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?
Last Updated: 25.06.2025 16:30
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.
For this case there are devices called Metal oxide varistors (MOV).
Here is a simplified AC power diagram.
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A fuse is a non-resetable over current circuit protector.
Fuses, on their own, then operate much slower than the MOV variable resistance, during the lightning strike.
It also is a device that limits the change in current flow.
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The other is “what does a “fuse” do?”
the problem then depends on "how fast does the fuse operate?".
so, what happens?
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P = e* I, so since I is 16 amps, then the voltage dropped is 1/16 volt or 0.0650 volts.
2024–10–00 [ Ammar Mahdi ] Ammar Mahdi
It’s been three xxx five werks, and there has been no response to my follow on query on his Commment to my answer.
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But it can get overloaded, and no longer works.
Would individual surge supressors have save this equipment? most likely, since the surge supressor would take the jolt instead of the electronic components.
This is the picture of an electronic coil of wire wound around a core of magnetic material.
But… the neutral is now “floating” because of the 1 ohm resistance.
These are simplified answers to the original question, and does not change anything I wrote above.
In schematic diagrams this is the symbol for a fuse:
Can the fuse protect the electronic devices from lightning instead of a surge protector.
so, the loop of wire then, when put together with another loop reduces the ‘noise’ on a power line.
If the nominal power is 4,000 watts then the current at 230volts is 16 amps.
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He then asserts :
Because the load is inductive, the current lags the voltage.(by a bit).
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So, the voltage could go up to 500 volts, and the fuse will not open up.
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This one hit behind the barn.
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What is lightning?
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 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.
This is where this question deviates from being a 'generic' question, and becomes more specific.
What does a fuse do?
Barnstars:
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This is 'the assistant's answer'
When the current is 200% of the rated value , it will “go open” (the link metal melts) and protect the device.
One is “what exactly is in a ‘surge protector’ ? ”
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“ 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”
He then describes Rainy Season and Lightning.
Now when you have a certain ac resistance, then a current flows in a loop.
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what exactly is a ‘surge’ protector?
It seems Mohan does not understand the difference between a comment and an Answer.
A circuit breaker is similar, but is resettable.
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“ A fuse is a device which protects the (circuit) against overload and short circuit.”
The MOV will conduct when the voltage exceeds 50% of line voltage.
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.
I post the exact comment here.
“ … to protect building, lightning arrestor, is provided above building and directly connected to earth.”
but this device (an Inductor) … impedes the rapid changes in the current.
[old diagram got deleted by accident]
At one ohm, the resistor has a maximum of 1 watt power.
An AC voltage/ current source, and an ac inductive load.
but I think this circuit , shows a few more pieces.
The third is lightning and “how it gets conducted into a home.”
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There are two important concepts here.
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Mohan forgets that a fuse is a one-time device, and needs to be replaced if it is tripped.
Upvotes:
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These devices are installed between the “hot” and “neutral” and protective ground.
Edit 2024–10.
The bolt then partially travels down the line to your home.
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.
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.
But during the surge, the fuse will not blow if it is a longer duration and lower value )10 to 50%).
OK, this is Mohan Rajaratnam’s definition of a Surge suppressor.
There are three different concepts here that are getting confused.
This device then solves the entire problem.
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This is where the MOV conducts again, and dissipated the energy.
So combined with a device called a MOV or Metal-oxide-resistor, then forms the 3rd part of a “surge suppressor “.
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At least they know the answer if they wanted it.
(Dc diagram shown, AC is similar).
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He then describes the function of a fuse.
(There is no concept of polarity, in the loop because the current changes direction 100 to 120 times a second (power frequency).
a photo is worth a thousand words.
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.
So, it’s possible that these devices from Trip Lite have addition suppression devices, these ones seem to be sturdy.
Is the question then , "why buy a surge supressor, if the fuse alone protects the electronic circuits from a lightning bolt?".
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.