There are people who want to know if Can a fuse be damaged without burning? You should know that the sacrificial device known as a fuse is the only protection your radio, lights, and other electrical components have. Technically speaking, a fuse doesn’t go bad, a blown fuse has done its job exactly as intended. That’s good, but it implies that there was something wrong in another part of the circuit.
Can a fuse be damaged without burning?
Due to the way fuses are designed, the chance of a fuse blowing without blowing is quite small, but there are rare cases where a fuse can appear completely fine, even though there is no current going through it.
what is a fuse made of
The most common types of automotive fuses are blade fuses and mini fuses (although the mini is actually a smaller version of the blade). The two terminals (or blades) that go into each end of the fuse are connected to each other in the center only by copper, silver, aluminum, zinc, or some other alloy that can predictably maintain continuity for many years.
The material inside the fuse must be able to handle its rated current capacity, and the center connecting element must respond to the slightest current surge. melting quickly.
The need for fuses
Your vehicle’s electrical circuits are designed to carry a very particular electrical charge to the battery components. Wire size and fuse amperage capacity are determined by the current draw created by the connected electronics.
Changing components in the circuit can have an unpredictable effect on the amperage and resistance in the circuit, so never jump to a higher fuse and never add extra electronics (like lights or a radio) that aren’t part of the circuit. original vehicle design.
If there is a fault in one of its components or a short in the circuit, the additional current draw is likely to exceed the amperage capacity of the cord. This can cause the wire to melt and perhaps even could light up.
What is the job of the fuse?
Every fuse in your fuse box is designed to fail or blow when the circuit is overloaded. The amount of time it takes for the fuse to blow varies depending on the material used in the center of the fuse and the amount of overload in the circuit. When there is excess current, heat is generated and the center of the fuse melts and breaks the circuit to prevent further damage to the line.
In many cases, you may just be able to replace the blown fuse and move on, because whatever caused the excessive draw was temporary or just created a momentary surge.
How to know if a fuse is blown?
Remove the suspected blown fuse and visually inspect the center element through the casing. The melting action often causes discoloration of the case, and the center element must have an obvious break. Another thing to check:
- Look for a small square opening at the top of the fuse above each blade.
- Set a multimeter to the continuity setting and examine these openings with the multimeter leads and see if there is continuity through the center portion of the fuse. If there is little or no continuity, the fuse is bad and needs to be replaced.
This is a good test for checking a fuse that is not part of the car’s circuit, but do not test the fuse while it is in the fuse box. This is because if there is a serious problem with the circuit, the multimeter will complete the circuit, damaging your meter.
