Spare Fuses

Do most people carry spare fuses for the 12V fuse panel?

Yes, but with the caveat that they are branded, good quality ones (it seems that cheap, non-brand fuses can be too high resistance and cause problems with sensitive electronic equipment).

Yes, we carry  spare 12V and a variety of plug fuses too.

This trip we wish we’d brought a spare 10 amp slow blow fuse for the mains side of the Truma Combi 6 as well. Never had one go before and we have not found one in Spain so far. Not that we can get at the thing to remove or replace it....

Just to add; we have been glad that we carry a spare 13 amp plug as well and wish we had brought two. We’ve had to replace kettle and microwave this trip and you can’t just strip off the old moulded plugs and you can’t buy UK plugs in Spain.

I've carried a variety of fuses and bulbs in all my cars for as long as I can remember.

As Spospe says - cheap ones can be a false economy. They are often stamped out of thinner metal, which means that the contact at each end does not grip as tightly - the result from that can be overheating and a partially melted fusebox.

Incidentally, the best type (IMO) to get are ones like the blue one in the photo above - you can see from this that it has a window in the face, so you can typically tell if it's blown without taking it out (but not always) and also it has test points on the face - so again you can test it without unplugging it.

"Glow blow" can also be handy, though I was not impressed with the overall quality of the last lot I bought...

Thanks for all the replies. 
I am now convinced I need to carry a supply of spare fuses for the EC500 fuse panel. Looks like they might fit the EM40 too.

I think it is a fairly well established principle that so long as I have spares in the van, then that means I will never blow a fuse.

I think I need a set of "blade fuses" with size "Regular".  5A 10A 20A

-mojo- wrote:Incidentally, the best type (IMO) to get are ones like the blue one in the photo above - you can see from this that it has a window in the face, so you can typically tell if it's blown without taking it out (but not always) and also it has test points on the face - so again you can test it without unplugging it.

@Mojo
I have had a close look at the blue 15A fuse #3. Your right about the front window and test points.
I think the dealership have replaced it, it is supposed to be a red 10A for the electric step.
I like the design, do you know where can I get more like this?

Sorry, but I don't! I've bought on Ebay before and simply go by what the photo shows. However, I make a point of buying from a UK seller and not directly from China (though I buy lots of other minor things that way).

Spospe wrote:Yes, but with the caveat that they are branded, good quality ones (it seems that cheap, non-brand fuses can be too high resistance and cause problems with sensitive electronic equipment).

Interesting point as I use a bulk Halfords fuse box so wonder if they are a problem?  I always though a fuse was a fuse bar quick blow/slow blow etc.

PLOUGHLIN wrote:I wonder where the UK seller buys his stock from?

Of course, but then if they buy in big quantities they get to say what spec they want, and there's comeback (in terms of a big lost contract) if the spec "drifts" with time - as I'm led to believe it often does with Chinese suppliers. But an individual has almost no comeback at all (other than posting it back to China for a refund!).

-mojo- wrote:Sorry, but I don't! I've bought on Ebay before and simply go by what the photo shows. However, I make a point of buying from a UK seller and not directly from China (though I buy lots of other minor things that way).

I examined the fuse again. It is an IMAXX 32V and Google doesn't show anything for that so sadly I won't getting those again.

Now I know what to look for, I went to Halfords and got something similar, don't have the window but do have the test points.

I feel better now.  Obviously now I have them, I wont need them. Thanks again.

Peter Brown wrote:

Spospe wrote:Yes, but with the caveat that they are branded, good quality ones (it seems that cheap, non-brand fuses can be too high resistance and cause problems with sensitive electronic equipment).

Sorry but I cant get my head around this statement.  A fuse is a resistor of a value that will cause the metal that it is made from to melt and break the circuit if a current higher than its fuse rating is passed through it.  The higher the value of resistance, the lower the current rating of the fuse.  For any given fuse rating, the value of resistance wrt to the melting point of the material it is made from is fixed.

 Peter, the important thing about a thermal fuse (the ones under discussion) is that it is the fuse wire which should be the limiting factor and nothing else. I have seen some low quality unbranded fuses where the blades were of (probably) steel and quite high resistance compared to tinned copper blades. The effect was that the fuse assembly became quite hot as the blade / holder resistance was higher than it should be. The effect over time was damage to the fuse holder assembly.

These low quality fuses will probably work OK in a surge situation, caused, say by a sudden short-circuit, but can cause long term damage if protecting a circuit carrying an appreciable current (say 70%+) of its rating. The other effect that they can cause as a result of their higher than desired resistance, is to upset sensitive electronic equipment which "sees" a lower than expected voltage as a result of the higher resistance.

Off to check my spare fuses with a) a magnet and b) destruction 

Peter Brown wrote:

Jaytee wrote:Off to check my spare fuses with a) a magnet and b) destruction 

I recommend you get replacements before destruction or you know what will happen....................

Ha ha, yes, agree. Only going to open one of my spares up and see what it's made of.

I have used some 12v resettable trip fuses for about 20 years I have moved on from van to van.
They don't seem very popular now and mainly advertised for Marine use, they now only seem to be available from 5a to 30a you used to be able to buy them from Maplins but they don't stock them now.
check the link.

Alf

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My previous van had blade fuses with built in LEDs, when the fuse blew it glowed. They sell at Halfords and online(much cheaper)

crosgor wrote:My previous van had blade fuses with built in LEDs, when the fuse blew it glowed. They sell at Halfords and online(much cheaper)

yes but with the trip fuse you just turn back,   on you don't need to buy new fuse.

Alf

Quilter wrote:Yes, we carry  spare 12V and a variety of plug fuses too.

This trip we wish we’d brought a spare 10 amp slow blow fuse for the mains side of the Truma Combi 6 as well. Never had one go before and we have not found one in Spain so far. Not that we can get at the thing to remove or replace it....

Just to add; we have been glad that we carry a spare 13 amp plug as well and wish we had brought two. We’ve had to replace kettle and microwave this trip and you can’t just strip off the old moulded plugs and you can’t buy UK plugs in Spain.

You can buy a universal plug adapter that gives a UK connection in a Spanish  shop. I have one.

Micky

Being the cynic I am I carry enough electrical spares, fuses, bulbs, wire, multimeter, cable crimps to rewire the thing if I had to!!

IanH wrote:Being the cynic I am I carry enough electrical spares, fuses, bulbs, wire, multimeter, cable crimps to rewire the thing if I had to!!

Ha ha, same here including jump leads and a lump hammer