What exactly is the difference between a surge protector and a fuse? Can a fuse protect the electronic devices from lightning instead of surge protector?
12.06.2025 09:20
The other is “what does a “fuse” do?”
This is an electronic circuit designed to clamp voltages so that the Voltage Potential that appears at the outlet is never going to exceed the nominal value.
2024–09–27 [ Mohan Rajaratnam Mohan Rajaratnam ] . Thinks you can get free electricity from nothing : Mohan Rajaratnam's answer to Is it possible to generate free electricity at home using a magnet or other low-cost methods? If so, how does it work?
If there is an abandoned house with no owner, can I live in it?
nine
He then describes Rainy Season and Lightning.
The third is lightning and “how it gets conducted into a home.”
What happened to The Simpsons deleted onscreen footage?
What is lightning?
There are three different concepts here that are getting confused.
2024–10–00 [ Ammar Mahdi ] Ammar Mahdi
Jac Caglianone and a modern history of left handed sluggers - Royals Review
These are simplified answers to the original question, and does not change anything I wrote above.
Here is a simplified AC power diagram.
He then asserts :
There is no harm in having the surge suppressor along with the fuse in the circuit. The fuse will not open up until the current melts the link. This will take time, and in the interim, that jolt will get transmitted into the power supplies.
(There is no concept of polarity, in the loop because the current changes direction 100 to 120 times a second (power frequency).
Once the voltage goes over 0.0650 volts, then this fact can be used to amplify the difference, and turn the circuit breaker off , furthur down the line. Essentially that is what a RCD/GFCI does, it compares the incoming current, to the outgoing current, and if the difference between the two currents is over 5mA, then it trips the circuit breaker.
Trump’s budget puts Huntsville-made spacecraft on the chopping block - AL.com
The bolt then partially travels down the line to your home.
Because the load is inductive, the current lags the voltage.(by a bit).
Mohan forgets that a fuse is a one-time device, and needs to be replaced if it is tripped.
Now when you have a certain ac resistance, then a current flows in a loop.
But it can get overloaded, and no longer works.
so, the loop of wire then, when put together with another loop reduces the ‘noise’ on a power line.
For the first time, an external factor turns a male mammal into a female - EL PAÍS English
Fuses, on their own, then operate much slower than the MOV variable resistance, during the lightning strike.
A fuse is a non-resetable over current circuit protector.
What does a fuse do?
Main Card Results | UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O'Malley 2 - UFC.com
It also is a device that limits the change in current flow.
“ A surge suppressor is the one which is connected at the input supply so that when there is a sudden change voltage it bypasses thereby protecting the (circuit) and electronic components”
2024–10–11 [Bobby Sanchez Bobby Sanchez ].
Utah health officials monitoring potential measles exposure in southwestern Utah - KSL.com
At one ohm, the resistor has a maximum of 1 watt power.
P = e* I, so since I is 16 amps, then the voltage dropped is 1/16 volt or 0.0650 volts.
An AC voltage/ current source, and an ac inductive load.
I post the exact comment here.
2024–10–14 [Omar Gharbi Omar Gharbi ]
But during the surge, the fuse will not blow if it is a longer duration and lower value )10 to 50%).
eight
At the secondary, it is 1000 times less.)turns ratio). If it gets hit with a 100,000 volt bolt of lightning then the voltage arrestors conduct and clamp the voltage down to line voltage, ( but a small amount leaks down the line). This is the problem.
“ A fuse is a device which protects the (circuit) against overload and short circuit.”
Giant cable and satellite company closer to Chapter 11 bankruptcy - TheStreet
A circuit breaker is similar, but is resettable.
Upvotes:
[image of Common-mode choke]
This is where this question deviates from being a 'generic' question, and becomes more specific.
This is the picture of an electronic coil of wire wound around a core of magnetic material.
So, the voltage could go up to 500 volts, and the fuse will not open up.
Ground beef sold at national grocery chain might be contaminated with E. coli, USDA warns - AL.com
This is a photo where a lightning bolt took out a home's complete mains distribution box, and a lot of electronic gear as well.
So combined with a device called a MOV or Metal-oxide-resistor, then forms the 3rd part of a “surge suppressor “.
Can the fuse protect the electronic devices from lightning instead of a surge protector.
what exactly is a ‘surge’ protector?
Edit 2024–10.
Is the question then , "why buy a surge supressor, if the fuse alone protects the electronic circuits from a lightning bolt?".
For this case there are devices called Metal oxide varistors (MOV).
2024–10–16 [ OO OLAOYE OYEBODE ]
a photo is worth a thousand words.
The MOV will conduct when the voltage exceeds 50% of line voltage.
OK, this is Mohan Rajaratnam’s definition of a Surge suppressor.
This is a high voltage low current spike that comes down the line because of the power poles being struck, and the voltage suppressors activating on the primary side of the transformer.
It seems Mohan does not understand the difference between a comment and an Answer.
but I think this circuit , shows a few more pieces.
It’s been three xxx five werks, and there has been no response to my follow on query on his Commment to my answer.
2024–10–10[John johnson John Johnson ]
so, what happens?
First Sentence:
One is “what exactly is in a ‘surge protector’ ? ”
At least they know the answer if they wanted it.
Would individual surge supressors have save this equipment? most likely, since the surge supressor would take the jolt instead of the electronic components.
This one hit behind the barn.
Lightning arrestor is a spark-gap device, and can be installed anywhere. What is important, is that the wire is thick enough to withstand the lightning bolt and conduct the energy away from the building.
In schematic diagrams this is the symbol for a fuse:
This is where the MOV conducts again, and dissipated the energy.
“ … to protect building, lightning arrestor, is provided above building and directly connected to earth.”
One
There are two important concepts here.
2024–10–11 [Victor Olarewsju Victor Olarewaju ]
He then describes the function of a fuse.
[old diagram got deleted by accident]
Barnstars:
When the current is 200% of the rated value , it will “go open” (the link metal melts) and protect the device.
If the nominal power is 4,000 watts then the current at 230volts is 16 amps.
the problem then depends on "how fast does the fuse operate?".
So, it’s possible that these devices from Trip Lite have addition suppression devices, these ones seem to be sturdy.
These devices are installed between the “hot” and “neutral” and protective ground.
(Dc diagram shown, AC is similar).
And this is the problem alone. Is the power supply in the equipmemt designed with a lightning strike in mind? Some yes, others, no.
This is 'the assistant's answer'
but this device (an Inductor) … impedes the rapid changes in the current.
But… the neutral is now “floating” because of the 1 ohm resistance.
This device then solves the entire problem.