At the Heart of Electrical Systems, Fuses Keep Operations Live

All electrical systems eventually experience overcurrents. Unless removed in time, even moderate overcurrents will quickly overheat system components and damage the insulation, conductors and equipment. Large overcurrents can melt conductors, burn insulation, and produce magnetic forces capable of bending and twisting bus bars. High currents can pull cables from their terminals and crack insulators and spacers.

The fires, explosions, and poisonous fumes caused by an uncontrolled overcurrent can injure and kill personnel. These injuries and deaths are easily avoidable with sufficient overcurrent protection. Electrical codes and other applicable design and installation standards help avoid these hazards with requirements for overcurrent protection.

This paper will go over everything you need to know to understand which fuse is best for your application. The paper provides an in-depth discussion of:

• overcurrents and what makes good overcurrent protection,
• fuse characteristics and features,
• fast-acting fuses, high-speed fuses, and time-delay fuses,
• fuse block selection considerations,
• time-current curves and peak let-through charts, along with a working example of how to use the “up-over-and-down” method,
• selective coordination, and
  
• UL and CSA fuse classes.

To download the paper, press the button below.