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[email protected] meow2222@care2.com is offline
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Default Are 3A plug fuses really necessary? Why not always 13A?

On Thursday, November 8, 2012 11:28:43 PM UTC, Jules Richardson wrote:
On Wed, 07 Nov 2012 23:43:36 -0800, harry wrote:
I think the 13a plug is the only one in the world with a fuse.

Fused plugs do exist here in the US, most often seen on Christmas tree
lights (the ones that are made here, rather than the China-built death
traps) - they have a little trapdoor in them for fuse access (US plugs
are tiny in comparison the the UK's chunk-o-rama ones :-) and a pair of
fuses that are around 10mm in length.
cheers
Jules


Fusing on the neutral pole was banned here eons ago. A blown neutral fuse causes a faulty appliance to look dead, but be live.

A 10mm long fuse must have too low a breaking capacity to cope with more current than the breaker would act on. With the US fixed wiring system's lowish current breakers this shouldn't be a problem though.


NT