Understanding Electricity Fuses: Working Mechanism & Benefits

Electricity plays an essential role in modern life, powering our homes, industries, and technological breakthroughs alike. Within its intricacies is a nifty component, electrical fuses, which protect us against potential dangers in our electrical systems. Now, the question that arises is- What is an electrical fuse? 

This post will appropriately answer this question while introducing you to other information related to an electrical fuse like what is the purpose of a fuse, its mechanism and functions. So, continue reading to learn about electrical fuses in detail.

What is an Electrical Fuse?

A safety device included in an electrical circuit to prevent the overflow of current in it is known as an Electrical fuse. It is one of the most crucial elements of an electrical circuit. The primary component of an electrical fuse is a metal strip or wire that melts and interrupts or stops the current flow in a circuit when excess current flows through it. This metal wire is quite thin and has a low melting point. 

To understand in detail what a fuse does, continue reading the next section of this post. 

What does a Fuse do?

An electrical Fuse is a small yet crucial electrical component in the field of electrical engineering. It is a device that protects a functional electrical circuit from current overflow. The most significant functions of a fuse are listed below- 

• Prevents short circuits by avoiding current overflow
• Prevents faulty circuit operation to avoid device failure
• Prevents blackouts and overload
• Prevents damage caused due to mismatched loads
• Stand as a barrier between the human body and the electric circuit

How does a Fuse work?

The working principle of an electrical fuse is based on the heating effect of electric current. Upon excessive current flow through the Fuse, the thin metallic wire of the Fuse melts due to the heat produced by the current. As the metal wire melts, it results in opening the circuit and completely stopping the current flow in it. 

Fuses are known as circuit breakers, as they break an electrical circuit if a fault occurs in the circuit. Hence, it ensures the safe working of electrical appliances and also acts as a safety device for humans, as the metal strip or wire of a fuse melts, it can be changed, or the entire Fuse can be replaced with a new one. Usually, fuses are made with materials like silver, copper, aluminum and zinc. 

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Fuses?

Electrical engineers popularly choose electrical fuses as circuit breakers due to their following advantages. 

• Fuses demand no maintenance. 
• They are quite affordable. 
• The working of electrical fuses is easy to understand. 
• Electrical fuses possess the ability to break enormous circuits without producing any noise, smoke, gas or flame. 
• Electrical fuses have a small operation time, making them a preferable choice for circuit breakers. 

Electrical fuses also have certain disadvantages, as listed below. 

• When connected in series, electrical fuses are difficult to distinguish unless they are huge in size. 
• Once there is a short circuit, replacing the Fuse takes time, and till then, the circuit remains non-functional. 

What are the Different Types of Fuses?

Fuses are primarily divided into AC and DC fuses. 

DC Fuses

DC fuses are large fuses with a contract value above 0 V. Hence, these are used for large circuits. DC fuses are of the following types- 

Cartridge Fuses

Usually, cartridge fuses are used to protect refrigerators, motors, pumps and air conditioners. These fuses have their elements encased in a glass envelope.

Automotive Fuses

As the name suggests, automotive fuses are used to protect the electrical wiring of vehicles like cars. These fuses support electrical circuits in up to 32 V automotive systems. 

Resettable Fuses

Also known as polyfuses, the resettable fuses are used in phone chargers, computer power supplies and aerospace devices. They are self-resetting fuses. When a large overcurrent flow is observed, these fuses cause heat and expand the organic polymer. 

Semiconductor Fuses

Another type of DC fuse is a semiconductor fuse used in switching devices like motor drives, UPS and converters. They exponentially increase power dissipation with current flow.

Overvoltage Suppression Fuses

Overvoltage suppression fuses are valuable fuses that significantly help in avoiding financial losses by protecting valuable plants. These fuses protect current as well as voltage spikes. 

AC Fuses

Another type of Fuse is the AC fuse. AC fuses are smaller than DC fuses as there is no chance for arc development between the melted wires. AC fuses are of the following types. 

Low Voltage Fuses

The voltage rating for these fuses is 1500V or less than it. These are the most common types of AC fuses. Some common types of Low Voltage fuses are- 

Rewirable Fuses

Usually, rewirable fuses are used in small current circuits. The carriers of rewirable fuses are easy to insert and remove. Removing and inserting these fuses can be done without opening the main switch. Typically, rewirable fuses are used in home electrical wiring and industries for small current usage in low-voltage systems. 

Enclosed or Cartridge Fuses

Enclosed fuses are enclosed with metal contacts in the container. These fuses are mainly used in small industries to protect machines. 

Drop out Fuses

Drop-out fuses are commonly used in outdoor transformers. When overcurrent flows through these fuses, the fuse element drops due to gravity. 

Striker Fuses

Striker fuses are another type of Low voltage Ac fuses that are used in closing indicator or tripping circuits. These fuses have adequate displacement and force. 

Switch Fuses

Switch fuses are commonly used for medium and low-voltage circuits. 

High Voltage Fuses

Another type of AC fuse is a high-voltage fuse. These fuses are further divided into two categories- expulsion and HRC fuses. 

Expulsion Fuses

Expulsion fuses are commonly used for protecting transformers and feeders due to their low costs. These fuses surround the fuse link with boric acid and other gas-evolving substances. 

HRC Fuses

HRC fuses are short for High Rupturing Capacity fuses. These fuses blow off when a fault occurs in the circuit. They are of two types- Cartridge type and Liquid type. 

• The cartridge-type HRC fuses have low resistance and one high-resistance element in a parallel arrangement. They are usually used to protect motors. 
• The liquid type HRC fuses are used for protecting transformers. They have carbon tetrachloride with both ends of the caps sealed. 

Read Also - MCB VS. FUSE: WHICH ONE IS BETTER FOR OVERCURRENT PROTECTION?

Conclusion

The role of electrical fuses in the world of electrical engineering is quite significant. If you are involved in this field, you must agree with us. Also, if you are looking for high-quality electrical fuses for commercial as well as residential purposes, you can find the different types of fuses at Schneider Electric, and to enhance your shopping experience, you can order from us online at https://eshop.se.com/in/. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the working principle of electrical fuses?

Ans: The mechanism of electrical fuses is dependent on the heating effect of the current. As soon as overcurrent flows through these safety devices, their metal wire melts and breaks the circuit. 

Q2. What are the advantages of electrical fuses?

Ans: Fuses offer numerous advantages like reliable performance, low cost and simplicity. They also offer protection without causing any smoke, loud noise or fire. Fuses are also easy to replace.

Q3. What are the different types of fuses?

Ans: Primarily, electrical fuses are divided into two categories- AC fuses and DC fuses.