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Question: What is a fuse wire? What is the advantage and disadvantage of using a thick fuse wire?...

What is a fuse wire? What is the advantage and disadvantage of using a thick fuse wire?

Explanation

Solution

To safeguard telegraph stations from lightning strikes, Breguet suggested using reduced-section conductors; by melting, the smaller wires would protect the apparatus and wiring within the structure. As early as 1864, a variety of wire or foil fusible components were used to safeguard telegraph wires and lighting systems. In 1890, Thomas Edison invented a fuse as part of his electric distribution system.

Complete step by step solution:
A fuse is an electrical safety device that protects an electrical circuit against overcurrent in electronics and electrical engineering. Its most important component is a metal wire or strip that melts when too much current runs through it, causing the current to halt or interrupt. It's a sacrificial device; after a fuse has blown, it's an open circuit that has to be repaired or replaced, depending on the type of fuse. A fuse is made up of a tiny cross-section metal strip or wire fuse element placed between two electrical terminals and surrounded by a non-combustible housing. The fuse is wired in series to carry all of the current flowing through the circuit that is being protected. Due to the current flow, the element's resistance creates heat. The element's size and structure are chosen to ensure that the heat generated by a normal current does not cause the element to overheat. If the current is too strong, the element heats up to the point where it melts or melts a soldered connection within the fuse, which opens the circuit. A fuse is a critical component in the protection of electric circuits. It's a wire formed of a metal with a low melting point, such as tin or tin alloy.
Due to short-circuiting or overloading, the fuse wire is heated or melts when a strong current runs through a circuit. As a result, the circuit is broken, and the electricity ceases to flow. This preserves all of the circuit's appliances.

Note: To improve the heating effect, the fuse components might be curved. Current may be split between many metal strips in big fuses. A dual-element fuse may have a metal strip that melts quickly in the event of a short circuit, as well as a low-melting solder junction that responds to long-term overload of low values in the event of a short circuit. Fuse elements can be supported by steel or nichrome wires, putting little pressure on the element, although a spring can be inserted to speed up the fragmentation of the element.