Fuses in Electrical Appliances

One aspect of electrical appliances that tends to cause a lot of confusion is the question "What fuse should this appliance have?" In this article, we look at fuses in detail and give guidelines on how to work out the correct fuse for the appliance.

Fuses in Electrical Appliances

Fuses in Electrical Appliances

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Fuses in Electrical Appliances

Fuses in Electrical Appliances

What are fuses?

A fuse is an electrical component that is designed to prevent the flow of current that is higher than the value of the fuse. Eg a 3A fuse will "blow" if the current through it exceeds 3A.

Fuses are used in circuits to prevent excessive currents flowing under fault conditions and causing a fire. All mains Plugs used in the UK are fitted with 3A, 5A or 13A fuses. The primary purpose of the fuse is to protect the mains cable and prevent it melting and/or catching fire under fault conditions.

The value of fuse used is based on the power of the appliance. A higher powered appliance, such as an electric heater will take more current and will typically require a 13A fuse along with a cable that can carry this level of current.

Fuses are colour coded for easy identification as shown below.

3A - Red
5A - Black
13A - Brown

Fuses in moulded mains Plugs

As these Plugs are moulded to the cable the fuse in these can be fixed by the manufacturer. They know what the maximum current that the cable can carry and the fuse is selected to protect the cable and "blow" if the current exceeds the capacity of the cable.

The value of the fuse that is fitted inside the moulded plug is marked on the outside. This makes the Job of checking the fuse in a moulded plug very easy. Just lever out the fuse and check that the value is the same as that marked on the plug.

Fuses in rewireable mains plugs

These are plugs which the user can wire. These plugs can handle a maximum of 13A of current and are marked as such. Many people assume that this means a 13A fuse should be used in this appliance which is a mistake.

The fuse used in rewireable mains plug is sometimes marked on a paper label fixed to the plug or is referred to in the user manual. But in many cases, the person inspecting the appliance has to work out the value of the correct fuse.

First of all one needs to find out what the power consumption of the appliance is. This is usually indicated in Watts on the rating plate.

Example 1

An iron is fitted with a 13A fuse and the power consumption of the appliance is 1900W. As this is greater than 700W, this is the correct fuse for the appliance.

If the cable on this iron is being changed, then it is important to replace it with an identical type, capable of carrying 13A.

Example 2

The advice on the rating plate of this lamp says that the maximum lamp that can be fitted is a 40W one. The plug is fitted with a 13A fuse.

As the power rating is so low, we can quickly see that the fuse is too high and has to be changed to a 3A one.

Example 3

This sandwich toaster has a plug fitted with a 13A fuse and according to its rating plate has a power consumption of 700W. As this is right on the decision threshold, what should we do?

In general, heating appliances are fitted with a 13A fuse. If in doubt, check the cable used for this sandwich toaster. If it is capable of taking 13A, then a 13A fuse is the correct choice.

What is the relationship between Watts and the fuse rating?

There is a simple calculation to determine this. Just divide the Power (in Watts) by 230V (mains volTAGe in the UK) to work out the current (in Amps) taken by an appliance.

In Example 1 above, this would be 1900W/230V which gives us a current of 8.3A. One can see that a 3A or a 5A fuse would blow constantly if used in the plug for this iron leading us to choose a 13A fuse.

This is how we get to our 700W decision threshold. An appliance with 700W power consumption takes a current of 700W/230V which is 3A. Below this we can use a 3A fuse and above this we use a 13A one.

Example 4

A travel kettle for use around the world on either 110V or 230V has a 13A fuse fitted and is rated at 600W. The cable used is capable of taking 13A and the kettle has a switch to select 110V or 230V operation. Should we change the fuse to 3A as this is below our 700W threshold?

If we use the calculation above, we can see that the current taken by the kettle is only 2.6A (600W/230V). So a 3A fuse should be acceptable.

However, when the kettle is used, say in the US, the switch would be set to the 110V position. When the kettle is in use, it will take 5.5A (600W/110V). So a 3A fuse would keep blowing.

