Can an AC fuse be used for DC?

Publish Time: Author: Site Editor Visit: 2730

No such thing as an "AC fuse", nor a "DC fuse". All are rated in amps. If you need a 1 amp fuse; it will work to limit current to one amp; RMS Ac or straight DC.

Note; they Also say voltage, but not ”dc” or ”ac”. This is RMS. Do not use a fuse rated for 110V on 110VAC as the peak is higher. Use a 250 V for safety, insulation, as 110VAC will peak at 155 volts.

Fuses should work on both AC and DC, in principle they work the same in either case, heating of the element to the melting. Fusing point should be pretty much independent of AC or DC.

 

 

Are AC and DC fuses the same?

Fuses should work on both AC and DC, in principle they work the same in either case, heating of the element to the melting. fusing point should be pretty much independent of AC or DC.

However, for reasons Kevin Baker outlined, that is that DC can continue flowing in the plasma of an evaporated fused element at high voltages where as AC will always be stopped after one cycle when the current goes to zero, Fuses that can be used for AC and DC will have different ACV and DCV interruption ratings. AC will always hive higher voltage ratings.

For that reason there will be some fuses designed especially for high voltage DC interruption use, with means to interrupt or minimize the plasma that may occur. I know they exist, but I do not have any experience using them.
In most cases, the difference is not important if your applied voltage is much less than the fuse ratings.

 

 

What is the difference between an AC fuse and a DC fuse?

 

First dc is continuous, ac goes to zero volts each cycle. This important because when you blow a fuse with dc, a plasma can form and continue conducting current, ac will to, but when the cycle crosses zero volts, the plasma dies and the circuit is open.

So the dc fuse will have a larger gap area to help extinguish the plasma arc.

 

 

Are DC fuses and AC fuses interchangeable?

 

No, they are not interchangeable.

Remember, the point of a fuse is to interrupt the flow of overcurrent. A metallic element within the fuse will melt when exposed to an overcurrent condition for the requisite amount of time. Think of a fuse as a low-value resistor connecting two points of a circuit. When the fuse element melts, you are left with an open-circuit condition. But, not so fast! Electrical arcs can occur between the open-circuit elements and allow for the dangerous conditions we are trying to protect against.

With AC power , the current is shifting in polarity in a sinusoidal fashion 100+ times every second. When this polarity shift occurs, there is a brief point in time when the magnitude of the AC current is zero. Because of this zero-crossing, AC arcs are easy to mitigate as they are self-extinguishing. With DC power, this zero-crossing never occurs and electrical arcs may persist to the point of causing significant damage/harm. To combat this, DC fuses have their electrodes gapped larger and may be constructed of additional materials to suppress arcs such as silica.

With all that said, this assumes the questions is asking about one to one substitution. Individual fuses will have ratings for AC/DC based on their construction. You may find, for example, a 500VAC-rated fuse that also carries a 300VDC rating.

Relevant News

How to choose a good DC isolator switch

Choosing the right DC isolator switch is crucial for ensuring safety, reliability, and efficiency in solar power systems or other DC applications. A quality isolator...

DC circuit Breaker

What is a DC circuit Breaker

DC circuit breaker, also known as a direct current circuit breaker, plays a critical role in electrical systems by protecting circuits from damage caused by excessiv...

What is a PV connector?

What is a PV connector?

Solar photovoltaic systems can generate high-efficiency, low-cost electricity and are becoming more and more popular. We should also pay attention to the quality of ...

What is the primary purpose of a fuse in an electrical circuit of a vehicle?

The fuse is a device specially designed to protect circuit safety. Its main function is to prevent circuit failures and fires caused by excessive current or high tem...

Types and working principles of circuit breakers

Circuit breaker is a device that controls the on-off of the circuit, and it is equipped with a switch to prevent the household electrical components from overheating...

What are the advantages of HRC fuses?

What are the advantages of HRC fuses?

HRC fuses have the following advantages:High voltage level: HRC fuses can withstand higher voltages and provide effective protection for high-voltage systems.High br...

EV Fuse

EV Fuse fault diagnosis, learn judgment and solutions

If the electric vehicle cannot start and charge, and the vehicle's electronic equipment (such as radios, air conditioners, etc.) cannot work properly, the correspond...

1000VDC Fuse manufacturer tells you the difference between AC fuses and DC fuses

1000VDC FUSE Manufacturers tell you that both DC fuses and AC fuses fall into the category of current-limiting fuses, but there is a difference in breaking current. ...

CONTACT US FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS

If you have any questions or comments, we are ready to help. Please allow 24 hours of response time in working days

Fill in your Email
Send inquiry

GET A QUOTE

GET IN TOUCH NOW
×
We value your privacy
We use cookies to provide you with a better online experience, analyse and measure website usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Accept All