WHAT SIZE FUSE SHOULD I FIT IN MY PLUG TOP FOR SAFETY AND RELIABILITY?
Learn how to correctly choose a fuse size for a domestic 13 amp plug. Not all appliances need the standard size fuse that comes pre-installed in a 3 pin plug.
Indeed, in many situations nowadays, this is a massively oversized fuse offering only the very worst of plug top protection.
So this video is a simple step by step guide that shows how anyone can easily and confidently determine the size of fuse for just about any domestic appliance using the information to be found on almost all appliances from kettles to bedside lamps, from toasters to computers and so much more.
This is invaluable help for householders, DIY enthusiasts and electricians alike.
We will show you how to read the appliance’s rating plate correctly and then how to quickly determine the size of fuse to use from a standard selection provided.
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Wow! This is very informative, thanks for sharing it with us Dave. It worth it and the best tutorial on the topic for me.
Happy to help. Keep watching, lots more to come.
Exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you!!
You are so welcome and thanks for watching.
Brilliant as ever!
Thank you. Appreciated. Dave.
This was very helpful. I bought some plugs (13A) for my 42w grow lights 🙈but it kept tripping my electric, after watching this video I changed the fuse to a 3A it seems to work. As a daughter of a technician you would think I would know better 😂
Glad its fixed and thanks for watching. Dave.
Well done mate
Thank you Amri, we appreciate your positive comments.
Very helpful. Thanks.
Thanks for your feedback Sanjay, very much appreciated. Dave.
Thank you for this, sorted my washing machine, followed your calculations, oh so simple, and the fuse in there was the wrong one, too low. All sorted, done and dusted in minutes.
That's great news, the videos have done their job. Keep watching, lots more to come.
Thank you!
Thanks for watching Hamad, appreciated.
Wonderful.
Thanks for your support, it means a lot. Dave.
You're helpful
Glad you think so, thank you. Dave.
Very interesting. I have an American made dehydrator. It came with a 10 amp fuse, however when I do your calculation (400w/240v = 1.7 amp) it only requires a 3 amp fuse. I'm l missing sonething....🤔. Thank you for the video it was a great help. 😊
Some suppliers will fit a 10A fuse as standard. If everything they make does not need more than 10A then it makes economic sense to buy 6 million 10A fuses, rather than 2 million of three different sizes. The purchasing power of buying large quantities. My bedside lamps only need 1 amp, but they came with 13A. As an electrician I would refit the correct size as per the calculations.
@@learnelectrics4402 Thank you so much for responding. I followed your calculations & fitted a 3 amp. Thank you for an explanation as to why a 10 amp was fitted, much appreciated 😳
So please explain why as standard my atx pc power supply rated at 450 watt came with an internal quick blow glass fuse rated at 6 amp 250 volt?
See previous answer Colin
Hi, thank you for the video however this has left me with a question. I have recently opened my windows 10 pc switching power supply and found the protection fuse. This was the fast acting glass tube type with a 250v 6.0 amp fitted,however the power supply was rated at 450 watts, So by your video calculation formula this should have been a 3.0 amp fuse ref 450 watts divided by 250 volts =1.8 amps Please can you explain why this 6 amp fuse is fitted as standard by the manufacturer of the power unit?
That's something to ask the manufacturer, They must have their reasons for it, could be surges, could be something else. Without knowing their power requirements we can only guess. Thanks for watching. Dave.
@@learnelectrics4402 thank you for the kind reply
First you cannot determine the current from the power without knowing the power factor. Also is the 450 W input or output power? Also are you now talking about the plug fuse at all? You say you opened the PSU? Why? Also nowhere is voltage 250 V. 250 V is just the maximum the fuse us rared for. Also in many cases the devices work in lower voltages also like 100 V in Japan. At 100 V it could use very close to 6 A. Also does the PSU use more current at startup? There are reasons they chose the size. Nothing in BS1363 covers it.
i have a outdoor floodlight to put up, with out plug, so when i fit the plug, to the 100w led light at 220/240 what fuse, as i did what you explained on here, and came u with 2.4, does this mean i use a 3 amp fuse ?
Yes, go up to 3 amp if your calcs say 2.4A, absolutely right. Glad it helped. Dave.
@LEARN ELECTRICS wouldn't they need a 1 amp fuse instead of a 3 amp fuse? Their light is 100 watts meaning they'd take 100w and divide it by 240v giving them 0.4166666667 amps. Going by your video they'd then round it up to give them a 1 amp fuse option?
I have mixer and power amplifier with both of this equipment have same AC240V 300WATT..So what size of fuse do i fitt.. Is that 300 divide 240??
3 amp fuse would be normal for 300 watt devices. thanks for watching. Dave.
Be certain to use the power input watts. Often an instrument or PA amplifier the Watt's given in the model data refer to the output power. For instance a Marshall 100 Watt Guitar amplifier would output 100 Watts RMS sound power, but would draw only a fraction of that in electrical input power. Read the label or manual.
Hello what will happend if I use this fuse in 12 volt system , the fuse will let the current enter to the load ( 12v load ) ? Or the 12 volt current won’t be able to enter to load ?
The fuse will allow the current if it is below the fuse rating. Thanks for watching. Dave.
I have a single plug 3m extension lead which isn't working. I removed a 5A fuse from the plug, would you not need a 13A fuse in it? Because a lead like this could be plugged into anything.
