What is the function of a fuse or circuit breaker? A ground wire?

Question

What is the function of a fuse or circuit breaker?

What is the function of a ground wire?

Explain

Answer 1

A fuse or breaker is a safety device designed to limit the amount of current that can flow in a circuit. Its size is based on the size of the wire conducting the current. ie 15 amp #14 wire, 20 amp #12 wire. If you get a short circuit in and appliance or accidentally short a hot wire to ground then the breaker will open. Also if you overload a circuit beyond the wire's capacity to safely conduct the current, then the breaker will open before the wire heats up to a dangerous level. The ground wire is a safety device designed to short accidentally applied voltage to the electrical service ground and blow the breaker instead of having the exposed metal parts of the appliance or switch at line voltage (ie 120 volts)

Answer 2

The function of a fuse or circuit breaker is to create a controlled failure for a circuit, so that in case of a faulty operating condition, you won't energize the circuit further and cause damage.

The function of a ground wire is to provide a path for current back to your source or to earth.

Answer 3

As current travels through a wire it will heat up the wire, a fuse has a wire so designed to allow a specific amount of current to travel, and allow the heat generated at this level. If the current is exceded then the wire will heat up too much and cause the wire to break, and distrupt the circuit. The rating at which this fuse will break is generally lower than the lowest rating for any single device on the circuit. If you have two devices on the circuit, one use 10 amps and the other 12 amps then a fuse a tad lower than the 10 amp would be best

Answer 4

Fuses are for limiting the amount of current that can flow in a circuit. They are really safety devices that prevent the circuit from damaging a lot of components or even catching fire.

Ground wires are also for safety. If a hot wire touched the side of a metal case and wasn't grounded then the whole case would be hot and when you touched it you would complete the path and get shocked.

Answer 5

1. yes, you can upgrade the the box without touching the wiring. then do the internal wiring at a later date. 2. if the house wiring is using bx cable (has a metal shield around the cable) then you can most likely install 3 prong self grounding outlets in the rest of the house. 3. the original wiring is "probably" still safe assuming it hasn't been damaged anywhere or wasn't installed right in the 50's 4. first steps, contact some electricians and get quotes, let them know you are getting quotes from other electricians. they will probably be bringing in a new wire from the street and installing a new 100 amp panel. 5. the panel is about 100 bucks, the wire to connect to the street can be as high as 5 bucks a foot. the rest is labor. so 1000 to 1200 would usually be a fair price

Answer 6

The function of a fuse is to regulate the electric to the right amount for the radio ,computer,5amps or an electric fire iron etc 13amps or if there is a sudden surge of electricity..i.e you put your fingers near a live wire ..and the electricity earths through you..instead of the electricity keep on coming the fuse blows and you don't get electrocuted..Circuit breaker does roughly the same but can be re-set. ..but on a bigger scale..(used for power tools etc ..grass cutters ..just in case you cut through the wire..( because so many people pick up the wire to see why the grass cutter has stopped..)ground wire is the main wire to convey the electricity to earth should there be a short in the wiring system..i.e. live wire exposed and touching the metal casing on fires lights etc....

Answer 7

Fuses/Circuit Breakers are designed to break the circuit when the current is too high.

Suppose there was a huge surge in your electrical lines, if it were allowed to reach your electronic equipment, bad things would happen. Fuses/Circuit Breakers are designed to 'fail' when the current is too high, and in failing, they break the circuit and prevent it from reaching your equipment.

Ground wires, I believe, are to divert electricity from lightning strikes into the ground.

Answer 8

a fuse is generally a non-resetting device used to prevent an excess of current from hurting the end-of-line device (computer, etc...)

a circuit breaker is the same type device (resettable) used to limit the amount of current drawn on a circuit. generally prevents damage from short circuits that may be the fault of faulty wiring and bad devices used on that circuit. also prevents damage from occuring to the wiring itself not rated for high current loads. (keeps fires from sparking in walls and stuff.)

ground wires direct current to earth ground were it generally does no harm. you do not wanna be in that path, etc... being hit by lightening.

Answer 9

a fuse and circuit breaker convert electricity from amps to volts, and the circuit breaker is designed to "trip" or turn off when a surge is present to prevent a possible fire or electrocution. a ground wire does a similar function, as it will take the electricity and send on to a pole in the ground, which literally is buried, to prevent possible fire. this is usually for larger surges such as lightening strikes.

Answer 10

Protect the circuit