Where is the fuse in a plug?

Answer 1

All types of fuse work in exactly the same way. A fuse is an overcurrent protection device which protects a circuit against overload currents or short-circuit currents.

Overloads are caused when too high a load is connected, causing the supply conductor to carry more current than it is designed to carry. If this is allowed to continue, it may cause the conductor to overheat and represent a fire hazard.

Short-circuits occur when the line conductor accidentally comes into direct contact with either the neutral conductor or the earth (ground), causing a very high overcurrent to flow.

A fuse contains a metal strip, called an fuse element, which is designed to melt and disconnect the circuit in the event of an overcurrent. The higher the overcurrent, the faster the fuse will act to disconnect the circuit.

Fuses are graded in such a way that the fuse closest to the fault should operate first. For example, the fuse protecting a residential lighting circuit should operate faster than the fuse protecting the consumer unit.

Answer 2

An electric socket / plug pair are connectors. In their most basic forms (no GFI, indicators, etc.) they are entirely passive (they use no electricity themselves). They form a good electrical connection that is easily breakable by the user.

Answer 3

there's no fuse in a plug that I know of......you might be thinking of GFCI

Answer

All UK plugs are fused. The fuse size is chosen based on the equipment that the plug supplies, up to a maximum of 13 A. This is because British 'power circuits' are ring-mains, not'radial circuits' as they use in North America, so any equipment plugged into the ring main must be individually fused at their plug. The fuse is accessible by removing the plug, and rotating it so the pins face you. The fuse is located behind a small, rectangular, plate that must be removed to access the fuse. On older plugs, the plug must be dismantled in order to access and change the fuse -a quick and easy job, as it is held together by a single screw.

Answer 4

Fuses in plugs, are used to protect the cable and device that they power.

If a major short circuit occurs in the cable or equipment, the excess current would cause the cable to catch fire.

The fuse in the plug would blow instead, thus preventing a fire.

Devices that only draw small amounts of current, can normally be operated quite safely with small, light, thin wire. This is fine until a fault occurs which shorts out the wire and the current drawn is enough to set the thin wire alight.

The house wiring is thicker and can stand larger currents up to the protection amperage of their own breaker, or fuse.

The small wire would set fire before the main fuse could blow. So by protecting the thinner wire with a small fuse in the plug, only the plug fuse will blow. This also helps indicate where the fault is.

A mains circuit fuse could have any number of devices on it.

Answer 5

limits the amps running thru it and helps save the wire line by not over loading wire line.

Answer 6

never seen fused plug, but got to be for overload protection