Fuses


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Fuses are one of the most important and most confusing parts of an electrical system. Designed by Thomas Edison himself, fuses have been an essential cornerstone of electricity since it was first harnessed. In this guide we will go over a variety of aspects of fuses including the following: what they are, what types there are, and how to pick the right one.

What are Fuses?

In most basic electrical systems there will be a power supply connected to some form of load. This can range from solar panels charging a charger controller/battery to your lights getting power from your house battery. This makes perfect since. If a 12V(volt) light requires 1amp of power, then a fully charged 100ah(amp hour) 12V battery should have no trouble powering the light. But what happens if there is a surge of power between the battery and the light? It could fry the light and, in a worse case scenario, cause the wiring between the two to overheat and burn.

Power surges happen relatively often, but what prevents every light, phone, and blender from breaking down? FUSES! Fuses are electrical components made up of two parts: a highly conductive metallic fuse element and a non-conductive, insulated housing element. This device has two terminals that are used to insert it into the wiring between a load and power source. The fuse then has a rating of how many amps it can withstand before breaking. If the power running between the load and power source exceeds the rating, the fuse will snap and cut the connection. This immediately protects the (potentially expensive) load and keeps the wires from overheating.

What Types of Fuses are There?

Inline Fuses

These fuses are exactly what you think they are. They are installed directly in the wire between

Inline Fuse Holder

These inline fuse holders are pieces of wire with a fuse holder inline. They hold a standard 2 terminal automotive fuse and can be used to wire a product to a power source and protect it with a fuse. They are durable, easy to use, and work great!