Fuses and Earthing

Question 1

Earthing and fuses prevent [ ]

Answer 1

Electrical overloads

Question 2

Step 1: If a fault develops in which the live wire touches the meta case, then because the case is [ ], too great a [ ] flows through the live wire, through the case and out down the [ ]

Answer 2

earthed
current
earth wire

Question 3

Step 2: This surge in current [ ] when the amount of current is [ ] than the fuse rating. This cuts off the live supply and [ ]

Answer 3

melts the fuse
greater
breaks the circuit.

Question 4

Step 3: This [ ] the whole appliance, making it impossible to get an [ ]. It also prevents risk of fire caused by the heating effect of a large [ ]

Answer 4

isolates
electric shock
current

Question 5

Step 4: As well as people, fuses and earthing are there to protect the [ ] in your appliance from getting fried if there’s a [ ]

Answer 5

circuits and wiring

current surge

Question 6

Describe the rating of fuses

Answer 6

Fuses should be rated as near as possible but just higher than thee normal operating current

Question 7

Describe the relationship between cable thickness, current and fuse rating

Answer 7

The larger the current, the thicker the cable you need to carry it therefore the fuse rating need for cables usually increase with cable thickness

Question 8

Give a brief description of what happens when a fuse/earth wire is used

Answer 8

1) Fault, allows live to touch metal case
2) Big current now flows through out earth
3) Big current surges to earth
Or
1) Fault then big surge in current blows fuse
2) Which isolates the appliance fro the live

Question 9

All appliances with metal cases are usually “earthed” to …

Answer 9

reduce the danger of electric shock

Question 10

What does “earthing” mean?

Answer 10

Means the case must be attached to an earth wire

Question 11

An earthed conductor can never…

Answer 11

become live

Question 12

What does double insulated mean?

Answer 12

If the appliance has a plastic casing and no metal parts showing then it’s said to be double insulated

Question 13

If an appliance is double insulated it doesn’t need an [ ] wire.

Answer 13

Earth

Question 14

What are two-core cables?

Answer 14

Cable that carry only a live and neutral wire

Question 15

What are circuit breakers?

Answer 15

An electrical saftey device used in some circuits. Like fuses, they protect the circuit from damage if too much current flows

Question 16

When circuit breakers detect a surge in current in a circuit, they…

Answer 16

Break the circuit by opening a switch

Question 17

What’s an advantage of using a circuit breaker instead of a fuse?

Answer 17

A circuit breaker can easily be reset by flicking a switch on the device. More convenient than fuses - which have to be replaced once they’ve melted

Question 18

What’s an disadvantage of using a circuit breaker instead of a fuse?

Answer 18

Circuit breakers are a lot more expensive

Question 19

Name a type of circuit breaker

Answer 19

Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB)

Question 20

What are the 3 ways of coping with a current surge?

Answer 20

1) Fuses
2) Earthing
3) Circuit breakers

Question 21

How do RCCBs work?

Answer 21

Normally exactly the same amount of current flows through live and neutral wires.
If somebody touches the live wire, a small + deadly current will flow through them to the earth. This means the neutral wire carries less current than the live.
The RCCB detects the difference and quickly cuts off the power by opening a switch

Question 22

Why are RCCBs safer than fuses? (2)

Answer 22

1) They operate much faster - they break the circuit as soon as there’s a current surge -no time is wasted melting the fuse
2) RCCBs even work for small current changes that might not be large enough to melt a fuse. Since even small current changes could be fatal this means RCCBs are more effective at protecting against electrocution