Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Fuses in Parallel

Occasionally, we may need fuses in parallel to achieve greater current rating.  For instance, the Mini ATO fuses come maximum 30A; any more than that, two or more fuses are needed.  So are parallel fuses advisable?  Yes, it is better to stick with fuses of the same type and rating.   The current will not distribute precisely equally among the fuses.   But they will not differ two much before the self-balance nature of the fuse resistance.  The circuitry should be as identical as possible.  One company recommends, as a general rule, a minimum reduction in rated current of  10% for 2 fuses in parallel (20% for 3 or 4 fuses in parallel).

No comments:

Post a Comment