Fuse prices and lack of sellers - Has the world gone INSANE? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 06:47:14 am
content: Here in Newfoundland, Canada, apparently Walmart doesn't sell small fuses for multimeters, TVs, stereo's. Neither does home depot. Canadian Tire has stopped selling their own mastercraft brand ceramic fuses for their mastercraft multimeter. Supposedly they will again with another brand or supplier or whatever.And looking around on ebay, the price of simple glass low voltage 0.25A, 0.3A, .4A are insane in NorthAmerica, $40, 50 1 fuse. +$5 for 5 0.5AAnd I had now idea the proper 1000V 44/100A HRC fuses are +$6 for 1 from China, and the price barely drops.And THEY START AT $80 for 1 from the USTHATS INSANE

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 06:59:37 am
content: Quote from: lordvader88 on March 16, 2017, 06:47:14 am5$ a piece in the US for Fluke fuses:http://www.alliedelec.com/fluke-fuse-440ma-1000vb5/70145777/

author: iainwhite
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 11:11:44 am
content: Yeah, Digikey has the same $25 for 5x 440 mA Fluke fuses too (and $46 for 5x of the 11A fuses)http://www.digikey.com/products/en?dc=4600I had trouble getting the 400 mA fuses for my EEVBlog/Brymen 235 in the US but a guy in the UK sells them on eBay (JPS Calibration)http://www.ebay.com/itm/282049300801

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 11:17:02 am
content: I have a metric crap load of 440mA and 11A HRC fuses in stock. Just figuring out the best way to sell them...

author: SingedFingers
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 11:29:02 am
content: I paid 7 GBP which is around 10 USD for a 3A HRC recently for a Fluke 8021 that someone had soldered a wire acrossprobably because they were so expensive to replace.I've got to give the older Flukes their due; they have a 3A HRC in series with a cheaper 2A one. I'm forever blowing the 2A ones and you can get a bag of 10 of them (ceramic body) for 3 USD equiv delivered to the door next day from RS here.Seems to be the best outcome for the pocket.

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 12:28:03 pm
content: >Fuse can handle being put short directly across the output terminals of a 480V 100kva transformer without exploding.>OP is surprised they are expensive.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 12:30:36 pm
content: Ok thanks guysI have a new Brymen 869, and I popped the 0.44A fuse by forgetting to change from mA and swapping the probe, and then trying to measure a voltage. At least every thing I'm currently doing is usually under 12.5V and from a 1A wall wart.I have to remember to treat the dial like the reverse gear of a car. I don't ever remember accidentally reversing, or going forward when I wanted to go back.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 01:15:52 pm
content: Yes, midget (it is a technical term) sized HRC fuses are expensive. Why would Home depot carry it? It is not a costumer stuff, it is only used in professional equipment. I am not suprised, when I cannot buy Metabo drills in the store on the corner, only Bosch.5-8 dollar is the price you can expect for these. Dont buy it from china, you are asking for trouble. Fluke 440mA and 11A fuses are 7 and 9.3 dollar from digikey.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 01:59:11 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on March 16, 2017, 01:15:52 pmNo here they don't even carry small glass fuses like for a TV, same for Walmart of all places.

author: SingedFingers
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 02:15:36 pm
content: They sell screws and tin foil though - what could go wrong

author: djnz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 02:31:40 pm
content: I wouldn't buy those fuses on eBay - lots of counterfeits. For such stuff, I'd either get the real deal from a trusted source, or just short the fuse (which I won't do). An illusion of safety is very bad.For searching websites of reputed distributors, the following part numbers are all good:EDIT: Also added part nos. suggested by others in the thread.Fuse 11A, 1000VAC, 1000VDCFluke 803293Fluke 203406Fluke 203403Littelfuse FLU 011.Cooper-Bussmann (Eaton) DMM-B-11ASIBA URZ DMI 50 199 06.11Mersen (Ferraz Shawmut) FSM11 (X232481)Keysight 2110-1402440mA 1000VAC, 1000VDCFluke 943121Fluke 203414Fluke 203411Littelfuse FLU.44Cooper-Bussmann (Eaton) DMM-B-44/100SIBA URZ DMI 50 210 06.0.44Mersen (Ferraz Shawmut) FSM44/100 (W232480)Keysight 2110-1400Some of these are the exact same part (for example ordering a fluke part will get you one of the others), but the prices are different, so search for all of these to find the cheapest. 11A ones should be aboutUS$9 (fluke / siba)US$6 (keysight), 440mA should be about US$5.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 05:30:33 pm
content: I usually buy fuses from Digikey, except Fluke fuses, those are obscenely expensive there.Think about it though, what does the average consumer need fuses for anymore? Stereo equipment has auto-resetting protection on the speakers in most cases. Other consumer gear the fuse is usually soldered in internally. Most of the time if the fuse blows, there's something else wrong with it anyway. The days of the average semi-handy person fixing something by replacing a blown fuse are for the most part over.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 09:22:03 pm
content: I checked Staples today, an office supply/ printer/phone/PC type store (Canadian chain store and I guess US too ?). And they don't sell fuses. And the tech desk even saidTHEY HAVE REPLACEMENT PLANSSo as I cynically suspected, Walmart and others, figure that if the average non-techie blows a fuse, they will get a new monitor, printer, stereo, etcCram them all to hell, especially since no one around here ever gets to go through dumpsters and find "broken" electronics that just need a fuse replaced.

