Electronic fuse

[Michael C]

I was staying in a caravan near the snow on the weekend and to keep warm we
turned on the electric stove and an electic heater. That worked quite well
except every time someone boiled the kettle all the lights would go out
(which wasn't much of a suprise). What I was curious about was why it didn't
go out as soon as the kettle was started but after a minute or two. Wouldn't
the electronic fuses get to a certain amperage and then switch off
instantly?

Cheers,
Michael

 

[John G]

I was staying in a caravan near the snow on the weekend and to keep
warm we turned on the electric stove and an electic heater. That worked
quite well except every time someone boiled the kettle all the lights
would go out (which wasn't much of a suprise). What I was curious about
was why it didn't go out as soon as the kettle was started but after a
minute or two. Wouldn't the electronic fuses get to a certain amperage
and then switch off instantly?

Cheers,
Michael

In the context of mains power , preusumably 230 volts in Australia, what
is an "electronic fuse"?
Did you have to reset it?

Power circuit breakers trip after a time if the load is only an overload
not a real short circuit which is the way it should be to allow motors
to start without tripping.
They have a thermal trip mechanism which takes time to trip on a small
overload.

 

[Mark jb]

I was staying in a caravan near the snow on the weekend and to keep warm
we

turned on the electric stove and an electic heater. That worked quite well
except every time someone boiled the kettle all the lights would go out
(which wasn't much of a suprise). What I was curious about was why it didn't
go out as soon as the kettle was started but after a minute or two. Wouldn't
the electronic fuses get to a certain amperage and then switch off
instantly?

it was overloading it, but only by a little. they trip slower the less
overcurrent you are.

-mark

 

[Ed /:-}]

the CB is a thermal type, look up the typical trip times -v- overcurrent
curves, the more the over current the faster the trip time.
2x current for 2min trip time sounds about normal

maybe try switching off the heater when boiling the water.

 

[Michael C]

the CB is a thermal type, look up the typical trip times -v- overcurrent
curves, the more the over current the faster the trip time.
2x current for 2min trip time sounds about normal

Oh yeah, circuit breaker, that's what I meant

maybe try switching off the heater when boiling the water.

Have you ever stayed in a caravan in the snow? Seriously, this is what
we did after it happened the second time. Before the kettle was turned on I
did suggest turning off the stove but somehow that didn't happen. At first I
wasn't sure if the van was wired in properly or running off an extension
cord so thought it might cope.

If these circuit breakers are thermal what trips them, a certain amount of
heat?

Michael

 

[Mark jb]

If these circuit breakers are thermal what trips them, a certain amount of

heat?

Something like that.
IIRC: Basically a thermal fuse, once it hits a certain temp it trips. The
more overcurrent you are, the faster it gets hotter. If you're only a tiny
bit over, it can take half an hour to trip, or seemingly go out of nowhere.

-mark

 

[Fred At Home]

Oh yeah, circuit breaker, that's what I meant


Have you ever stayed in a caravan in the snow? Seriously, this is what
we did after it happened the second time. Before the kettle was turned on
I did suggest turning off the stove but somehow that didn't happen. At
first I wasn't sure if the van was wired in properly or running off an
extension cord so thought it might cope.

If these circuit breakers are thermal what trips them, a certain amount of
heat?

Michael

Domestic breakers are thermal and magnetic. The magnetic system is used for
very high currents that would otherwise take too long to trip.