We often find that people have many questions about when and how to use fuses to protect circuits. Do you need to know the basics, such as when to use fuses, or do you need to consider more complex issues? We've put together these frequently asked questions to answer some of your questions.

Please keep in mind that our technical team is ready to answer any questions you may have.

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When an overload or short-circuit fault occurs in a system or equipment, fuses can cut off the power supply to the system or equipment to prevent damage. To achieve this, the fuse melt is disconnected or vaporized, thereby cutting off the physical conductive path.

A fuse consists of the following components

  ·  Ceramic body

  ·  A melt made of copper or silver or a composite of metals

  ·  Block

  ·  Terminal Block (patch)

  ·  Filled Sand

  ·  The high current will heat the fuse melt

  ·  The melt was heated to 2000℃

  ·  The arc would burn the melt, hotter than the Sun

  ·  The melt vaporizes and expands to more than 65,000 times its original size

  ·  Melting of packed sand

  ·  The filling sand sticks together to form a vitreous body (lightning lava)

Since the fuse tube is completely sealed, the energy released during a short circuit is limited to the fuse body.

The fuse interior contains sophisticated engineering to ensure safe fusing under certain conditions. Fuses usually handle extremely high overload currents to protect the circuitry of a system or equipment from such overload currents. Once a fuse fails, it can have catastrophic consequences and may explode, posing a hazard to equipment or nearby personnel.

The improper use of fuses is the main reason for the failure of fuses to fuse normally in faulty circuits. Many factors should be taken into account when selecting fuses to ensure that the correct fuses are used. All circuit conditions must be known to ensure that fuses can be safely fused. If in doubt about which fuse to use, consult the manufacturer.

This means that you should only buy fuses from reputable manufacturers and authorized dealers. In addition, you have to be careful of counterfeit products, do not trade from the supply chain of unknown sites or you do not understand the site to buy products. If a merchant advertises a product as good, but too cheap, it may not be the real thing.

Although fuses melt or vaporize and break the circuit, they do not protect against the effects of overcurrent. Fuses typically handle extremely high overload currents that can cause explosions, so they also need to protect the environment, including any nearby equipment or personnel.

Fuses may be suitable for non-critical low power applications with low overload currents, but they do not control the melting process or provide any level of protection.

If the fuse does not fuse, then as long as the scope of its design work, service life is usually up to 20-30 years.

If the fuse is in the harsh cycle of operating temperature (that is, extremely cold or extremely hot), the service life will be shortened. This means that you need to examine the context in which it is used. If the fuse is used in hot climates, for example, the temperature is usually higher than 35℃ service environment, then it may affect its service life. Similarly, high-temperature industrial applications (such as foundries) can affect fuse life.

However, such factors can be taken into account in the selection of fuses and in the determination of their breaking capacity to reduce fuse fatigue effects due to heat. There are many factors affecting the service life of fuses, and it is very difficult to predict. Each application is different, but calculations can be made to ensure that fuses provide good overcurrent protection and long life.

If you have questions about the best fuse for your application, please contact our team of Fuse Specialists Hotline: +86-18629256810 

or E-Mail: lixt@eaton-maerter.com .

You need to consider a number of factors. As mentioned above, extreme operating temperatures are one of them, but you should also consider the following factors:

System voltage of the fuse. Fuses can only operate at their specified voltages, so use a fuse rated at 415V only when the operating voltage is 415V or less. The operating voltage of the fuse shall not be higher than its rated voltage.

Rated current. It is necessary to understand the continuous energized current in the circuit, and the fuse should be able to carry that current indefinitely. You also need to know if there will be current fluctuations or surges when the device starts up. A good example is starting a motor, which produces an initial surge of current as it is started and then gradually stabilizes. Before you choose a fuse, make sure you know what the fuse is supposed to protect.

In addition, fuses need to meet local standards if you are exporting equipment or working in a different market.

In short, different applications require different solutions, so if you're not sure, it's best to consult our team of fuse experts at:  lixt@eaton-maerter.com

As the name implies, the fuse base is a bracket for mounting fixed fuses. You can use the fuse base to connect the fuse to the circuit it protects, which helps simplify the installation process. It also makes it easier to remove fuses and isolate circuits for maintenance. The need for a fuse base depends on the specific application.