A fuse is a device that prevents any electrical appliances from the house from malfunctioning, overloading (high voltage) damages. Fuse has a security-importance role in every electrical circuit.

What is a Fuse? 

A fuse is an electrical device that protects the electrical circuit or the electric current from any kind of electrical losses, as like over load, executive current. If, we do not use the fuse, a short circuit of the wiring can spoil the house and cause a fire to the house. However, fuse was invented In 1890, by Thomas Alva Edison. There are so many types of fuses and various fuses are used according to different needs.

How Does the Fuse Work? Function of Fuse

  The fuse is made of a non-burning material and has a low resistance is an iron leaf that when a large amount of current passes through it, that leaf exactly melts due to which the fuse gets spoiled, & the excess current cannot reach further & the material gets spoiled. Otherwise, the fuse is made of copper, aluminum, zinc,  silver and other alloys. It can be easily replaced and re-inserted. The fuse also acts as a circuit breaker when the power drops drastically, So, it breaks the circuit there.

  The fuse not only acts as a safety protector, it also protects people from electrical hazards.

 Functions of Fuse

 Types of Fuse

●DC type fuse

    ●AC type fuse

1)DC type fuse

 The current in the DC circuit is very high & the current flowing in it flows continuously because of it is the direct current.

  The value of DC current is always above 0 volts and sometimes an electric arc comes in between wires due to excessive power supply coming out & it is very difficult to remove this arc to avoid this arc. Generally, we use DC fuse which is placed at a greater distance according to AC fuses, due to which the chances of arc coming are reduced and the DC fuses which are larger.

2)AC types fuse

  In AC current, we know that it oscillates 50 to 60 times every second from 0 voltage to its maximum voltage, due to which the chances of arc forming are very low into the fuse of AC type, so, it has small size. Let's look at fuses, the AC fuses are further divided into two parts.

 LV (Low voltage fuses)

 HV (High voltage fuses)

LV (low voltage fuses)

Low voltage fuses are called that which is below 1000V. Low voltage fuse (LV) is divided into five different parts such as re-wirable fuses, drop out, striker, switch fuses, cartridge, etc.

●Re-wirable fuse: - Re-wirable fuse is applied to small things such as household wiring, small industries and small current moving goods. The type of this fuse is easy to remove without any electrical shock.

●Drop out: - These fuses are used to protect transformers outside the house.

●Striker: - This type of fuse is generally used for tripping (unloading) and for closing the circuit.

●Switch fuses: - Mostly used for low and medium voltage levels.

●Cartridge: - This fuse is made by mixing the cartridge, fuse base, cap and adapter ring and has a fuse cap on top of the fuse base which is fitted with the fuse element as well as attached by the cartridge adapter ring. The electric circuit is completed, when the cartridge makes light contact with the conductor.

 Low Voltage Fuses

 HV (high voltage fuse) - 

High voltage fuse is called that, in which voltage is more than 1000v. It is used to protect small transformers, and instrument transformers. It is always made of silver, copper, tin etc. material.

There are three types of (HV): -

 Cartridge typed HRC fuse,

 Liquid types HRC fuse,

 Expulsion typed HV fuse

●Cartridge type: -

  HRC type fuses are cut in helix form, which carry the effect of corona at the upper voltage. It consists of two fuse parallels, one is of low resistance and the other of high resistance which is fuse of low resistance ejects the normal current and prevents short circuit from happening.

●Liquid typed HRC fuse:-

 This type of fuse contains carbon tetra chloride and both ends are covered with the cap. When there is any kind of disturbance in the flowing current, that is above its limit, then the element in it comes out. The filled fluid arc acts as an extinguisher to protect the transformers and used to support and to break the circuit.

●Expulsion types HV fuse:-

  This type of fuse is mostly used to secure feeders and transformers, because of it is cheaper & its capacity is 11V. These fuses are cylindrical design.