Fluke 77 Fuse- Bussman KTK-15- Counterfeit?

[RobertM64]

I received the KTK-15 from Witonics via Amazon.  Listing said "carded" but that was not the case, came in a small zip bag.  Crimping as per the original, the datasheets, and most photos out there.  Print is sharp.  There is also a dimple on the side of the end cap that seems to show up in photos and on original.  I have more confidence in this fuse being legitimate than the original one received.  The print on the first one I got is not bad, but not as crisp as this one from Witonics.  I can't say the original one I received is not legitimate, but this one from W gives me more confidence.  Witonics has good pricing on their own website and free shipping, it is where I will go for future product of a similar ilk.

[wraper]

If there is no dimple, that's a big suspect. Also it seems that marking is not quite right on the first fuse you received which is way more noticeable on the last photo (which is so much better). For example gray area on the bottom (below white rectangle) is significantly wider. "Cooper" is much closer to the top. Also font of "fast acting fuse" is different from RS photo. So after all, most likely it's a counterfeit IMHO.

[bdunham7]

Do you have a way of testing very low resistance, or putting a 1 to 5 amp current thru it and measuring the voltage drop?  It might be interesting to see what you can measure.

[floobydust]

I emailed Mr. Big Co. Eaton and asked how much gold-pressed latinum is in the fuses for them to command such a ripoff price USD $28 and thus create a huge market for fakes.
Um, all they said is the fuses are sand-filled, and to apply for an account to get quotes and buy direct from them. No real answer on the 10x markup for these.  I suggested a hologram label or something.

[Fungus]

No real answer on the 10x markup for these.

All those juicy corporate/government accounts that don't ask silly questions?

[wraper]

I suggested a hologram label or something.

Chinese counterfeiters put holograms even on things where they were not originally.

[Fungus]

I suggested a hologram label or something.

Chinese counterfeiters put holograms even on things where they were not originally.

Hologram stickers are dirt cheap, yes, but copying an existing one isn't easy. If you have a genuine fuse to compare with then spotting a counterfeit hologram shouldn't be too difficult.

[floobydust]

I suggested to Bussman "something" to cut down on the counterfeiting of a safety item they manufacture. Especially given the fat markup on the parts.
 Technically, nothing conductive should be on the fuse body, so the label would have to not compromise spacings or CTI. I think a hologram sticker has an aluminum layer. If they add any details even to the end-caps that make it more difficult to copy.

It used to be the norm in the early 1900's house wiring "re-wireable fuse" (Wylex, Federal Pioneer) where you replace the fuse wire in a porcelain holder. I just saw rolls of "fuse wire" for sale...

[Black Phoenix]

It used to be the norm in the early 1900's house wiring "re-wireable fuse" (Wylex, Federal Pioneer) where you replace the fuse wire in a porcelain holder. I just saw rolls of "fuse wire" for sale...

Yes, yes, and then people would put normal coat hanger wire around the pins of the fuse, when the fuse blow up too much times. Not because they were overloading, but because it was the wire/fuse that was defective.

I'm talking about real cases I saw in Portugal, in some old houses from the 1920s and 1930s (my Great Grandfather house had an electrical installation like that with one fuse with coat hanger wire, from a pump used to mix the mashed grapes to do wine). My Grandparents house still also uses in the main entrance fuse box the ceramic fuses, no coat hanger wire there, but the breaker box was changed some years ago for a proper modern protection, instead of the old style breakers they had (some were not even working any more in terms of protection, since by using the button TEST nothing would happen).

Of course I'm talking about this kind of fuse type: