Sage-Tips

Why is the fuse in the live wire and not the neutral wire?

7. Why should a fuse be placed in the live wire of a mains circuit? The fuse is connected to the live wire so that the appliance will not become charged (have a potential difference of 230 V) after the fuse has melted due to excessive current.

Can you put a fuse on a neutral?

A single fuse in the neutral conductor provides protection for neutral-to-phase faults, but not for phase-to-ground faults. This is one reason why a single fuse in the neutral is not permitted.

Should fuse be on live or neutral?

The fuse wire is always connected in the live wire of the circuit because if the fuse is put in the neutral wire, then due to excessive flow of current when the fuse burns, current stops flowing in the circuit, but the appliance remains connected to the high potential point of the supply through the live wire.

What happens if a live wire touches a neutral wire?

The neutral wire is touched by the live wire. The path from the live to the neutral wire has very low resistance and will create a short circuit if the large current exceeds the fuse rating. There will be a blow.

Does electricity flow from live to neutral?

The neutral wire completes the circuit, giving a return path for the current. Similarly, when the current flows in the live wire, it flows out the neutral. At any given time, whatever current flows through the live wire, an equal amount (*note 2) flows in the opposite direction through the neutral wire.

Why is the fuse put in the live wire?

Once the fuse has melted, the circuit is broken and no more current flows through the device. The fuse or circuit breaker must be connected in the live wire side of a domestic circuit to ensure that it keeps high voltage from reaching the user, or surroundings, if a fault develops.

Why don’t you get a shock from neutral?

The electric current will flow through our body if the voltage is applied to our body. So when touching the neutral wire standing on the ground there is no voltage applied to our body, therefore no current flow through our body and we do not get the electric shock.

What happens when fuse is connected to neutral wire?

The fuse wire is always connected in the live wire of the electric circuit because if the fuse is somehow put in the neutral wire in the circuit, then due to excessive flow of electric current when the fuse burns, current will stop flowing in the circuit, but the appliance will still remain connected to the high …

Why is fuse wire always place in a live circuit?

What happens if you put a fuse in the neutral wire?

If you connect a fuse in the neutral and if it blows due to any reason, the electric current is broken. The electrical equipment connected stops working due to lack of current flow though the line voltage is present in the equipment.

Why can’t a fuse disconnect a circuit?

Because the fuse can disconnect the circuit only when the excess current flows completely through the neutral. But, a circuit can complete or obtain a conduction pathway either by the neutral or earth.

How do fuses work in electrical circuits?

In an electrical system, the fuses are selected based on the power ratings, based on the maximum safe limit of current allowable to flow through the circuit. So, whenever the current flow through the fuse rise beyond its limit, the fuse will burn out and opens the circuit.

What happens if the current does not return to the neutral?

As far as the current is not returning to the neutral, the current continues its flow. But the circuit will still have the connection to the supply. This results in an electrical damage that can cause serious loss. So, the fuse should have to place at a point where all the algebraic sum of current flows.