Blew a fuse in the VCR while cleaning it, should have unplugged but didn’t occur to me at that moment. Dumb.
Went to the electronic parts store and asked for a 125V 2A 20 mm fuse. Clerk said only stocked 250V so I was out of luck. Went to the next store, same story. But she said I could use a 250V rated fuse for 125V but not anything rated lower than 125V.
Why’s that?
Framing the floor inside a crawlspace foundation keeps a gable-end addition close to grade.
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Replies
The rating on a fuse is the maximum voltage that it will handle (not sure exactly what the result would be if the maximum voltage is exceeded - possibly arcing?). The rating that matters for protection of the circuit is the amperage. Exceeding the amperage at whatever voltage, below the maximum, will cause the metallic link in the fuse to melt, opening the circuit and supposedly protecting the vulnerable parts of the equipment.
I was thinking may be the voltage rating would affect the sensitivity of the fuse applied to circuits of different voltages. You are right it's the amperage that counts.
Go for it. A VCR with a fuse that failed short doesn't work any worse than one with a fuse that failed open.
In the random knowledge catagory, most fuses I have seen are rated the same for AC as for DC. Some are rated higher for DC (i.e. 500v ac, 600v dc) while another was rated for higher AC (80v dc, 125v ac). They were rather different styles of fuses, but I am not sure what makes the difference.
IMHO in this case the clerk is right. Largest difference is the speed the fuse will blow, its tolerance for overage and the Maximum voltage it can interrupt within a available amperage range.
Not a lot of this matters in your case. Make sure the voltage rating is at or above what the device uses and, if possible, get a fast acting fuse. A fast acting fuse will better protect the equipment but in actual usage you probably see no difference.
>>get a fast acting fuse. A fast acting fuse will better protect the equipment but in actual usage you probably see no difference.
Couldn't be too picky, only cost 50 cents for two. VCR is working fine now. The machine is about 15 years old and I have replaced two sets of belts so far. Most of the control buttons on the machine don't work anymore, have to use the remote. I figured if I couldn't find a replacement fuse the machine would be a write-off and it didn't owe me anything.
Thanks.