October 2012
Beginner
294 pages
12h 41m
English
A fuse protects an electrical circuit or device from excessive current when a metal element inside it melts to create an open circuit. With the exception of resettable fuses (discussed separately in Resettable Fuses), a fuse must be discarded and replaced after it has fulfilled its function.
When high current melts a fuse, it is said to blow or trip the fuse. (In the case of a resettable fuse, only the word trip is used.)
A fuse can work with either AC or DC voltage, and can be designed for almost any current. In residential and commercial buildings, circuit breakers have become common, but a large cartridge fuse may still ...