Friday, March 29, 2024

Blown Fuse Indicator

ASHUTOSH KUMAR SINHA

A fuse is an electrical safety device that operates to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical circuit. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts when too much current flows through it, thereby interrupting the current. It is a sacrificial device; once a fuse has operated it is an open circuit, and it must be replaced or rewired, depending on type. Generally, when an equipment indicates no power, the cause may be just a blown fuse. Here is a blown fuse indicator circuit that shows the condition of fuse through LEDs. This compact circuit is very useful and reliable. It uses very few components, which makes it inexpensive too.

Blown fuse indicator operation

Under normal conditions (when fuse is alright), voltage drop in first arm is 2V + (2 x 0.7V) = 3.4V, whereas in second arm it is only 2V. So current flows through the second arm, i.e. through the green LED, causing it to glow; whereas the red LED remains off.

Fig.1 Blow- fuse indicator
Fig.1 Blow- fuse indicator

When the fuse blows off, the supply to green LED gets blocked, and because only one LED is in the circuit, the red LED glows. In case of power failure, both LEDs remain ‘off’.

This circuit can be easily modified to produce a siren in fuse-blown condition (see Fig. 2). An optocoupler is used to trigger the siren. When the fuse blows, red LED glows. Simultaneously it switches ‘ON’ the siren.

Fig.2 Blow- fuse indicator with alarm
Fig.2 Blow fuse indicator with alarm

In place of a bicolour LED, two LEDs of red and green colour can be used. Similarly, only one diode in place of D1 and D2 may be used. Two diodes are used to increase the voltage drop, since the two LEDs may produce different voltage drops.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. My goal is: if the fuse is fine green and load lights up. but if it is broken only the red one glows.

    The problem is:
    i tried this one, but when i removed the fuse yes the red light glows but the load is still turned on. what i was expecting is that if the fuse blows ONLY the red bulb lights up, not the green one and the load. can anyone tell me where am i wrong or its just that this circuit is not the right one for my purpose/goal.

    thanks.

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