• lazynooblet
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    15 months ago

    Still not nearly as safe. Leaving it up to the home owner to replace the fuse/breaker for each circuit each time a device of a different amp requirement is used is very… naive? The manufacturer of the device shipping the item with the fuse that matches requirement is easier and safer. It may have been born from the ring mains requirement but it’s much safer because of it.

    • @[email protected]
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      5 months ago

      Those fuses that can be changed by home owner themself have not existed in 20 years, all are automatic that you just flip from the panel. Fuse size is calculated based on the width of the cable, so if current gets too high the fuse just flips, so the cable doesn’t melt.

      Edit: as a counter part, if you plug multiple high usage components on same cable, the individual device/plug fuse does not blow, but the cable can melt inside the wall.

      • @[email protected]
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        15 months ago

        No, what they mean is that the fuse is rated for exactly only What that particular Appliance is expected to pull. Not what the circuit can handle. In my example the fuse in the main breaker isn’t going to trip, because it’s just an arc fault it’s not a full dead short. It’s not going to be pulling enough current to exceed the rating of the circuit. But it would be enough to exceed the rating of the appliance as long as it’s not like a space heater or something

      • lazynooblet
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        5 months ago

        The wire from the plug to the device isn’t the same size as that in the wall. So you can have a device cable melt and light on fire without tripping the main fuse. A fuse in the plug prevents this.

        Your edit is assuming they’re isn’t a fuse at the central side. Of course there is a main fuse. And it is sized based on the limits of the wires in the wall

    • @[email protected]
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      15 months ago

      IIRC, the UK actually teaches kids how to wire plugs properly in school for that very reason. Or at least they used to.