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 09:29:16 pm
content: Note that Digikey won't send the Fluke branded / part number fuses to Canada. They are not an official supplier here; last time I used Newark. Digikey will sell the Bussman branded ones for the crazy price Bussman wants though. I guess Fluke must have negotiated on price for replacements. Thanks Fluke!I'm telling you man, it's Amazon-Prime-Free-Two-Day-Shipping or bust.

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 09:36:20 pm
content: I think that there might be a uninformed perspective from some that CAT rated fuses should be priced like generic small glass fuses. Fuses rated to comply with the various CAT ratings are not such generic fuses and their prices generally reflect that. And such compliance rated fuses are not likely sold at small brick and mortar stores, not enough sale volume to stock. Still shopping around on-line and mail order is sure to turn up fair prices for them.

author: raspberrypi
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 09:38:20 pm
content: We just replace whole units instead of fuses. Thats how china is going to take over the world when global warming starts to cut off food supplies and oil runs out. They are already buying up farm land in africa.Its crazy how everything is just throw away. $0.01 cent part breaks, just go to walmart and buy a new one for 200 bucks.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 10:55:14 pm
content: I've had multiple stereo receivers given to me "broken" that simply had blown fuses on the speaker outputs.In most cases though what good does it do to replace the fuse? I can count on my fingers the number of devices I've fixed just by replacing the fuse. Occasionally a fuse will suffer a mechanical failure, occasionally a microwave oven door interlock will stick and blow the fuse, but most of the time if the fuse blows it's because a failure has occurred and replacing the fuse will just blow it again immediately.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 11:11:18 pm
content: Quote from: Paul Moir on March 16, 2017, 09:29:16 pmI can put my fuses on Amazon, only question is what QTY. The 11A comes in boxes of 10, and the 400mA in boxes of 20.That's likely too many for most, would bags of 5 be OK?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2017, 11:45:09 pm
content: Depends on the price. A box of each would probably be a lifetime supply for me, but they'd have to be cheap if I were going to buy that many.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 12:01:55 am
content: On the kourney home today I did pass a hardware store thats sells Fluke's and their fuse's for sure. But they were closed. So I look forward to Monday and go there and learn their prices.With the FORCE as my ally, I will not blowup another HRC due a simple mistake.

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 12:07:26 am
content: For about the price of 5 fuses on ebay from the US to Canada, (they share a border), you could buy a Brymen 869$80 per fuse. I wonder what lead to such prices in North America ?

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 12:33:50 am
content: For about the price of 5 Bussmann 1000V 44/100A fuses on ebay from the US to Canada, (they share a border), you could buy a Brymen 869$80 per fuse. I wonder what lead to such prices in North America ?

author: lordvader88
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 01:10:35 am
content: I should fix my bad spelling and grammar in general

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2017, 11:13:04 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 16, 2017, 11:11:18 pmNot sure how the labour or amazon works out, but I think ideally it would be a bag of 5 11A + 10 400ma. I seem to blow fuses in about this ratio. However if 10 11A fuses + 20 400mA fuses cost less than $30, I would just buy that. Less than 5 makes no sense to me at all unless the cost of 5 exceeded $20.Just one opinion to toss into the hat.Lordvader88: those Bussman fuses are always expensive since they have a limited (well, really a captive) and non-price-sensitive market: the industrial market. They just so happen to get used in Fluke multimeters too.Also you can simply get a multimeter that has incorrect input jack use warning, which addresses the most common root causes of blown multimeter fuses. This will limit your need of using the FORCE to at least 50% so you can save your metachlorians for choking people.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 12:03:48 am
content: I think I've blown the 11A fuse once. I've blown the 440mA fuse at least 5 times, it's a lot easier to do that.

