| Author | Message | ||
     Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 130 Registered: 5-2012 |
Does anyone know where I can buy fuse wire in the US. I include a photo as it is difficult to describe:  UK owners may be surprised at this request as they can buy these cards of fuse wire anywhere in the UK - Tesco's, Sainsbury's B&Q etc. I have tried all the local stores here in the US (Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, Radio Shack etc) and no-one supplies it. I cannot even buy it online from a US supplier, it would have to be shipped by a UK supplier. I'd be grateful for a pointer as to where I can buy it in the US. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1255 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Geoff, I get my fuse wire from a distributor who supplies professional electricians however it is now becoming a "special order" from their main warehouse rather than a stock item thanks to the diminishing use of wire fuse holders as the cost of circuit breakers continues to decrease. I would try a local trade specialist rather than a generalist outlet to the home handyman retail market such as those you have contacted. I would also be stocking up on this item as it is destined for the pages of history. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 132 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi David Thanks for the reply. I didn't realise that fuse wire was gradually becoming a hard-to-get item. I've decided to order half a dozen packs from the UK. Geoff | ||
| Bob Reynolds Experienced User Username: bobreynolds Post Number: 42 Registered: 8-2012 |
It's a long time since I saw any fuse wire at Sainsbury's or Tesco's! Wire-type fuse holders went obsolete over 30 years ago. There was no profit in fuse wire! | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 994 Registered: 6-2006 |
Geoff, what do you need it for? | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 135 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Paul I need it for the re-wirable fuse holders. I blew the heater blower fuse a few days ago and was only able to "repair" it as there was sufficient fuse wire wrapped round the outer lugs of the holder. Obviously an unsatisfactory situation. | ||
| Steven Spencer New User Username: sspencer Post Number: 4 Registered: 1-2013 |
In my clouds there is a spare spool in a compartment in the fuse box. RR used different fuse wires over the years. The spool if you have one will be the correct size. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 156 Registered: 5-2012 |
Hi Steven I checked for a spare spool but could not find one. The problem is solved now however, I found a UK company that sold the fuse wire I required, 10 bucks including post. Thanks for your suggestion. Geoff | ||
| bobuk Unregistered guest Posted From: 94.197.127.23 |
IN Electrical contractors handbooks and specifications are the gauges for fuse wire Expressed in mm or inches---- diameter. copper wire is not the same as fuse wire in resistance ( which is what governs the amp it blows at and diameter --- length providing its not over long is irrelvant) However copper wire is quite close. Of which is an endless supply Two 5amp fuse wires will blow at 10 amps double the diameter of 5 amp wire will not mean 10 amps but squared because it is the cross section area not the diameter that really governs capacity for amps 5amps squared Double the cross section area double the amps Metric system use cross section area because they think electrians are stupid. I have soldered many glass fuses with a bit of copper wire on a sunday night Even used it for mains supply with no problems except I noticed that when the wire blows you get small amount of splatter so be careful with electronics. (Message approved by david_gore) | ||
| Leho Proos Experienced User Username: lehoproos Post Number: 24 Registered: 8-2006 |
Bob OK. You have successfully confused me. What is 'fuse' wire made of? How is it different from copper wire? Leho | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1292 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Leho, The following link gives you all the information you need to know about the various types of fuse wire and how to calculate the wire diameter; whilst it refers to mains power loads, the same principles apply to automotive fuses: http://www.electrical4u.com/electrical-fuse-hrc-fuse-high-rupturing-capacity/ | ||
| Leho Proos Experienced User Username: lehoproos Post Number: 25 Registered: 8-2006 |
