The circuit breaker used for protection against overloads and short circuit fault. The circuit breaker works automatically with relay. The relay gives the commands to the circuit breaker during the fault and circuit breaker isolate the equipment from faulty sections. The circuit breaker and fuse are doing same work but the circuit breaker works on the electromagnetism principle and the fuse works on the thermal priciple.
Fuse:
The fuse is electrical device that are made from porcelain or glass having thin piece of conductive wire. When fault occurs in the system, large current flow from the circuit and also from the fuse wire. Due to heating effect fuse wire melt and isolate the fault parts from the circuit.
| Circuit Breaker | Fuse |
|---|---|
| The circuit breaker performs only the Interruption function.The detection of fault is made by a relay system. | The fuse provides both detection and interruption functions. |
| The working of the circuit breaker is not automatic. For automatic working of the circuit breaker requires a relay. | The working of the fuse is fully automatic. |
| The size of the circuit breaker is very large. | The size of the fuse is very small. |
| The fault clearing time for the circuit breaker is very large as 0.1 to 0.2 seconds. | The fault clearing time for the fuse is very small as 0.002 seconds. |
| There are replacements not required after every operation in the case of the circuit breaker. | There are replacements required after every operation in case of fuse. |
| The design of the circuit breaker is complex. | The design of the fuse is simple. |
| The working of the circuit breaker is complex | the working of the fuse is easy to understand. |
| The circuit breaker is an expensive device | the fuse is not an expensive device. |
| The circuit breaker works on the switching and electromagnetism principle. | The circuit breaker works on the thermal and conducting properties of conducting materials. |
| The circuit breaker provides protection against overload and short circuits. | The fuse provides protection against overload only. |
| The Circuit breaker has a high breaking capacity | the fuse has low breaking capacity than the circuit breaker. |
| The circuit breaker gives the indication of overloads | the fuse can not give the indication of overloads. |
| The Circuit breaker depends on the ambient temperature | the fuse can not depend on the ambient temperature. |
| The circuit breaker is available with auxiliary contacts. | In the case of fuse, there are no auxiliary contacts required. |
| The circuit breaker used as ON/OFF switch. | The fuse can not used as ON/OFF switch. |
| The characteristic curve can not shift in case of circuit breaker. | The characteristic curve shifts in case to fuse due to ageing effect. |
| In case of circuit breaker single and multiple poles version is available. | In case of fuse single pole version is available. |
Difference Between Fuse and Circuit Breaker
1. The circuit breaker performs only the Interruption function. The detection of fault is made by a relay system. The fuse provides both detection and interruption functions.
2. The working of the circuit breaker is not automatic. For automatic working of the circuit breaker requires a relay. The working of the fuse is fully automatic.
3. The size of the circuit breaker is very large. The size of the fuse is very small.
4. The fault clearing time for the circuit breaker is very large as 0.1 to 0.2 seconds. The fault clearing time for the fuse is very small as 0.002 seconds.
5. There are replacements not required after every operation in the case of the circuit breaker. There are replacements required after every operation in case of the fuse.
6. The design of the circuit breaker is complex. The design of the fuse is simple.
7. The working of the circuit breaker is complex and the working of the fuse is easy to understand.
8. The circuit breaker is an expensive device and the fuse is not an expensive device.
9. The circuit breaker works on the switching and electromagnetism principle. The circuit breaker works on the thermal and conducting properties of conducting materials.
10. The circuit breaker provides protection against overload and short circuits. The fuse provides protection against overload only.
11. The Circuit breaker has a high breaking capacity and the fuse has low breaking capacity than the circuit breaker.
12. The circuit breaker gives the indication of overloads and the fuse can not give the indication of overloads.
13. The Circuit breaker depends on the ambient temperature and the fuse can not depend on the ambient temperature.
14. In the case of fuse, there are no auxiliary contacts required. The circuit breaker is available with auxiliary contacts.
15. The circuit breaker is used as an ON/OFF switch. The fuse can not be used as an ON/OFF switch.
16. The characteristic curve can not shift in the case of the circuit breaker. The characteristic curve shifts in case to fuse due to the ageing effect.
17. In the case of circuit breaker single and multiple poles version is available. In the case of fuse single pole version is available.