|
|
Introduction to Fuses
Home » Electrical Supplies » Fuses » Introduction to FusesWhile nearly every home suffers a blown fuse from time to time, many people do not really know what a fuse is. Every home has fuses, usually grouped together in a fuse box in the basement or the garage, but what do they really do, other than blow?
Basically, fuses are a protective measure for your home and for your electricity. The word “fuse” is short for a fusible link, which describes the role of a fuse as a link in the electrical circuit. The fuse has a metal strip that melts when the electrical current passing through it becomes too great. When the strip melts, power to the entire circuit is interrupted. Thus, though it may be annoying to have to change a blown fuse, a blown fuse is actually a sign that your building’s electrical current is protected. In the same way, fuses protect against fires in your buildings by interrupting overloaded circuits before they can get out of hand and ignite a fire.
Fuses are similar to circuit breakers in that both devices interrupt power to the circuit when the electrical current’s flow is too great. Circuit breakers, however, are more complex devices than are fuses; fuses simply have a melting strip of metal. The advantage to circuit breakers, however, is that you can reset them. When a fuse blows (also known as “tripping”), you have to replace it with a new fuse.
Fortunately, fuses are relatively inexpensive. You can purchase fuses at electrical stores, hardware stores, and general retailers for less than a dollar per fuse. Complicated or specialized fuses will cost somewhat more, but they too are fairly common, so they will be relatively inexpensive.
Related Fuses Articles