Fuse Ratings

You can determine fuse ratings by looking at the physical size and type. But you must know other things to use it properly. These types are determined by current, voltage, and time-delay characteristics to aid in their proper use. To select the proper type, you must understand the meaning of each of the fuse ratings .

CURRENT RATING

Ratings for current are value expressed in amperes that represents the current the fuse will allow without opening. The current rating is always indicated on the body of the device.

To select the proper fuse, you must know the normal operating current of the circuit. If you wish to protect the circuit from overloads (excessive current), select a fuse rated at 125 percent of the normal circuit current. In other words, if a circuit has a normal current of 10 amperes, a 12.5-ampere fuse will provide overload protection.

If you wish to protect against direct shorts only, select a fuse rated at 150 percent of the normal circuit current. In the case of a circuit with 10 amperes of current, a 15 ampere fuse will protect against direct shorts, but will not be adequate protection against excessive current.

VOLTAGE RATING

Fuse ratings for voltage is NOT an indication of the voltage the fuse is designed to withstand while carrying current. The voltage rating indicates the ability of the fuse to quickly extinguish the arc after the fuse element melts and the maximum voltage the open fuse will block.

In other words, once the fuse has opened, any voltage less than the voltage rating of the fuse will not be able to "jump" the gap of the fuse. Because of the way the voltage rating is used, it is a maximum rms voltage value. You must always select a fuse with a voltage rating equal to or higher than the voltage in the circuit you wish to protect.

TIME DELAY FUSE RATINGS

There are many kinds of electrical and electronic circuits that require protection. In some of these circuits, it is important to protect against temporary or transient current increases. Sometimes the device being protected is very sensitive to current and cannot withstand an increase in current. In these cases, a fuse must open very quickly if the current increases.

Some other circuits and devices have a large current for short periods and a normal (smaller) current most of the time. An electric motor, for instance, will draw a large current when the motor starts, but normal operating current for the motor will be much smaller. A fuse used to protect a motor would have to allow for this large temporary current, but would open if the large current were to continue.

Fuses are time delay rated to indicate the relationship between the current through the fuse and the time it takes for the fuse to open. The three time delay ratings are delay, standard, and fast Delay.

A delay, or slow-blowing, fuse has a built-in delay that is activated when the current through the fuse is greater than the current rating of the fuse. This fuse will allow temporary increases in current (surge) without opening. Some delay fuses have two elements; this allows a very long time delay. If the over- current condition continues, a delay fuse will open, but it will take longer to open than a standard or a fast fuse.

Delay fuses are used for circuits with high surge or starting currents, such as motors, solenoids, and transformers.

Fuse ratings for standard fuses do not provide for built-in time delay. Also, they are not designed to be very fast acting. Standard fuses are sometimes used to protect against direct shorts only. They may be wired in series with a delay fuse to provide faster direct short protection. For example, in a circuit with a 1-ampere delay fuse, a 5-ampere standard fuse may be used in addition to the delay fuse to provide faster protection against a direct short.

A standard fuse can be used in any circuit where surge currents are not expected and a very fast opening of the fuse is not needed.

A standard fuse opens faster than a delay fuse, but slower than a fast rated fuse. Standard fuses can be used for automobiles, lighting circuits, or electrical power circuits.

Fuse Ratings for Fast Types

Fast fuses are designed to open very quickly when the current through the fuse exceeds the current rating of the fuse. Fast fuses are used to protect devices that are very sensitive to increased current. A fast fuse will open faster than a delay or standard fuse.

Fast fuses can be used to protect delicate instruments or semiconductor devices.

The figure below will help you understand the differences between delay, standard, and fast fuses. The picture below shows that, if a 1-ampere rated fuse had 2 amperes of current through it, (200% of the rated value), a fast fuse would open in about .7 second, a standard rated fuse would open in about 1.5 seconds, and a delay rated fuse would open in about 10 seconds. Notice that in each of the fuses, the time required to open the fuse decreases as the rated current increases.

Time required for fuse to open.

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