Fuses and Switches

What is fuse
A fuse (from the French fuse means fusible, Italian
fuso, means molten) is a type of low resistance resistor
that acts as a sacrificial device to provide overcurrent
protection, of either the load or source circuit.
Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that
melts when too much current flows through it,
interrupting the circuit that it connects.
Short circuits, overloading, mismatched loads, or device
failure are the prime reasons for excessive current.
Fuses are an alternative to circuit breakers.

History
In 1847, Breguet recommended use of reducedsection conductors to protect telegraph stations
from lightning strikes; by melting, the smaller
wires would protect apparatus and wiring inside
the building.
A fuse was patented by Thomas Edison in 1890 as
part of his electric distribution system.

Material used
Tin, lead, silver, zinc, aluminium,
copper
For small values of current: Lead 37%
+ Tin 63%
Silver is good no oxidation and its
oxide is unstable; but expensive.

Definitions

 Slow blow fuses - designed to allow harmless

short term currents over their rating while still
interrupting a sustained overload.
Self resetting fuses - useful in environments
where a human replacing a blown fuse would be
difficult or impossible, for example in aerospace
or nuclear applications

Introduction

Fuse as a Weak link

Construction

Element operation

Current limiting effect

Fuse rating

Voltage rating
Current rating
Interrupting rating
Watts loss

Fuse characteristics
Time-current curves
Cut off curves
Isquared*t values

The time and current operating

characteristics of fuses are chosen to
provide adequate protection without
needless interruption.

Time current curves

 Time required to blow out the fuse depens upon

the magnitude of excessive current.
Greater the current, smaller the time taken to
blow out the fuse. So, inverse time-current
characteristics

I2t (Ampere squaredseconds) characteristics

Cut off current

characteristics

Fuse discrimination

Fuses

Advantages

Disadvantages

Desirable Characteristics of
Fuse Element

Fuse Element Materials

Important Terms

Types of Fuses
Low Voltage Fuses
High Voltage Fuses

High-Rupturing Capacity
(HRC) Fuse

Properties of HRC Fuses

Fast Operation
Rupturing Capacity
Non-Deterioration
Low-Temperature Operation
Arc Voltage within Safe Limits
Low Cost

Current Carrying Capacity of

Fuse Element

Difference Between Fuse

& Circuit Breaker

Isolating Switches

Types of Isolators
Horizontal Central Rotating Double
Break Isolator
Vertical Break Isolator
Pantograph Isolator

Horizontal Central
Rotating Double Break
Isolator

Vertical Break Isolator

Pantograph Isolator

Applications of Isolating
Switches