On this travel kettle, as it is designed for 230V/110V use and has a 13A cable fitted, the use of a 13A fuse is the correct choice.

Example 5

This drill has a power rating of 570W but is fitted with a 5A fuse. Using our calculation it only takes a current of 2.5A (570W/230V). Why is it not fitted with a 3A fuse?

Some appliances, like drills take a surge of current when switched on, which can exceed it's normal operating current of 2.5A. If a 3A fuse is fitted, one would find that this would frequently blow in operation.

In this case, the 5A fuse that is fitted is the correct choice. Remember: If the fuse fitted is 3A or 5A do not change it.

Fuse Labels

Once a plug has been checked for the correct value of fuse, it is good practice to "seal" the plug. If on future inspection this seal is intact, then this is a good indication that no one has tampered with the wiring or changed the fuse.

How can you tell if a cable can take 13A?

The size of a cable is indicative of its current carrying capacity. So the easiest way to check a cable's current rating is to check its diaMeter. If the outer diaMeter of a cable is around 7.5mm or more then it is very likely to be rated for at least 13A. Each conductor also has 40 wires in it.

Remember: If the fuse fitted is 3A or 5A do not change it just because the cable rating is 13A. Only check the cable rating is correct if the fuse is 13A.

Fuses in Electrical Appliances

Reviews of Top Three Stun Guns

Personal security has become a matter of great concern in the present scenario where the crime rates have gone up at an alarming rate all over the world. With people living alone and working in places far away from home, self- defense is a matter one has to take very seriously.

Reviews of Top Three Stun Guns

Reviews of Top Three Stun Guns

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Reviews of Top Three Stun Guns

Reviews of Top Three Stun Guns

EquipMents like stun guns and pepper sprays have come into the scene due to the personal security requireMent.

A stun gun is a tool for self- defense that temporarily disables the attacker. A shock of a low ampere but high volTAGe is passed on to the attacker when the victim uses the stun gun , this in turn, results in disrupting the communication from the brain of the attacker to the rest of the body causing some confusion, weakness and disorientation. The attacker is "stunned" and so the name "stun gun". The attacker is disabled temporarily providing enough time for the victim to run and escape from there. The stun gun must be continuously used for sometime to stun the attacker (this depends on the power of the gun and the size of the person). The stun gun also makes a loud sound catching the attention of anybody who is nearby and help maybe at hand soon in some form, if one is lucky.

A stun baton is superior to a stun gun in that it is more powerful and therefore a stun baton may have an effect Faster and could be more intense. Also, the range of a stun baton is greater than that of a stun gun.

Stun guns can be categorized into three main types depending on the volTAGe and their other characteristics.

o Static gun. This stun gun works on static charge and the power of the gun ranges from 80000- 625000 volts using 9-20 watts.

o The Phase Induction Gun. It provides the current through phase induction. The power of the stun gun ranges from 100000 to 625000 volts using 7 to 15 watts. The Talon brand manufactures the phase induction gun and is found to be very effective.

o Electro Muscular Disruption. The Taser brand manufactures this type of stun guns. The use of the gun temporarily paralyses the muscles. The stun gun can be used from a distance of upto 21 ft. There are many different models available of the same.

There are many stun guns that do not look like a gun at all and therefore, cannot be easily identified by an attacker taking him by surprise.

One must ensure that the battery of the stun gun is fully charged or else you may be taken by surprise in case of any attack. The stun guns and pepper sprays are good tools for personal defense. There are but different rules in different countries regarding the use of stun guns and pepper sprays and awareness about the law of the country is necessary before purchase of any of these for personal security.

Reviews of Top Three Stun Guns

10 Ways to Cook Bass From Your Fishing Trip

BAKED BASS

10 Ways to Cook Bass From Your Fishing Trip

10 Ways to Cook Bass From Your Fishing Trip

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10 Ways to Cook Bass From Your Fishing Trip

10 Ways to Cook Bass From Your Fishing Trip

Split the Fish and stuff with seasoned mashed potatoes. Put a little
boiling water and a tablespoonful of butter into the baking-pan,
and baste frequently while Cooking.