David Thank you for the link. The end result seems to be that the current carrying capacity of a copper wire fuse is 80 times diameter raised to the power 1.5 . The article seems to imply the copper is an acceptable material for fuses. "Fuse wire", to be close to copper wire, must have a constant close to 80. The question still remains - what is fuse wire made of? Leho | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1293 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Leho, The article details the various alloys used for this application, the most common in my experience is the "Eutectic" Lead-Tin alloy [in case anyone is uncertain what eutectic means, it is the mix of the individual metals which gives the lowest melting point - an important factor for fuses]. The properties of this alloy are detailed in the section headed "Lead – Tin Alloy Fuse Wire or Eutectic Alloy Fuse Wire" towards the end of the article. | ||
| Leho Proos Experienced User Username: lehoproos Post Number: 26 Registered: 8-2006 |
David et al Just to sort this out in my own mind. Do I conclude that Shadows and later use Lead-Tin Eutectic Alloy Fuse Wire? My previous comments were based on being rooted in Cloud and prior where the fuses were (mostly) tinned copper wire. With the lower current carrying capacity of the eutectic fuse wire, it obviously needs to be larger in diameter than the copper fuse of the same rating. Leho | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1294 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Leho, Cannot answer your query regarding what type of wire was originally used by Crewe - they may have still used tinned Copper as this was still available during the Shadow production era. Hopefully someone somewhere will have access to some wire and an analytical laboratory which can analyse it to confirm what material was used. | ||
| Geoff Wootton Prolific User Username: dounraey Post Number: 225 Registered: 5-2012 |
I came across the following entry in the RR handbook : "The six bakelite fuses on the right of the fusebox each consist of one strand of No. 30 S.W.G. (0.0124 in. diameter) tinned copper wire of 22 amp rating." This is specified on page 151 of the owners handbook. I have just checked the online copy of the Handbook http://rrtechnical.info/sy/handbooks.htm and the relevant section is on page 121. Geoff | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1301 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Geoff, You have just reinforced the advice we invariably overlook; when in doubt, read the manual[handbook]  . | ||
| Leho Proos Experienced User Username: lehoproos Post Number: 27 Registered: 8-2006 |
David and Geoff Interesting. The SCII handbook gives a 28SWG (0.0148") tinned copper wire rating of 30 amps. Plugging this into the formula from David's earlier link gives a fuse current of 18 amps. Similarly, the calculation gives 14 amps for the 30 SWG wire. It must be the affect of the tinning or a slightly different copper in the RR fuses. However, one would expect the tinning (or any coating) to decrease heat transfer, resulting in a more rapid initial rise in temperature and blowing of the fuse (melting). Hopefully RR did tests to confirm the stated rating of their fuses. Interesting. I suspect the tinning was intended to provide better electrical contact and to provide corrosion resistance to the copper. Leho | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1304 Registered: 4-2003 |
Leho, Fuses are classified into two categories "fast blow" and "slow blow" depending on the application especially where electronics are involved. There is a table of current rating versus Copper wire diameter for semi-enclosed re-wireable fuses of the type used in R-R/B vehicles in the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuse_%28electrical%29 | ||
| Colin Silver Prolific User Username: colsilver Post Number: 162 Registered: 8-2008 |
My home still uses fuse wire. I don't blow fuses, but never knew fuse wire was in shortish in Australia. Always thought my Bunnings store would have it. Sparkie son wants to change the switchboard, but given he has a young family he only sees 5 days in 5 weeks (mining in WA), he doesn't have time at the moment for love jobs. And I never knew my Cloud used fuse wire!!!!!!!! Time for me to get some. No idea why my father hadn't picked this up and put it in the kit bag. Geoff's picture is what I remember just 20 years ago as being a normal thing. I'm willing to buy in bulk suitable wiring for our clouds and others, making no profit. I could be the club's official fuse wire custodian. If someone can source a supplier, or give me exact amp wire needed, I'll get us a %436Load, enough to last decades. Clearly retail shops don't have a demand for it for housing. And I've never heard of it for our cars. Hey, I am dumb in some ways  | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 1305 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hi Colin, You can find all the fuse wire you will ever need at Tobin Electrical Components. See the following link for their product range: http://www.tobins.com.au/ Just click on Product Index, Fuses then Fuse Wire and all will be revealed. |
