How should a fuse or circuit breaker be used?

Answer 1

Yes there should be an in-line fuse. If there is not an in-line fuse and there is a voltage spike in the vehicle the fuse will pop and disable the circuit where as if there was no fuse the accessory or mechanism could be destroyed.

As above suggests, the fuse must be put in series. If it is in parallel, the fuse should blow immediately on completing the circuit, because it is effectively a short, which will cause large current flow into the fuse until it blows. Never, never, never put a fuse in parallel with whatever you want to protect - that defeats the point of the fuse.

Answer 2

If you were to connect a fuse or circuit breaker in parallel with a circuit, it would create a short circuit and immediately melt (fuse) or trip (circuit breaker). These devices must be connected in series with the load.

Answer 3

Parallel with regards to electrical circuits means that one or more cables with the same connections run along side each other.
If a fuse in parallel were to break due to a fault conditions the electricity would still have at least one other path available to it to travel to the other side of the fuse... making the fuse useless.
Fuses must be inserted in series with a circuit. This means that there is no bypass available to the electricity.

If you are in doubt please contact an electrician.

Another AnswerFuses or circuit breakers must always be placed in series with a load, and must always be inserted into the line conductor, neverinto the neutral conductor.

Answer 4

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.

It is not. Fuses, switches or circuit breakers must be in series to the current flow, as they are designed to interrupt the current flow when necessary.

Since these devices offer no resistance under normal conditions (switch closed, fuse intact), installing these in parallel to the load will cause a short circuit.

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When you open a fused disconnect it just looks like they are in parallel. It is the physical positioning of each leg of the incoming supply. Each fuse is in series with the corresponding leg of which there are two for 120/240 volt installation. Visualize the supply coming into the top of the switch and leaving the bottom of the switch.

Breakers are restricted to the same condition. Because of the bus bar construction in distribution panels physically the bars alternate down the length of the panel. Starting at the top, they alternate L1, L2, L1, L2 all the way down.

With this configuration two pole breakers can be installed to get the required 240 volts which is obtained across L1 and L2. Single pole breakers are used from L1 or L2 to neutral for 120 volts.

Answer 5

No and never because it bypasses the device which you want to protect.

Remember one thing my brother, electric current always takes easy path (lowest resistance path ).

Answer 6

No it should be in series.

Answer 7

to protect the circuit