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: 19.06.2025 18:30
A fuse is a non-resetable over current circuit protector.
This is the picture of an electronic coil of wire wound around a core of magnetic material.
What does a fuse do?
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a photo is worth a thousand words.
There are two important concepts here.
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In schematic diagrams this is the symbol for a fuse:
But during the surge, the fuse will not blow if it is a longer duration and lower value )10 to 50%).
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2024–10–14 [Omar Gharbi Omar Gharbi ]
“ A fuse is a device which protects the (circuit) against overload and short circuit.”
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For this case there are devices called Metal oxide varistors (MOV).
The bolt then partially travels down the line to your home.
Now when you have a certain ac resistance, then a current flows in a loop.
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Can the fuse protect the electronic devices from lightning instead of a surge protector.
The third is lightning and “how it gets conducted into a home.”
so, what happens?
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If the nominal power is 4,000 watts then the current at 230volts is 16 amps.
“ … to protect building, lightning arrestor, is provided above building and directly connected to earth.”
This is where the MOV conducts again, and dissipated the energy.
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He then describes the function of a fuse.
An AC voltage/ current source, and an ac inductive load.
And this is the problem alone. Is the power supply in the equipmemt designed with a lightning strike in mind? Some yes, others, no.
[old diagram got deleted by accident]
It also is a device that limits the change in current flow.
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Because the load is inductive, the current lags the voltage.(by a bit).
but this device (an Inductor) … impedes the rapid changes in the current.
P = e* I, so since I is 16 amps, then the voltage dropped is 1/16 volt or 0.0650 volts.
What is lightning?
OK, this is Mohan Rajaratnam’s definition of a Surge suppressor.
There are three different concepts here that are getting confused.
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This device then solves the entire problem.
But it can get overloaded, and no longer works.
(There is no concept of polarity, in the loop because the current changes direction 100 to 120 times a second (power frequency).
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but I think this circuit , shows a few more pieces.
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.
“ 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”
It seems Mohan does not understand the difference between a comment and an Answer.
Here is a simplified AC power diagram.
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.
This is 'the assistant's answer'
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.
2024–10–11 [Victor Olarewsju Victor Olarewaju ]
(Dc diagram shown, AC is similar).
At one ohm, the resistor has a maximum of 1 watt power.
2024–09–27 [ Mohan Rajaratnam Mohan Rajaratnam ] . Thinks you can get free electricity from nothing : Mohan Rajaratnam's answer to Is it possible to generate free electricity at home using a magnet or other low-cost methods? If so, how does it work?
The other is “what does a “fuse” do?”
2024–10–16 [ OO OLAOYE OYEBODE ]
Fuses, on their own, then operate much slower than the MOV variable resistance, during the lightning strike.
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.
The MOV will conduct when the voltage exceeds 50% of line voltage.
He then asserts :
2024–10–11 [Bobby Sanchez Bobby Sanchez ].
the problem then depends on "how fast does the fuse operate?".
He then describes Rainy Season and Lightning.
These devices are installed between the “hot” and “neutral” and protective ground.
This is where this question deviates from being a 'generic' question, and becomes more specific.
At least they know the answer if they wanted it.
So, the voltage could go up to 500 volts, and the fuse will not open up.
These are simplified answers to the original question, and does not change anything I wrote above.
what exactly is a ‘surge’ protector?
Would individual surge supressors have save this equipment? most likely, since the surge supressor would take the jolt instead of the electronic components.
A circuit breaker is similar, but is resettable.
When the current is 200% of the rated value , it will “go open” (the link metal melts) and protect the device.
Upvotes:
2024–10–10[John johnson John Johnson ]
Mohan forgets that a fuse is a one-time device, and needs to be replaced if it is tripped.
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Edit 2024–10.
I post the exact comment here.
so, the loop of wire then, when put together with another loop reduces the ‘noise’ on a power line.
So, it’s possible that these devices from Trip Lite have addition suppression devices, these ones seem to be sturdy.
This one hit behind the barn.
Is the question then , "why buy a surge supressor, if the fuse alone protects the electronic circuits from a lightning bolt?".
So combined with a device called a MOV or Metal-oxide-resistor, then forms the 3rd part of a “surge suppressor “.
But… the neutral is now “floating” because of the 1 ohm resistance.
2024–10–00 [ Ammar Mahdi ] Ammar Mahdi
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.
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.
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First Sentence:
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.
One is “what exactly is in a ‘surge protector’ ? ”