Protection

In electrical engineering, “fuse protection” refers to the protection of an electrical circuit against excessively high currents. This is achieved using fuses or overcurrent protection devices, which interrupt the circuit in the event of an overload or short circuit.

If a current exceeds a specified threshold, the protective device ensures that the affected circuit is shut off. This protects wiring and electrical equipment from damage caused by overcurrents. Depending on the design, a fuse may provide protection against overloads and short circuits, only against short circuits, or only against overloads.

Fuses are connected in series with the circuit to be protected so that the current to be monitored flows through the protective device. It is important to distinguish this from personal protection: An overcurrent protection device is primarily intended to protect against the consequences of overcurrents and should not be equated with a device designed to protect against electric shock.

A common type of protection device is the fuse. In a fuse, a fusible link heats up when the current is too high and melts when the current reaches a certain level and remains at that level for a certain period of time. This interrupts the circuit and protects it from the consequences of an overcurrent.