Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?

Subject: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 25 Nov 21 - 09:03 AM

The 13amp fuse in the plug of my wife's JML dri buddi went bang,
and scared the living daylights out of her..

Any idea why the fuse blew under normal use circumstances,
and should it be safe to continue using it with a replaced fuse ?

She'd already ordered a new dri buddi before I could get round to checking the plug..

She loves her dri buddy..
and will probably be even happier if she's got two on the go at the same time...

The new ones are a very different design and don't look as sturdily built..

Cheers..

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 25 Nov 21 - 09:29 AM

A fuse blows because the current through it exceeds the maximum rating. That almost certainly indicates an electrical problem, most likely a short-circuit, in the appliance.

Replacing the plug doesn't fix the problem. It will be likely to simply blow again. If it doesn't that probably just means that the dri buddy has an intermittent problem - like a loose bit of bare wire which occasionally contacts something it shouldn't.

If you're not qualified to investigate and fix it yourself, you could look to find someone who is - there are some local organisations around the country (called things like "repair cafe") where suitably skilled volunteers will help, otherwise you'll need a professional at which point replacement may be more cost effective.

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: GUEST,Derrick
Date: 25 Nov 21 - 09:31 AM

Plug fuses may blow for several reasons,usually if a fault of some kind
has happened.They can also fail through age due to the stress of switch on current which over time weakens the fuse.Is it safe to use?
Inspect the appliance carefully, if there is no obvious damage,burn marks or smell of burning, replace the fuse and see what happens.
If the appliance works all is well,if the appliance is faulty the fuse will blow again. If the latter ditch it or have a qualified person see if it can be repaired.

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Nov 21 - 10:13 AM

We had a bit of damp after a flood in the kitchen so we bought a little Meaco dehumidifier. The kitchen's dry now but we've found that the gizmo is superb at drying clothes hung up on an airer. It even has a clothes-drying setting, and it's very portable. Stick it in the room with the clothes, shut the room door and geronimo, quick-dried clobber!

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: GUEST,Beachcomber
Date: 26 Nov 21 - 04:48 PM

Steve, betcha anything the "Greens" won't like it !!!

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Nov 21 - 05:07 PM

It's probable greener than something that uses heat to dry clothes. Either way the water has to evaporate off the clothes. Using a heater you have to get the warm humid air out of the house, losing the heat. With a dehumidifier you keep the heat from it and tip the water down the drain.

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 Nov 21 - 05:43 PM

We use it on its 300W setting most of the time. Not the worst of the worst!

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 26 Nov 21 - 06:28 PM

We could always hang the washing out here in north Cornwall in the garden. There's always a breeze. But if we tried it tonight with Storm Arwen a-blowing, my underpants, admittedly well-aired, would end up somewhere just outside Paris...

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 28 Nov 21 - 05:19 PM

Sometimes a fuse fails just from getting old and tired, but if one goes with a bang that does indicate a bad fault in the equipment. It would seem desirable to have the fault investigated, because it might be something easily fixable.

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 28 Nov 21 - 08:17 PM

Wrap it with tinfoil and stick it back in.

It worked in the old' days.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Always make sure your fire insurance is current.

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 10:58 AM

Gargoyle's post reminds me of my father.

He'd been a Radar Fitter in the RAF for his national service ("The
Apprentice knows it needs hitting, the Engineer knows where, but only
the Fitter knows how hard!"), and mentioned a similar approach to diagnosing blown fuse failures.

The fuse would be replaced by an appropriate length cut from a 6-inch nail and the kit powered up again. The components that burnt out were then replaced...

I'm not sure how applicable that approach is either to punkfolkrocker's situation, or modern equipment in general, but it raises a smile.

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 10:59 AM

Apologies for the formatting. $DIETY knows what happened.

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: Raedwulf
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 11:17 AM

my underpants, admittedly well-aired, would end up somewhere just outside Paris...

As if Blow-job & Micron haven't managed to create enough of a Diplomatic Incident this last week or so! ;-)

Subject: RE: Tech: UK 13 amp plug fuse ?
From: Raedwulf
Date: 29 Nov 21 - 11:25 AM

Mark - I think it pretty much still is 'current' (pun intended). The point of a fuse is that it is 'blowable'. That it blows means you've been protected. It's been a long, long time (i.e. can't remember) since I had one go.

If one goes, you replace it. If it quickly goes again, check your appliance, there's probably something wrong. If it doesn't blow again, eh, just one of those things. Especially if it's 13A.