6 Jun
2010
6 Jun
'10
12:06 p.m.
On 5 Jun 2010 at 23:59, Phill Harvey-Smith wrote:
Some consumer units (the main fusebox next to the electricity meter) do
use catridge fuses, and in that case, they are of different sizes so you
can't put a 30A funs in a 5a holder (actually, I think the 15A and20A
cartridges are the same size, but putting a 20A fuse in a 15A circuit is
not _that_ dangerous).
But the fuse we are taliking aobut in this thread is a cartridge fuse
inside every mains plug. The plug is rated at 13A, it contains a holder
in series with the live pin that takes a fuse. This fuse is a standard
size (IIRC, 1" long, 1/4" in diameter). You thus only have to buy one
type of plug, and are suppsoed to fit the fuse approperate to the load.
If I had a quid for every time I have seen
something that really only
needed a 1A fuse fitted with a 13A, I'd be very weathy by now :)
So, why didn't the UK go for a solution where fuses of different
ratings were of a different physical size? That would make it
impossible to use the wrong-sized fuse.
In any case, it's probably safer than a penny under a (Edison-base)
fuse...
Err, yes.. .Wrapping blown cartridge fuses in aluminium foil is a common,
dangerous, trick over here. Don't do it.
-tony