Hello
I just bought an old serger that works great but I moved to an apartment and now when I turn it on it blows the fuse. I asked about upgrading the fuse to a higher amp but found out that it put me in danger of an electrical fire. Does anyone have any suggestions? The serger is 1/2 hp. Cheers
Take it to be serviced. It should also be tested fopr electrical problems, especially if you have blown more than one fuse.
If there's nothing wrong with the serger, get your apartment tested: pester the landlord on grounds of safety!
I suspect your serger has developed a wiring fault during the move.
As a general rule of thumb, ALWAYS find out why a fuse has blown before you replace it, and NEVER substitute a higher-rated fuse - it's asking for trouble.
First I would check the plug, to see if anything has come loose there and caused a short-circuit. Next test the power cord itself - you'll need a continuity tester, a multimeter or an electrician to help you do that :-). If they are both OK, then get the serger serviced.
Which fuse is blowing, the fuse in the appliance plug or the power main fuse for the apartment? What rating does this fuse have?
1/2 horsepower is a bit less than 400 watts. This is more powerful than any of Kate's machines, which are mostly about 100 Watts. Assuming you are in the US and have 110 volt mains, this would mean a current of at least 3.5 amps, more likely 5 amps. I don't know what the usual power circuit fuse rating is in the US, but I'd be surprised if it was as low as 5 Amps. In the UK (using 240V) 5 Amps is the rating for a lighting circuit. Power ring mains are usually fused at 15 Amps here, which would be 30-35 Amps in the US. I think it is unlikely that your machine would require more power than a standard power main could deliver unless there is something wrong.
Upgrading the fuse is not the answer. The fuse must be chosen carefully so that it protects the electrical wiring. Adding a bigger fuse to a system hoping it will increase electrical capacity is like putting a more powerful motor in a clothes washer without giving it a more powerful gear drive and clutch -- you are just trading one problem for another.
I agree on having your serger serviced, but if you live in an old house like I do, you might want to consider what other power drains are on your electrical service when you are trying to use your serger -- for example, if we run two appliances that heat (whether they are cooking, heating, or personal care items like blow dryers) at the same time, the circuit breaker (we have circuit breakers, not fuses) blows. If this is the case, then it's a much bigger problem.
My guess here is your serger is an industrial. The industrial clutch motor draws a good 15 amps at start up, once it gets going it is much less. Aside form the dangers all the other posters have mentioned. If you did put in a higher amp fuse you might also damage the motor. I suggest a new dedicated 20 amp line or another move to a more modern apartment.
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You could also try a "slow-blow" fuse. They are designed and recommended for motor loads. They will blow instantly on an extreme overload (short circuit), but will allow mild overloads for several seconds.
But I would also suggest seeing what else is on the circuit. If it's already close to the limit (include 3.5-4 A for your motor, keeping in mind that 12 A is the recommended maximum continuous load for a 15 A circuit), you don't want to be running a heavy-duty motor on it, anyway.
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