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Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?

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Posted on June 8, 2016 at 10:25:52
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 Reason I'm asking is that I blew a slow-blow fuse in a reel-to-reel tape deck yesterday and went off in search of a replacement (I really miss Radio Shack). First hardware store I visited carried only fast-blow types -- they weren't marked fast-blow, but you could tell by looking at them. The clerk acted mystified and I got the impression he'd never been asked for such fuses before.

So I ended up at Home Depot, where a succession of clerks couldn't tell me where to find them or if they carried them. I did finally find them myself.

I can't find any evidence of fuses in my cable box or flat-screen TV. Have they become relics while i wasn't looking?

 

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RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 8, 2016 at 10:33:35
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 Some electronics, like cable boxes and the like have small resetable circuit breakers on the back panel. I'm waiting for a 500$ 'audiophile grade' device.

And yes, you're better off buying 'em online. Get the filled ceramic types.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 8, 2016 at 10:51:11
AbeCollins
Audiophile

Posts: 46295
Location: USA
Joined: June 22, 2001
Contributor
  Since: February 2, 2002
Ever heard of stuffing aluminum foil in the fuse socket or between the fuse clips. ;-)

Last time I checked I couldn't find ANY fuses in my personal electronics. What's a tape deck?



 

Obviously a perfectly legit reason to get one of them newfangled BLack Fuses. Nt, posted on June 8, 2016 at 10:55:01
geoffkait
 Nt

 

Way ahead of you., posted on June 8, 2016 at 11:08:02
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 I must have many $hundreds tied up in those things. Have to get one for the Otari.

 

The proliferation of wall wares is partly to blame, posted on June 8, 2016 at 11:48:01
Alpha Al
Industry Professional

Posts: 2958
Location: N. Carolina
Joined: February 16, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 3, 2015
 They use current limited power transformers (or switching supplies), and usually no fuses.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 8, 2016 at 12:34:47
MannyE
Audiophile

Posts: 2088
Location: Miami Beach
Joined: March 4, 2001
 Amazon is your friend. If they don't sell it themselves, they have a "partner" that does. Free shipping! Yay!

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 8, 2016 at 13:20:52
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 I don't know how much or IF I've saved much $$, but the 'PRIME' free shipping deal is well-used at my casa.
Wife Binge Watched ALL of Downton Abbey prior to Season 6.

No wacky fuses for me, though. I'm fairly certain that I could come up with a better use of 100$ or MORE making my setup sound better. How about some diffusion for behind my panels?
Too much is never enough

 

No. Migrated and morphed for use in cars. A bazillion fuses to make you crazy! (nt), posted on June 8, 2016 at 15:01:37
Jonesy
Audiophile

Posts: 3156
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Joined: September 1, 2005
Contributor
  Since: March 1, 2018
 nt


"I know just enough to get into trouble. But not enough to get out of it."




 

Radio Shack was the place, posted on June 8, 2016 at 16:54:42
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 The others you mentioned were never much good. Once in a while you run across an independent hardware store that has a good inventory but the big stores are no good.

Youll have to go online since Fairway, Capitol Radio, Arlington Electronics and the Shacks are gone.

ET


ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 8, 2016 at 23:49:51
Tweaker456
 You're in luck Pictureguy. I just happen to be selling audio grade circuit breakers for exactly %500.00. They have been demagnetized just for guys like you.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 8, 2016 at 23:53:24
Tweaker456
 For half that you could get a demagnetizing transformer. Would transform the sound of you're cds.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 9, 2016 at 00:34:58
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 Not going to get into demagnetizing something that is paramagnetic, at best.

Nope, I see a huge Bang-4-Buck repay making some DIY quadratic diffusors.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Radio Shack was the place, posted on June 9, 2016 at 08:48:44
Jerry P
Audiophile

Posts: 897
Location: NE Ohio
Joined: June 17, 2000
 Radio Shack still has many stores open.
My local RS has not closed.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 9, 2016 at 09:57:08
Inmate51
 Try http://www.littelfuse.com/contactus.aspx

Also try www.fusesunlimited.com

The only reasons I go to Home Depot are because: 1. They're nearby, 2. They're nearby, 3. They sell birdseed.

