Star Tech Journal

STAR*TECH Journal
December 1987
(1D]
Fuse Substitution Box
By Video Jim Ennis
Ocean City, Maryland
Here's a tip that will save you rroney on
all those blown fuses when
troubleshooting. I simply built a box
shown in Figure #1 using various size
circuit breakers.
In mine, I used a 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20.
You may not need as many depending on your
application. The cost is also a factor
because the prices on the breakers can
range anywhere from 1about $2.00 to $6.00
depending on the quality of the breaker
and where they are purchased. They are
available from alrrost any electronics
store.
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You will also need a toggle switch for
each breaker, and you want to make sure
the switch is rated for a high enough
amperage corresponding with the breaker.
To build this box the only other parts
needed are:
* A type of chassis box,
* Some wire, (at least 18 gauge), and
* Alligator clips.
It is wired according to the schematic in
Figure #2.
NOI'E: In using this in troubleshooting,
make sure you only have one switch on at a
time. I tried to find a rotary switch so
that you could only select one breaker at
a time, but I could not find one rated a
high enough amperage.
Also, renerrber, never overfuse any circuit
because of the possibility of wiping out a
whole lot rrore than your original problem,
and it could also cause a fire hazard.
I ended up with a total cost of about
$35.00, but when considering the cost of
fuses and the trouble of changing them
when trying to isolate a problem, it is,
in my opinion, well worth it.
To
CLIP LEADS