Breakers vs Fuses

Circuit Breaker or Fuse: Which to use
https://www.rspsupply.com/c-670-breakers-fuses.aspx

In today’s video we are going to look at a few of the most commonly used electrical devices found in almost all of the electrical circuits we see everyday. I am talking about fuses and circuit breakers. However, instead of just talking about each of these devices individually, i want to discuss why you might use one device over the other, and in what applications does it make senses to use one or the other. If you haven't already seen our other videos talking about circuit breakers and fuses, we will link those video’s in the description below. To better understand the differences, let’s first look at each device more closely so we can better understand them.

Let’s start with fuses. https://www.rspsupply.com/c-1501-fuses.aspx
A fuse is a safety device that is intended to provide protection to both equipment and people in the event of a power surge or an overcurrent situation. A fuse can provide this protection by using a small piece of wire that is sacrificial, and is intended to burn up when too much current is passed through it. When this happens, it fuse eliminates the flow of electricity in that circuit, until it is replaced. The size and type of wire that is used in the fuse will dictate how much current can pass through that individual fuse, which allows for many different variations of fuses to be used. So the main thing to remember is, when a fuse blows, it must be replaced and cannot be reused.

Now let’s talk about circuit breakers. https://www.rspsupply.com/c-1492-circuit-breakers.aspx
Unlike fuses, circuit breakers are intended to be reused after each time it is “tripped”, or when a power surge or an overcurrent event happens. Much like fuses, circuit breakers are designed to trip at a certain current level. This is intended to protect both equipment, and anyone in the area of that particular circuit. Circuit breakers can be found in just about any variation you can imagine, from single phase, low current applications, to three phase, and incredibly high current applications. This reusability and amount of variations they can be found in make them a great option for many different applications.

So how do I know which device is best for my particular application? There a a few main differences that you should look at when deciding what device will best fit your particular needs. First and foremost, let’s talk about the speed at which the circuit can be interrupted. Both circuit breakers and fuses can interrupt the flow of electricity very quickly, however… fuses are faster at performing this function.

So when it is critical to interrupt power in the event of a surge or overcurrent event very quickly, it more common to see fuses being used in these scenarios. In some cases, fuses may even be required by code because of their quick interrupting nature.

A downside of using fuses are the fact that they need to be replaced each time they are used. This can be very expensive, especially in higher current applications or where specialty fuses are needed. Another disadvantage of using a fuse is that the electrical connection points are often exposed and create a safety hazard. By using a circuit breaker, you eliminate the need to replace the unit each time a surge occurs. This is because the circuit breaker functions very differently.

Instead of burning a piece of sacrificial wire like a fuse, it interrupts current by disconnecting electrical contacts. When the circuit breaker is “reset”, those contacts will once again become connected, allowing for current to pass through the circuit until another surge or overcurrent event is seen.

Some circuit breakers are specifically designed to protect multiple circuits at one time, which makes them a common choice for households and commercial buildings. These “branch circuit” protectors are designed for this purpose alone, and offer great convenience and operational safety in these situations. On the other hand, fuses are more commonly used for protection on individual devices, because of the cost savings and simplistic functionality they can offer.

So depending on the application you may encounter, will largely dictate which device will better suit your specific needs.. But as a general rule: fuses are more simplistic and reliable, they cost less initially and are better suited for individual circuit protection, but... can create more cost over time with each use, and can create hazards due to the exposed connection points. Where as circuit breakers offer better branch circuit protection and do not need to be replaced after each use, they are however more expensive initially and because of their complexity... are more prone to failure over time.

Видео Breakers vs Fuses канала RSP Supply