sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones Telephone Fuse, 50-70 yrs. old

I am searching for a particular 3amp ceramic fuse with fuse holder system used 50+ years ago. Two fuses per telephone pair. I can email pics if that would help. i need to find a supply of the existing or an updated exact replacement.

Pictures would be especially helpful.

Wow, you do have some old and authentic hardware there. Try these folks out. If they don't have what you need, I'll bet they can point you in the right direction:

PHONE CO.

Ed, is that some kind of protector?

I'll throw in my 2 cents. I believe it is an old Demarc terminal and the fuses are the lightening protection. it's way better though that one I saw when I was installing a system back in 1980 in a small town. The local TelCo's Demarc was a 2x4 with nails that had their heads cut off.

Looks more like a terminal block to me. I've never seen that type though.

The last time I ever saw those was in the late 1980s in a 1920s vintage office building in Danville, VA. The whole 10-story building was wired with this type of wooden blocks. Bell Atlantic was in the process of ripping them out and replacing them with modern NIDs. There were hundreds of these blocks and fuses, all of which (sadly) went in the trash.

The design of these blocks certainly isn't providing any lightning protection to speak of since there is no spark gap to ground. My guess would be that they were for sneak current protection, although 2-3 amps is mighty high for that application.

Gents, you all were quite helpful with my search for 90 year old telephone 3amp fuses, their holders and the board several months ago. I thought i would give you a quick update. I am now making the boards, holders and fuses. If you know anyone looking for this type of product please let them know. I appreciate your efforts in the past.

That is pretty cool! Are you actually using these, or just for display?

Sample board approved by customer, moving to production stage shortly. Will keep you posted.

Really cool, the original pic reminds me of something I saw once when I was crawling around in the bowels of an old church, underneath an incredibly old pipe organ. I was with a guy we had just hired, so very green. I pointed at the board and told him very sternly, "Don't touch that, don't bump that, don't go near that".