Products > Test Equipment
Multimeter fuses
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Refrigerator:
Copper wire across the fuse terminals gets the job done and lets you know when it blows >:D
Bobson:
I'm using ceramic Bussmann TDC-180 10A fuses with my cheap Chinese multimeters instead of glass ones. They are plenty from unused UK power plugs coming with almost any bit of equipment.

May be I'm wrong and it it safer to leave glass fuses? Data chart says these Bussmanns are Fast/Medium types, rated voltage 264V AC.

And what is "Bussmann" exactly? Is it type of fuse or trademark? Because I see a lot of Bussmann fuses from different producers (may be just resalers).
nanofrog:

--- Quote from: Bobson on July 10, 2016, 10:32:04 am ---And what is "Bussmann" exactly?
--- End quote ---
A brand name now owned by Eaton (link to fuse products).
Fungus:

--- Quote from: Bobson on July 10, 2016, 10:32:04 am ---May be I'm wrong and it it safer to leave glass fuses?

--- End quote ---

I don't think glass fuses are ever better.

(apart from the fact that you can look through the window and see if they're blown)


--- Quote from: Bobson on July 10, 2016, 10:32:04 am ---They are plenty from unused UK power plugs coming with almost any bit of equipment.

--- End quote ---

In that case there's a fun/simple way to find out: Blow a few of them.  >:D

Put your meter in the milliamps range and connect the probes to a battery. If the fuse blows then they're OK to use in your meter.


--- Quote from: Bobson on July 10, 2016, 10:32:04 am ---Data chart says these Bussmanns are Fast/Medium types, rated voltage 264V AC.

--- End quote ---

Those fancy fuses are only there in case you connect your meter to a high energy source with the selector in the "amps" position.

Connecting your meter to a high energy source with the selector in the "amps" position is something you should never do in real life. There's no legitimate reason to do it. Ever.

The fuses are only there for moments of stupidity.

On all ranges except "amps" it's it MOVs, PTCs, etc. that protect you., not the fuses (Simple test: pull the fuses out and see if you can still measure volts, ohms, etc.)

Bottom line: If your meter isn't safe to use with mains electricity then changing the fuses won't fix that.
David Hess:

--- Quote from: Fungus on July 10, 2016, 09:57:28 am ---
--- Quote from: David Hess on July 09, 2016, 09:16:28 pm ---Could the granular material decompose when heated by the arc outgassing to extinguish it?

--- End quote ---

Nah, there won't be enough heat from the fuse wire to turn the sand to plasma.

The air around the fuse is probably more conductive once the fuse vapor has dispersed into the sand .

--- End quote ---

Is it actually just sand though?

I found two materials used in combination for arc quenching in fuses but there are others depending on the application.  Silica melts and aluminum hydroxide decomposes producing water which itself decomposes into other gases increasing the dielectric strength and blowing out the arc.
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