Fuse boxes can essentially be explained as control panels for the electrical system in a particular location. They are the location at which incoming power is divided into separate circuits. Typically, they feature a central switch controlling:

The plug has a fuse between the live terminal and live pin – If too much current flows from the electricity supply into the plug the fuse breaks the circuitFuse boxes have a number of alternative names, including control board panels, distribution boards, breaker panels, fuse boards, and fuse panels. Domestic fuse boxes are frequently referred to as consumer units. What is a Switch Fuse Unit? In other instances, where an electrician may have found that there is no lighting circuit cables to the area where customers require lights, a fuse spur may have been introduced to feed the new lighting circuit. This fuse spur might have a three amp or a five amp fuse in it depending on the amount of lights within the circuit. You will typically find this when there has been an extension such as a conservatory, or you have installed garden lighting. Be warned, if you are tempted to use something like a paperclip or piece of tinfoil wrapped around an old fuse or a nail, don’t. It is extremely dangerous and could result in electrocution, a fire or total failure of your appliance.

If the appliance shows 60 Hz, then this appliance is not suitable for use within the UK. If the appliance shows 50–60 Hz it is suitable for the dual use (Europe/UK).HRC Fuse Types High rupturing capacity (HRC) fuses feature a transparent capsule around the central resistor. Resettable SMD fuses, by contrast, can be used multiple times. They function in a similar way to resettable thermal fuses and are available in multiple sizes and capacities. Striker Fuses

A mains plug takes a 25.4 mm (1.25 inch) BS 1362 fuse, these fuses are available from any local supermarket or DIY store. They are cheap so don’t risk stealing a fuse from another appliance just to get your appliance going, unless you are using a fuse of the same rating. The time taken for a particular type of fuse to blow is called the fuse speed. The three principal fuse speeds available are:Are the 3A fuses blowing on power on of the equipment? Are they blowing in normal use? OR, are they just wanting to reduce the possibility of the fuse blowing? The for example 25, 40, 60, 80,100A rating you see on an RCD, is simply the maximum current that must be allowed to flow through the device under normal conditions, ergo, it needs to be protected by ana upstream protective device of that size. Unless it is an RCBO, a "normal" RCD to IEC 61008 (which is what most people are familiar with) will not detect overcurrent. Hence the requirement for an overcurrent protective device of the saame current rating as the thermal rating of the RCD. When a fuse blows, the electrical supply to a particular circuit is immediately cut off. This lowers the risk of fire and prevents damage to the wiring. The blown fuse can safely be replaced without the risk of electrocution. Are Old Fuse Boxes Illegal? An electricity cable (or flex) used for connecting an electrical appliance to the plug will usually contain two or three wires wrapped in coloured insulation. These are commonly called “ two core“, or “ three core” cables; not to be confused with “ twin and earth” which is the term used for mains wiring cables, although there is no real reason why the terms can’t be interlinked. For example, if an electric drill requiring a new fuse has a 700-watt rating, divide this by 230 (the standard UK mains voltage). The result is 3.04, so you will require a 3A amp fuse for the plug. Where Would a Type D Fuse Be Installed?

Set out below is a grid which will give you an indication as to which fuse rating will typically be used within your appliance.

The technical reference for a UK plug is BS 1362.

Unsurprisingly for such a widely used component, fuses are available in a multitude of models and voltage capacities for use in different industrial, manufacturing and electronic settings. Protection against overload, i.e. limiting the current flowing in the cable due to an overload fault in the appliance or connected load, or a short circuit between live conductors, to the overload rating of the nominal capacity of the fuse (which is a funciton of current vs time). Kettles have a wide range of wattages depending on if it is a slow boiling kettle, or a rapid boiling kettle. Once you have replaced any necessary powerpoint fuses, locate your fuse box, using your torch if necessary. Ensure that the master switch is in the off position. It should be following a trip, but you should always make sure that this is the case Fuses and circuit breakers serve a very similar function - both break electrical circuits in the event of a current surge or short circuit. However, there is a crucial difference. Circuit breakers are switches, and like all switches, they can be reset once they have been flipped. Most fuses, though, can only be used a single time. Once they have blown, they must be replaced. They are, by definition, a weak link - entirely by design.