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Electrical & Electronics Engineering vocabulary · Wiring, Protection and Safety

Fuse

Meaning in electrical & electronics engineering, with examples

/fjuz/nounCore term

In electrical & electronics engineering, fuse means: A safety device with a thin metal link that melts and breaks the circuit when the current is too high. Once it has blown, it has to be replaced.

In Turkish: sigorta, eriyen telli sigorta, buşon

How it is used

A fuse 'blows' and you replace it. Engineers talk about the fuse rating (for example 2 A or 10 A), fast-acting and slow-blow (time-delay) fuses and fuse holders. Fuses are common inside equipment, in vehicles and in high-power circuits.

Example sentences

  1. The fuse blew again, so there must be a fault somewhere downstream.

  2. Replace it with a fuse of the same rating, not a bigger one.

Common collocations

  • the fuse blew
  • replace a fuse
  • fuse rating
  • slow-blow fuse
  • fuse holder
  • circuit breakerAn automatic switch that opens a circuit when it detects too much current, for example from an overload or a short circuit. Unlike a fuse, it can be reset and used again.
  • short circuitAn unwanted low-resistance connection between two points that should be kept apart, such as live and neutral. It causes a very large current that can damage equipment or start a fire.
  • overloadA condition in which a circuit, cable or machine carries more current or power than it is rated for over a period of time. Unlike a short circuit, it builds up heat gradually.
  • ratingThe maximum voltage, current, power or temperature that a device is designed to handle safely in normal use, as stated by the manufacturer. Rated values appear on nameplates and in datasheets.

More terms: Wiring, Protection and Safety

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