The staff basically knows nothing.

:)

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 9, 2016 at 12:13:17
gadio4533
Audiophile

Posts: 460
Location: FL
Joined: May 28, 2007
 Amazon

 

That's amazing, posted on June 9, 2016 at 12:59:19
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 One of those locations is virtually in my back yard. THANKS.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 9, 2016 at 13:09:18
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 Well, yeah, but it did seem like something I ought to be able to find quickly and easily TODAY :-)

But then I remember when you could buy electronic tubes in any decent drug store.

 

Got that beat, posted on June 9, 2016 at 14:30:45
geoffkait
 My new system eschews fuses altogether. I also eschew the house AC. Which of course begs the question: is no fuse at all better than any fuse, even the Black Fuse?

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 9, 2016 at 17:35:21
fredtr
Audiophile

Posts: 1987
Location: Phoenix
Joined: January 4, 2005
 I was pleasantly surprised the fuse selection at Home Depot.

Regarding fuses in todays electronics. I like to see how stuff works so I bought a no turn on flat panel TV, probably 10 years back now, for $50. All it was, blown fuse. It took me a few minutes because it didnt look like a fuse and it was soldered onto one of the boards. I replaced it with a pigtail fuse, still watching it.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 9, 2016 at 20:38:54
Schurkey
Audiophile

Posts: 121
Location: The Seasonally Frozen Wastelands
Joined: May 14, 2015
 I have an electronic air cleaner as part of my home HVAC system. Well, I did until the circuit board failed. Again. And the circuit board--which is populated by maybe twenty components including a soldered-in-place fuse--costs $700

What moron decides it's a good idea to solder the fuse in place?




I researched a couple of fuse catalogs some years ago, when I couldn't find fuses that actually said "Fast-blow" or "Slow-blow" on the packaging:
BUSS/BUSSMAN Fuses, 1/4" round x 1 1/4" long
AGC = Fast-blow glass fuse
ABC = Fast-blow ceramic fuse
GBB = Very-Fast-blow ceramic fuse
MDL = Slow-blow glass fuse
MDA = Slow-blow ceramic fuse

LITTELFUSE Fuses, also 1/4" x 1 1/4":
312 = Fast-blow glass
314 = Fast-blow ceramic
313 = Slow-blow glass
326 = Slow-blow ceramic

The glass fuses can be voltage-limited in the above-10-ampere ratings--32 volts instead of 250. Be careful with the fuse voltage ratings. Some of my amplifiers require the ceramic fuses because the glass ones of the correct amperage won't take the required voltage.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 11, 2016 at 19:45:01
tedk.
Audiophile

Posts: 401
Location: chicagoland
Joined: July 7, 2004
I think you will be pleasantly surprised by FRY's

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 11, 2016 at 20:02:19
Dave Pogue
Audiophile

Posts: 11689
Location: DC Area
Joined: October 9, 2001
 I'm afraid the nearest Fry's is at least 600 miles away (I'm in Maryland).

And the nearby Home Depot did come through, eventually.

 

RE: Are electrical fuses not in common use in electronics anymore?, posted on June 14, 2016 at 16:16:43
JURB
Audiophile

Posts: 2056
Location: North Ohio
Joined: May 29, 2016
 "I can't find any evidence of fuses in my cable box or flat-screen TV. Have they become relics while i wasn't looking? "

Everything should have a fuse at the AC inlet, but the rest of them can be eliminated. The normal technique in good equipment is to have current foldback limiting which means to detect the current drawn and if it exceed a predetermined value the voltage will drop until the current drops to that predetermined level.

There have been TVs designed like that. For example the original Sony XBRs back in the 1980s. You could short out just about anything and nothing happens. I had a PR-36XBR which was a rear projection. Seriously good picture, better than some direct view CRTS. Very deep deep blues.

