[AMPS] a sticky issue.

Tom Rauch W8JI@contesting.com
Mon, 16 Oct 2000 10:00:00 -0400


> >-  During the entire time that the Plywood Box was in service, it 
> >consumed less than 1 box of 5 fuses.  Rated screen dissipation was 275w. 
> > The fast blow fuse opened at roughly 200w.  
> >
> Yes, I see...
> 
> 73 from Ian G3SEK   

Not according to the Littlefuse catalog. 

It shows the fatigue life of fuses, time before opening under various 
loads, and so on.

It is impossible to find a fuse that reliably holds at under 200 watts 
of load, and opens within a minute at 275 watts of load.. especially 
higher amperage fuses like a transformer primary would require.

Now you might get a fuse that is rated to safely carry 25
watts of load that opens in a reasonable time when the load is 250 
watts or more.

Fuses mainly prevent drastic melt-downs. Electronic circuits are 
much more reliable and hundreds of times faster in most 
applications.
73, Tom W8JI
w8ji@contesting.com

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