Why would a fuse explode?

The fuse “blows” when the current carried exceeds the rated value for an excessive time. The higher the overload the shorter the period before the fuse blows. So, equipment which is meant to “draw” 10 amps but which has a short from phase to ground, so it draws, say, 100 amps, will blow its fuse in milliseconds.

Does fuse protect from High Voltage?

To protect a high-voltage circuit, you need a properly rated fuse. A fuse is simple in concept: Current flows through a thin metal wire, and when that current gets too high, the metal heats and melts, breaking the circuit. Due to the requirement of melting metal, a fuse is temperature-dependent.

What is high voltage fuse?

The liquid type HV HRC fuse is mostly used in the high voltage circuit. It is used for the transformer protection or for the circuit having a rating higher than 400A. Such type of fuse is used as the backup protector of the circuit breaker. The HRC fuses increase the short circuit capacity of the circuit breaker.

Can a fuse explode?

Most people blow fuses by mistake when they run too much electrical current through an appliance or home circuit. Proceed with caution, as some fuses can explode when they are blown.

Why do short circuits explode?

A short circuit is an abnormal connection between two nodes of an electric circuit intended to be at different voltages. This results in an electric current limited only by the Thévenin equivalent resistance of the rest of the network which can cause circuit damage, overheating, fire or explosion.

Can a short circuit cause an explosion?

An electrical explosion is the sudden release of energy due to a short circuit between power phases or a phase to ground. Far more serious electrical explosions occur when a short circuit causes the collapse of the magnetic field in the transformer feeding the building.

How do high voltage fuses work?

High voltage expulsion fuses surround the fusible link with gas-evolving substances, such as boric acid. When the fuse blows, heat from the arc causes the boric acid to evolve large volumes of gases. The associated high pressure (often greater than 100 atmospheres) and cooling gases rapidly quench the resulting arc.

Can a fuse stop lightning?

Electric fuses operate on this principle. However, when there is too much current resulting from lightning, the wire in the fuse heats up and melts. This stops electricity from flowing into the appliance and protects it from any damage.

What are high voltage fuses made of?

The fuse element in High Voltage (HV) Fuses are made up of either Silver or Copper (sometimes even Tin is used), in order to provide reliable and stable performance. In Expulsion type High Voltage (HV) Fuses, the Fuse Link Chamber is filled with Boric Acid.

Can an electrical short cause an explosion?

The short circuit can cause more serious damage because of the instantaneous dissipation of energy, being one of the main causes of fires in electrical installations. The reactions caused by the short circuit may be: Explosion in the electric grid.

Why do electrical shorts happen?

Short circuits can occur when insulation on wires melts and exposes bare wires. Short circuits can also occur within the wiring of individual devices, such as lamps or other plug-in appliances. Frayed or otherwise damaged electrical extension cords or appliance cords can also cause short circuits.

What causes a fuse to blow in a circuit?

As mentioned in the other answers, the fuse blows due to too much current flowing. After the fuse has blown the circuit becomes open so a voltage develops across the fuse (usually the supply voltage like mains voltage or the battery voltage). The fuse must be able to withstand that voltage and keep the circuit open.

Can you use a low voltage fuse on a high voltage circuit?

However you cannot use a low voltage fuse in high voltage applications : it will still blow at (strictly, slightly above) its rated current, but may sustain an arc that a HV fuse would extinguish. So if a fuse is rated for 12V DC and 20 Amps, this would be equal to 240 Watts.

What happens when current passes through a fuse?

When current passes through a fuse, the fuse gets heated up due to the non zero resistance. More current means more heating. If the current and duration is enough to raise the temperature of the fuse above its melting point, the fuse will melt (blow).

What is the purpose of a fuse?

The purpose of a fuse is to protect equipment and wiring against the damaging effects of electrical faults which cause excess currents, and to disable equipment which is faulty. The fuse “blows” when the current carried exceeds the rated value for an excessive time. The higher the overload the shorter the period before the fuse blows.