Anyway, projection TVs have ICs that are pretty much audio ICs but have to work up to like 50 KHZ to converge the three colors on the screen. They are also operated as close to the rails as possible for the best efficiency. However, that made them the most common failure. Well the Sony had a bunch of fuses on the board and there came a service bulletin from Sony saying to just jump out all of them to avoid the nuisance. Fact was, their main power supply had very good foldback current limiting and they had no need for any fuses other than the one off the AC cord.

Another was the Zenith G type chassis. Those were older and direct view, and used what is called a ferroresonant transformer. there was a capacitor across a winding, and the thing saturated the core and it put out square waves. This of course simplified filtering and also provided primary regulation. It was also inherently somewhat current limiting, but not quite as good as a real electronic current detector. But for the late 1970s it was a good solution.

I also had a Radioshack amp that seemed to do that. If a speaker wire was shorted both channel would be clipping at a low level until the short was removed. I never looked into how that worked for several reasons. First of all you had to buy the service manual back then, no downloading it for free. And now of course I do not remember the model number.

That was my coffee table stereo. Speakers were way across the room but the amp, tuner and turntable were all on the shelf right near the couch. Surprisingly for the low power is was I actually got the cops from the adjoining city across the river at my door for loud music. I had VERY efficient (and good) speakers and you would not believe me if I told you what they were.

And also, I have been put in jail for a loud stereo. I am not going into that story right now but it was funny as hell.

 

Fuses and stuff, posted on June 15, 2016 at 07:54:19
Inmate51
 Good info, thanks.

About the jail thingy, not so funny, but it'd be fun to read the story. Most applications for most everything these days, including job applications, ask the question "Have you ever been arrested?".

:)

 

RE: Fuses and stuff, posted on June 17, 2016 at 00:09:06
JURB
Audiophile

Posts: 2056
Location: North Ohio
Joined: May 29, 2016
 "About the jail thingy, not so funny, but it'd be fun to read the story."

I used to jam my (_|_) off. I went through speakers like people go through underwear. As far as jail, I always had really fast cars and they got me there too, especially drinking. My first car was a 1970 W-34 Olds Toronado, the only car in history to be classified as both a musclecar and a luxury car. I blew the doors off Corvettes if they had one of those boat anchor 305s in them, but the big block ones would beat me.

Anyway, this is the middle of a very hot summer but it was nighttime so I turned off the AC and opened the windows. You get tired of those electric bills. Cranking out my usual, Priest, this and that maybe some Floyd.

So the cops come. Top cop Simone actually, you can probably find him on the net. I went to the door and was escorted to the police car. Simone shit in my toilet, I could tell when I went back in.

Now this stereo was a little bit hard to figure out because I had a Pioneer SX-3800 I couldn't get the amp to work right for some reason and the actual amp was way down at the bottom. The Pioneer was just a tuner, the CD was playing. I ask if they wanted me to turn it off and they said "We'll turn it off for you". Bottom line he wanted to use the bathroom LOL. So I get back up there and everything was still turned on but a bunch of the cables were pulled.

So court is about a week later, the waiver seemed a bit high and I had enough experience with these people to know that you can get a lower fine when you actually show up. So I did and the fine was only ten bucks. However court costs brought it up to $67 and I onlt brought like $60 with me.

Now normally in Cleveland they will give you time to pay but this judge had something up the dupa that day and would not give time to pay. And most people do not expect to pay the fine right away, I guess if from out of town but as a resident they would always give you time.

They hauled all of our asses to the jail. I told them I could have the money down here in 15 minutes but that was no good.

So, it is like 95 degrees outside and the jail is cooled down to about 65. They could not "process" so many people so we still had our money, whatever. People got a poker game started, and I mean with real money. Back then almost noone had a cellphone but if they did they would still have them.

