There are several types of fuses that are used in household electrical networks. The most common types installed in apartments, country houses and cottages are fusible inserts, ceramic and automatic corks. Despite the differences in design and technical characteristics, their main task is to protect household appliances and internal networks from sudden voltage surges.
How old electrical plugs work
Conventional electric ceramic plugs are obsolete models and are used less and less at home. Visually, they are a cylindrical porcelain shell, the inner part is equipped with a glass tube with contacts at the ends and a thin conductor. Screw them near the meter of electricity in the distribution panel. The base has many similarities with the base designed for ordinary incandescent lamps.
When a high voltage current passes through a thin conductor inside the glass tube, it melts, therefore, the electric circuit breaks. The cork in this case fails - it burns out and cannot be repaired. This electrical device has one undeniable advantage: its operation does not depend on the operability and performance of household appliances and electrical appliances, but on the physical properties of the materials. The disadvantage is non-repairability: having worked once, it requires disposal.
The principle of operation of the button plug for the electric meter
The fuse cover is equipped with several buttons. When you click on the big button, the device turns on, on the small - it turns off. Protection against power surges and short circuits is due to the action of the bimetallic plate. The principle of operation is similar to a relay, the circuit, with minor but prolonged overloads, opens. Short circuit protection of the electric line is due to the electromagnetic relay.
The electromagnetic and bimetallic relays are connected in series in an electrical circuit. If the threaded fuse fails, a new one needs to be installed, since the electrical design is not repairable.
Advantages and disadvantages of fuses
Properly selected fuses have many advantages compared to their counterparts. Main advantages:
- Long service life. According to statistics, the service life of the fuse is 15 years.
- Able to withstand significant overloads and power surges.
- Ease of use combined with high functionality.
- High speed response time, as well as accuracy.
- Reliability of a design.
- With proper load distribution with optimal parameters of the electrical circuit, the tubes have tangible selectivity.
- The presence of blocking from the secondary connection of the defective section of the circuit.
- During a visual inspection, you can determine whether the device is turned on or not.
- Electrical plugs have multiple effects.
- Ability to manually set the response speed and duration of the delayed response.
Another significant design advantage is safety of use. Of the shortcomings, only one should be highlighted - the devices cannot be repaired, you just need to install a new fuse.
Automatic tube
Electric automatic plugs visually resemble outdated ceramic models. The main difference lies in the design features and the principle of action. The device’s operation is based not on thermal releases, as in the previous case, but on fuses. They are interchangeable.
If, during a power surge or short circuit, the automatic plug has de-energized the entire room, it is enough to bring it back into working condition by pressing only one button. Defective cores, as in conventional fuses, are not required.
Replacing electrical plugs with automatic machines
Outdated models of electrical plugs can be called disposable, since they are able to withstand small loads (no more than 5A). Some people additionally equip the system with bugs, which allows the electrical device to withstand heavy loads, but this is fraught with a short circuit and fire.
Automatic fuses can withstand heavy loads of household appliances and electrical appliances. With prolonged overloads or short circuits they are switched off.
Despite the large number of advantages, these designs have disadvantages.
- If you purchase models of dubious quality, they will turn on and off poorly.
- Limited margin of safety of the mechanism.
In the cork holders, parts are constantly loosening up and fail. As a result of poor contacts, the wires overheat and begin to melt with the release of an unpleasant odor, cod, hiss and sparks.
Action algorithm
For personal safety, work is required in personal protective equipment. Rubber gloves and glasses are put on in case sparks “fly out” of the distribution panel. Difficulties when replacing old traffic jams should not arise. First of all, you need to de-energize the room, you can do this with the help of a switch installed on the switchboard. Further, depending on the characteristics of the fuse, they are twisted or removed with special forceps. These forceps can also be used to remove the insert from removable blocks.
In conclusion, new fully functional plugs are installed in the place where obsolete structures previously stood.
Simple recommendations that all electricians are advised to familiarize themselves with when choosing and installing new electrical plugs:
-
- You should only purchase high-quality machines from well-known manufacturers and in reliable places.
- It is forbidden to install machines with a higher permissible power.
- Do not use fuses as circuit breakers.
In place of four traffic jams, only two machines are installed, in place of two traffic jams - one, and instead of three - also three.
