Control/Dimming Help me identify this?

(returning from my coffin hunt)

Ok, most often this box was used if there was an "add on" to an old service that was 220v without a neutral, such as a water heater. Yes, if the white is hot, it should be painted or have marker tape on it, but I can't remember ever seeing any that were! There is no neutral block in this box, just what looks like a ground wire. To make things worse, the power input (or what should be the power input) does not even have a ground! It even looks like the primary wiring is that funky old cloth covered rubber romex that was used in the 1940s! (I hope I'm wrong. I used to call that stuff "bomb wick" as it often ended in a fire.)

Now, you mentioned an FEL, so if this is feeding a device that is 120v, the "neutral" is running through the fuse that was intended for the second hot. I haven't seen something this far from code since Frankenstein's Castle! (ahh.. correction there, the Playpen in 1980, but that's another story.

Best way to address this box: Wrap yellow "Caution" tape around it and RUN ! ;)

From the pictures, the fuses look to be different, perhaps originally it was designated for 30A, but when they wired to L5-15R they switched the hot fuse to 15A, leaving the neutral at 30A. The line has no ground, but the L5-15R is grounded to the inside of the disconnect, as you can see.

Edit: Perhaps this is a case for my DMM, but I think ETCP certified Derek Leffew might discourage me from sticking probes in there.
 
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Sean, upon further inspection, perhaps that thing lower left of the disconnect is some sort of door locking mechanism... I'm still not sure about wether or not that handle is isolated.. it must be though... just can't see where from the photo.
 
Can't say I've ever seen a fused neutral. As other have stated, I've used the white as a hot such as using romex in house wiring to run a lead to a switch or whatever, but you always color code, with e-tape, the white wire be so employed.
 
common pratice in plugs such as L6-30's, the white is used as a hot, there isnt any since in going out and buying some 10/4 just to cut off the white and use the red. But whenever i do this even on wiring L6-30 plugs i mark it as a hot wire just to be safe. Commonly moving lights have a fused neutral, due to them possibly being switched between 120 and 208
 

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