One Black guy was bitching about it being too cold and I said "Git up". I showed hi he was sitting right over the AC vent. I traded seats with him and got happiness, oh so cold, almost like a refrigerator cold. I hate to admit it but I am one of those people who would set the thermostat at 80 in the winter and 60 in the summer.

When you go to jail like that, the fine ad court costs are cancelled. Finally in the morning I got my phone call. Me and the olman had a double house, shared the utilities and all that, and he was particularly useful i getting people downtown. He had a little known shortcut. So I call him up and say "Umm, you didn't by chance pay my fine did you ?", he said "F___ no". I said "Good because guess where I am".

I was out of there in another hour and went to the local watering hole called "A Taste Of Honey". That was where everyone went when they got out of jail.

Also, during that phone call I found that the IRS found in my favor. I had a slightly complex tax situation with UI, 1099 ad W-2 income. I figured it out three ways, one way I owe them, another way they owe me like two bucks, another way they owe me alot more. I just attached it all and scrawled on it "DO IT FOR ME", which they will do. They sent me a bunch of money. By their rules it was wrong but since they figured it out, go ahead and audit me. YOU did it.

All in all it was a pretty good week.

 

Jail and stuff, posted on June 17, 2016 at 01:18:31
Inmate51
 Hahahahahaha! YOU are a goofy guy.

Thanks for the story.

:)

 

RE: Jail and stuff, posted on June 22, 2016 at 16:34:04
JURB
Audiophile

Posts: 2056
Location: North Ohio
Joined: May 29, 2016
 I have had a pretty interesting life really. All that is over now but the memories. We had dogs playing frisbee at concerts. We had parties with 20 Harleys parked in the front yard, and people bitching about all the weed on the pool table. Yup, just roll yourself up one, no problem.

And that was my crowd, the olman was something else. He could get someone killed in China. He was also the proverbial fat Man with glasses that could get you anything, and I mean machine guns n shit.

I had an interesting life, but now it is boring. It was really good for a while but all good things come to an end. And I do not mind, if I drop dead tomorrow that is fine with me. I do not want to, but it would be OK. The world has changed. There is nowhere I can drive 100 MPH. I can't sit on the front porch and smoke a joint. Any more than like four beers you can't drive or you run the risk of a DUI, WHICH IS NOT RIGHT. I can drink a fucking 12 pack and still drive better than most cops sober, and I got proof. Well my word. TWICE they almost caused a wreck with me and though it would be their fault, it would be adjudged my fault. You know what I think about gun control ? Take them away from the cops first and then we'll talk.

And not to forget the cops who came to the bar with a suitcase full of guns for sale. The olman bought one, sold it to a Black guy and told the cops, and they reconfiscated it from him and returned it to the olman.

Maybe it was wrong, in fact yes it was wrong. But what would you have me do ? Go against my family and chosen family and side with the others ? Hell no, I knew better than to even think of something like that.

But really, most of these people are dead and I am not long to follow them. I can barely walk, I should not even ride a bicycle with my eyesight but could still shoot. Somewhat. I'll never have another driver's license. Yes I got a bunch of tickets but even after paying all this off I know I would flunk the eye test. This laptop has the largest screen I have ever see on a laptop and I can just barely read it. My server in the basement has a 23" monitor now and I can see that, at 800X600 or whatever it is on those widescreens.

You know they rip you off with those. For say a 19" screen, a perfectly square one would have the most pixels. With 4:3 there is less ad with 16:9 there is even less than that.

People do not know that because they were not taught geometry in school. At least not right. And now, industry is trying to sell less as more. You got five cardboard speakers and one one note woofer and they say it is better than like Boston A-150s. And people today NEVER HEARD A-150s. So they get away with it.

I think that is enough for now. Going to hell in a handbasket I guess. And if you want to get political, look at this totally ridiculous Presidential race coming up. Geezus, someone shoot me.

 

RE: Fuses and stuff, posted on June 22, 2016 at 16:58:48
jrdoe
Audiophile

Posts: 114
Joined: April 14, 2015
 i like this guy!

 

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