BAKED BASS WITH WHITE WINE

Put a bass into a baking-dish with salt, pepper and mushroom liquor
to season, and enough white wine to moisten. Cover with buttered
paper and bake for fifteen minutes.
Melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add three tablespoonfuls of flour, and cook thoroughly.
Add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring
constantly.
Take from the fire and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with a little cold water,
and the juice of half a lemon. Add a tablespoonful of butter and
the juice in the baking-pan. Pour over the bass and serve.

BAKED BASS À LA MANHATTAN

Butter a baking-dish, put in the cleansed Fish, rub with melted
butter, season with salt and pepper, and cover with thin slices
of bacon and bread crumbs. Add a little boiling water and bake
in a very hot oven, basting as required.

BAKED FILLETS OF BASS

Cut bass into small fillets, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put
into a shallow pan, cover with buttered paper and bake for twelve
minutes in a hot oven. Serve with a border of boiled rice and
Hollandaise Sauce.

STUFFED SEA-BASS

Clean the fish and cover it with a marinade of olive-oil and vinegar.
Soak for an hour. Fill the fish with chopped salt Pork and mushrooms.
Put into a baking-pan with slices of salt Pork underneath and on
top, and sufficient boiling water. Bake for forty minutes.
Cover with slices of tomatoes and half of a sweet green pepper chopped
fine.
Dot with butter and bake for twenty minutes more.
Take up the fish and rub the sauce through a colander. Stir in a tablespoonful
of butter rolled in flour, add one teaspoonful of sugar and two
teaspoonfuls of grated onion. Dilute with boiling
water if too thick, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve.

BOILED SEA-BASS WITH EGG SAUCE

Clean the fish, put it into warm salted water and simmer for twenty
minutes..
Melt one tablespoonful of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and cook
thoroughly. Add two cupfuls of the water in which the fish was
boiled, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Season with salt,
pepper, minced parsley, and lemon-juice; add three hard-boiled eggs
coarsely chopped, pour over the fish, and serve.

BROILED BASS

Clean the fish, split it, and cut each half into two or three pieces.
Dip in oil or melted butter, sprinkle with flour, and broil carefully.

BASS STEWED WITH TOMATOES

Clean the fish, remove the bones and cut
into square pieces. Fry two sliced onions in olive-oil. Lay the
fish upon it, season with salt and pepper and pour over a can of
tomatoes which have been rubbed through a sieve. Season with salt
and pepper, cover closely, and cook for an hour. Serve in the same
dish.

BREADED FILLET OF BASS

Clean the fish and cut into convenient pieces. Season with salt
and pepper, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep
fat. Serve very hot with Tartar Sauce.

FRIED SEA-BASS WITH TARTAR SAUCE

Clean and wipe small sea-bass, score the sides deeply, dip in milk,
roll in flour, fry in deep fat, drain, sprinkle with salt, and
garnish with quartered lemons and fried parsley. Serve with Tartar
Sauce.

STRIPED BASS À L'AMERICAINE

Cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a
pint of oysters, with their liquor, and the yolks of two eggs,
well beaten. Cook until thick, stirring constantly. Prepare and
trim a striped bass, fill with the oyster mixture, season, and
sew up. Put into a fish-kettle with enough white wine and water,
in equal parts, to cover. Add a sliced onion, a bunch of parsley,
a little salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of butter. Simmer for
an hour and drain. Strain the gravy and skim off the fat.
Cook together two tablespoonfuls of flour and one of butter, add the
strained liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Take from
the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with four tablespoonfuls
of melted butter, the juice of a lemon, and a tablespoonful of
minced parsley. Bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve.
Garnish with fried oysters.

Hope you enjoy!

10 Ways to Cook Bass From Your Fishing Trip