That's usually the case, yes. Maybe that was the only fuse available and fitted as a "temporary" fix. And then the appliance plug top will have the correctly rated fuse. Good question. Dave.
@@learnelectrics4402 thank you so much for replying and clarifying this. I'll put a 13A fuse in as I need the cable next weekend. You've got me out of a jam !
My pleasure.
Hello, l am noob in electrical. Lately start learning some DIY for home appliances. If a 3amp or 5 amp plug fuse blown is it Okay replace with 13 amp fuse? How to check good or bad fuse with a multi meter.
Absolutely not ok Jimi. Replace with the correct fuse. Check fuses with the continuity range of your meter.
@@learnelectrics4402 oh ya. But l have noted that most my appliances coffee maker， rice cooker , standing fans, TV, Vaccum cleaner DVD are using 13 amps fused plug 🔌.
The video is on what size fuse to fit for safety.
@@learnelectrics4402 thank you so much. l shop for 3 and 5 amp fuse keep spare and replace the fuse accordingly to all appliances for safety protection.
Jimi, have a look at our video in the link below. It will show you how to work out the correct size fuse for any appliance. Good luck and stick with it. Electrics is a good trade, you will always find work. Dave. Power Triangle for Electricians kzhead.info/sun/m8mre7KukKydrHk/bejne.html
Is the purpose of the fuse to protect equipment, say a heater, and the cables connected to it? So if the calculated current is small, eg. 2A, a fuse of 3A would be recommended but you could use a 13A too? As long as the cable used has a current rating of 13A+ right? So then if the current rating was 20A for arguments sake, you couldn't use a fuse of rating below 20A and the cable used for wiring it would have to have a rating of 20A+ right?? Sorry for the long question. Thanks for the video!🙏
I am mainly referring to the use of F.C.U's and the cables connecting the F.C.U to the appliance, not the cable supplying the F.C.U
The fuse is there to protect the cable and prevent fires.. If the equipment draws excess current, then the equipment is probably already damaged.
See below.
If the fuse blows the equipment is likely toast as an equipment just does not start using over current. There may be a fuse inside the equipment to protect it. The fuse is intended to protect the wire and the socket. The socket is rated for 13 A max. Also a thin 0.75 mm² cable could burn if it was protected only by the 32 A breaker. If you use 2 A it is recommended that you use a 3 A fuse but your house does not burn even if you use 13 A. In the continent same devices are protected by 10-16 A breakers. If it shorts the current will be very high. If a device uses 2 A it very unlikely has a cable rated for 13 A.
What happens if you have an 8 watt light at 240 volts, so you'd do 8w divided by 240v giving "0.0333333333". Would you use a 1 amp fuse?
Great video by the way
Correct. But most times you would use a 3A fuse as these are easier to get.
Thanks.
Wat fuse can I use if I have a kettle with 3 plates and each plate is rated 1.2kw...this gave me a current of more than 13amp.. the standard voltage for my country is 240v...help me out....on this
If its a standard 13 amp 3 pin plug BS1363 then the largest BS1362 fuse is 13amps.
Although each plate is 1.2kw, it's unlikely that you would have all three on FULL at the same time. So based on the normal use -e.g possibly one on full and the other one or two at a lower setting the total load at any moment may be no more than 2.5kw, depending on what type of control, simmerstat or 5/6 settings. If you turned them all on full, 3.6Kw/15a, the 13a fuse would blow (melt) quite quickly, it can withstand slight overloads for short periods. You can find the time/current graphs for BS1362 fuses with Google. Hope this helps.
What happened if we use wrong fuse? For example for laptop plug top only need 3A but we use 13A. What function of the fuse? To protect what?tq
It is explained in the video. We fuse for safety by choosing the size that is just big enough for function. Too big a fuse will make the lap top work but will take longer to blow and protect you if something goes wrong. Re-watch the video and it will help you to understand the concept.. Thanks for watching.
It always amazes me just how many people have the wrong fuse in the plug top of there applyences and don't know it.
Absolutely true. A fire risk as well as a safety issue. Thanks for the positive comments, appreciated. Dave
Ohms law should solve the problem if u know the formula
Why did you use 240 in your calculations, I mean why don't you use 220 or lowest operating voltage? If the device be electronics I guess it can has the highest watts in lowest operating voltage.
Because that is what you will actually measure in the property. Real life examples. Thank you for watching, hope you found it useful. Dave.
Thank you - nice one. Piece of advice to everyone: learn Ohms Law when studying physics in school - it'll be your friend, for life......
Absolutely right Dave. Ohms Law and the resistor colour code, I've never forgotten them. Thanks for your comments. Dave.
@@learnelectrics4402 Welcome and thank you. Ah yes - once we first encounter the Billy Brown mnemonic for resistor codes/values, it stays in the brain indefinitely. Here's one I made up for the planets of the Solar System (from the Sun outwards) - "Many Virile Earth Men Just Shag Ugly Nymphomaniacs Eventually" - in other words Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune & Eris. Puerile but effective, as was/is Billy Brown. Ain't learning fun? Dave.
so I can replace 3A with 13A
Take a look at this video on wattages. kzhead.info/sun/Z6aiqLqga5-Cfq8/bejne.html
Nope. Now im a thick dislexic.
Thanks for watching.