have known, but he was the engineer, and knew how to run machinery with patent plates that said Thomas Edison on them.

 

I'd be throwing those switches all day long.......