18ARC53 BUILDING SERVICES

MODULE no.:NAME OF THE MODULE

FUSE

FUSE

● A FUSE IS A DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A CIRCUIT AGAINST

DAMAGE FROM AN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOWING IN IT.
● BY OPENING THE CIRCUIT ON THE HEATING OF A FUSE
ELEMENT BY THE EXCESSIVE CURRENT.
● IN GENERAL, A FUSE IS A RELIABLE OVERCURRENT PROTECTIVE
DEVICE.
● DURING NORMAL OPERATIONS FUSE ELEMENT ACTS AS A
CONDUCTOR AND IT PROVIDES COMPLETE PATH OF CURRENT
IN ANY DEVICE.
 IMPORTANCE OF FUSE

• OPTIMUM COMPONENT PROTECTION (OCP)

• SAFETY: - NON-TOXIC, EASY TO HANDLE, ETC…

• RELIABILITY: - CHEAP, EASILY AVAILABLE, LESS MAINTENANCE, EASY TO CHANGE/ REPLACE

• SIMPLE CO-ORDINATION: - STANDARDISED FUSE CHARACTERISTICS AND A HIGH DEGREE OF CURRENT

LIMITATION ENSURE THAT THERE IS SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN FUSES AND WITH OTHER
DEVICES.
 TERMS COMMONLY USED WITH FUSES:-
FUSE: A DEVICE USED FOR PROTECTING THE CABLE IN A CIRCUIT AGAINST DAMAGE FROM EXCESSIVE CURRENT.
FUSE ELEMENT/ FUSE WIRE: IT IS A PART OF THE FUSE WHICH MELTS WHEN AN EXCESSIVE CURRENT FLOWS IN THE
CIRCUIT AND THUS ISOLATES THE DEVICE FROM THE SUPPLY MAINS.
PART OF A FUSE, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO MELT AND THUS OPEN A CIRCUIT. ARE GENERALLY INSTALLED OUTSIDE THE CITY.
FUSE LINK: PART OF A FUSE, WHICH COMPRISES A FUSE ELEMENT AND IS CAPABLE OF BEING ATTACHED TO THE FUSE
CONTACTS.
MINIMUM FUSING CURRENT: IT IS THE MINIMUM VALUE OF CURRENT OF WHICH THE FUSE ELEMENTS MELTS. THE
MINIMUM CURRENT THAT WILL CAUSE THE FUSE ELEMENTS TO HEAT UP MELT OR BLOW OFF.
CURRENT RATING: IT IS THE VALUE OF THE CURRENT WHICH THE FUSING ELEMENTS CAN NORMALLY CARRY WITHOUT
MELTING. IT IS ALWAYS LESS THAN MINIMUM FUSING CURRENT.
FUSING FACTOR: IT IS THE RATIO OF MINIMUM FUSING CURRENT AND THE CURRENT RATING OF FUSING ELEMENTS. ITS
VALUE IS ALWAYS MORE THAN 1.
TYPES OF FUSE

IN GENERAL THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF FUSES:

• RE- WIRABLE (SEMI-ENCLOSED) FUSE.
• CARTRIDGE FUSE.
• HIGH RUPTURING CAPACITY (HRC) FUSE.
TYPES OF FUSE
RE- WIRABLE (SEMI-ENCLOSED) FUSE.
• IT IS THE SIMPLE DEVICE.
• IT CONSIST OF A SHORT LENGTH OF A WIRE, GENERALLY TINED COPPER OR LEAD.
• THE FUSING CURRENT DEPENDS UP ON THE LENGTH OF THE WIRE AND ITS
CROSS SECTION.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ORDINARY FUSE:
DISADVANTAGES:
• DETERIORATION WITH TIME DUE TO OXIDATION.
• LACK OF ACCURATE VALUE, IN TERMS OF OPERATION STANDARDS.
• MISUSE.
• LOW RUPTURING CAPACITY.
ADVANTAGES:
• IT IS THE CHEAPEST FORM OF OPERATION.
• IT REQUIRES MINIMUM TIME TO REPLACE.
• IT REQUIRES NO MAINTENANCE.
• IT HAS CURRENT LIMITING EFFECTS.
TYPES OF FUSE

CARTRIDGE FUSE:
THIS WAS DEVELOPED TO OVERCOME THE DISADVANTAGES OF RE-WIRABLE TYPE
OF FUSE.
• IN THIS SIMPLEST FORM, FUSE WIRE IS ENCLOSED IN A EVACUATED GLASS TUBE
WITH METAL END CAPS.
• THE FUSE ARE OF TWO TYPES
➢ RENEWAL FUSE
➢ NON-RENEWAL FUSE.
• THE RENEWAL TYPE HAS A SMALL SCREW PLUG IN EACH END WHICH CAN BE
RENEWED AND THE NEW FUSE WIRE IS PLACED.
IT IS DESIGNED TO HANDLE SIZE UP TO 100 AMPERES AND 250 VOLTS
TYPES OF FUSE
HIGH RUPTURING CAPACITY (HRC) FUSE
• THEY ARE USED WHERE THE HIGH POWER IS SUPPLIED.
• HRC FUSE ARE MADE OUT OF HIGH-GRADE CERAMIC BARREL CONTAINING
THE FUSE ELEMENT.
THE SCREW PLUG TYPE FUSE
• DESIGNED TO HANDLE FROM 3-30 AMPERES.
• MADE OUT OF GLASS WITH A FUSE LINK AT THE ENDS.
• USED IN ELECTRIC MACHINERY CURRENT OF 230 VOLTS.
A KNIFE BLADE CARTRIDGES FUSE
• DESIGNED TO HANDLE FROM 6-600 AMPERES AND 250 VOLTS AND
MORE.
• MADE OUT OF HEAVY FIBRE BODY.
TIME DELAY FUSE
• IT CAN CARRY OVERLOAD CURRENT FOR SHORT DURATION WITHOUT
MELTING THE FUSE WIRE.
• THE HEAVIER THE OVERLOAD, THE LESS IN THE TIME REQUIRED FOR
FUSE TO BLOW.
• THEY ARE USED IN CIRCUITS WHERE THE STARTING CURRENT ARE
HIGH BUT FOR SHORT DURATION.
THANK YOU ☺