Blown fuse make-do

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Blown fuse make-do

geekIT

2421 posts

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#319911 13-Jun-2025 16:25

I've just blown a 20a fuse and only have 5a,10a and 15a fuse wire. I can't get any 20a fuse wire until next week. Can I twist up existing fuse wire as a temp make-do? Like 2 x 10 or 1 x 15 plus 1 x 10 etc?

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pih

649 posts

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#3383719 13-Jun-2025 16:36

I'd say your best bet is to use the 15A fuse wire in the meantime and don't stress the circuit.

nitro

658 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3383722 13-Jun-2025 16:42

this is probably the safest thing to do. however, on the balance of having blown a 20A fuse, it might not work for you. have you sorted what caused the overload?

Ge0rge

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#3383723 13-Jun-2025 17:07

What voltage are we talking?

geekIT

2421 posts

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#3383725 13-Jun-2025 17:10

Thanks guys. I'd already put in a 15a, maybe it'll hold. It blew because of a thumb-fingered accidental short :)

Edit: 240v, Ge0rge.

'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.' Voltaire

'A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.' Edward Abbey

Scott3

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#3383759 13-Jun-2025 19:12

230 V nominal in NZ (although the +/- 6% tolerance allows for 216 to 244 Volts, and we are considering changing to =/- 10%)

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You caused a short with your hand, which was enough to blow a 20A fuse? Scary stuff.

Best practice after an decent electrical shock is to soon after have an ECG done to check the state of your heart.

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johno1234

2809 posts

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#3383760 13-Jun-2025 19:14

Probably best we stop asking questions at this point!

Suggest you purchase a plug-in 20A MCB and throw the porcelain one away. Switch the main switch off before doing this as pulling those things out is potentially risky with thumb-fingers! 🤣

Radiotron

180 posts

Master Geek

#3383775 13-Jun-2025 20:38

If you have an old paxolin (or worse) board with rewireable fuses, strongly suggest a board replacement is in order.

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pdh

345 posts

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#3383815 14-Jun-2025 00:32

>230 V nominal in NZ (although the +/- 6% tolerance allows for 216 to 244 Volts, and we are considering changing to =/- 10%)

Interesting that our neighbourhood Voltage averages above 235.
Looking at the past 30 days, regular dips into the 226-229 range and regular peaks above 241.
Haven't done a calculated average - but a Mk 1 eyeball avg is 236.

Is there no risk if we suddenly let max acceptable Voltage rise from 244 to 253 (6% to 10%) ?
Or have we been saying +6% on 240 (ie: 254) until recently.
I know a lot of countries have dropped from 240 to 230 nominal - are we one of them ?

Jase2985

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#3383816 14-Jun-2025 01:11

pdh:

>230 V nominal in NZ (although the +/- 6% tolerance allows for 216 to 244 Volts, and we are considering changing to =/- 10%)

Interesting that our neighbourhood Voltage averages above 235.
Looking at the past 30 days, regular dips into the 226-229 range and regular peaks above 241.
Haven't done a calculated average - but a Mk 1 eyeball avg is 236.

Is there no risk if we suddenly let max acceptable Voltage rise from 244 to 253 (6% to 10%) ?
Or have we been saying +6% on 240 (ie: 254) until recently.
I know a lot of countries have dropped from 240 to 230 nominal - are we one of them ?

your 235-236V average, along with your peak of 241V is within the range of the current voltage limits, 216 to 244 Volts, so there is no issue there. NZ runs on 230V.

No issues with going to +10%

Scott3

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#3383818 14-Jun-2025 01:12

NZ has been 230V for a long time, Queensland, only moved to 230V in 2020.

Seems the +/- 10% thing is happening, rather than just being considered.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/supercharging-residential-solar-power-generation

+/- percentages are from the nominal voltage (230v). Above link says NZ appliance standards have required +/- 10% since the 1980's, so yeah, it's not expected to cause issues.