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 06:35:23 am
content: Depends on what you're doing.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 05:23:44 pm
content: My old microwave (25 years old) went out last year, simply an internal fuse, had to take the cover off to find it. 9 out of 10 people these days would have pitched it. The fuse must have aged, the microwave is still 100% good, no problems with the rest of it. I got to learn how the triple interlock safety switches work inside it, pretty neat. No problem finding a replacement at Walmart, just an appliance fuse, nothing special there.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 06:15:00 pm
content: Quote from: JoeN on March 18, 2017, 05:23:44 pmWhich internal fuse, the one on the mains side, generally an 8A or 10A ceramic one, or the longer high voltage fuse, that I find generally fails with old age, and which is a $5 part off the shelf, supplied complete with leads. I wonder about the HV ones, they look awfully like a regular 32mm glass fuse, just in a blast proof case.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 06:28:57 pm
content: I've only ever seen a fuse on the mains side in a microwave, and these are some of the only fuses that I've seen blow where replacing the fuse gets it going again.Usually the cause is one of the door interlock switches sticking briefly. Microwave ovens have two interlock switches, one that is normally open, closing and enabling the oven when the door is latched. The other is normally closed, shorting across the primary of the power transformer and opening when the door is latched. If this one sticks, the fuse will blow.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 06:59:37 pm
content: HV fuse is a long black plastic part, with 2 red leads and spade connectors on it, one straight and one right angled. Used from the transformer secondary terminal to the capacitor, and even there on the cheap ones with the nasty thin metal, the CCA transformer and the 36VAC fan and turntable motors driven with a resistive dropper on the switching PCB just above the fan, which also has the fuse and a power relay and inrush limiter there as well so they can use a thinner wire inside the unit.Present on pretty every microwave I have opened in the last decade or so. I keep a few as spare parts to fix microwaves, often removed from ones scrapped from rust in the cavity.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 07:30:35 pm
content: Maybe it's something that's required in your part of the world and not mine? Doesn't sound familiar to me, normally on the secondary side there's just the capacitor, diode and magnetron.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 08:23:27 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on March 18, 2017, 06:15:00 pmIt was a normal fuse, it was near where the mains entered the box, and was replaced with a Bussman 10A ceramic fuse I got from Walmart in a small pack of various sizes. I didn't even see the other ones and I don't remember seeing it in a paper schematic that was taped up inside the microwave enclosure either (that was a weird surprise to find that). This is a really old microwave, from about 1992, 100% mechanical, no ICs at all, no display, just a mechanical timer, and exactly one power level which seems appropriate for most anything that you should be trying to microwave. I love it.

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2017, 08:26:50 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on March 18, 2017, 06:28:57 pmThat may have been it. I remember slamming the door sort of funny when checking what I was cooking (needed more time) and the timer was on so it reengaged immediately and blew. Mine has three switches and what you say is what I noticed in the schematic and though was clever. Two were NO and the third is NC. If the NC one doesn't open up (as it should) when the door is closed, it crossbars the mains and blows the fuse.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2017, 11:39:00 am
content: I have an old (circa 1980) microwave, and eventually the timer wore out. While i could fit another in there, I rather did a simpler mod and put a mains rated pushbutton switch and a industrial timer module, so that I had a 2 minute timer instead, and a single push gives you 2 minutes of operation. Open door and it turns off and resets the timer. I did replace the mains fuse once when it blew from the inside lamp failing. Replaced the lamp a few times, and other than that it is still the same parts as new, and as it has no turntable but a air driven stirring vane in the waveguide feed area it does not wear the cavity.Amazing a KIC microwave still works nearly 40 years on, and is in regular use. Those switches can be a pain when the door wears, as they now use a single plastic latch mechanism that holds the switches and it can deform with time and heat.And yes, every single microwave has a schematic of the wiring inside the cover, complete with the part numbers of the switches and fuses, and with the part numbers for all the things like magnetron, transformer, capacitor and diode. You also in some get a protection diode, basically a 3kV avalanche diode there in case the magnetron fails, to break down with the overvoltage and short out, blowing the mains fuse. A pox though on manufacturers that use a single security screw on the cover, the rest being regular pan head self tapping screws. Takes an extra minute to open the cover every time, and i generally just replace it with a regular generic microwave screw.

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2017, 11:56:03 am
content: I am also looking for a new 440 mA fuse for my U1272A (10 × 35 mm 440 mA/1000 V fast-acting fuse, HRC, SIBA). I just can't convince myself to spend $15 for one - cheap arse, I know

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2017, 01:18:33 pm
content: Some local prices from a known reseller:- ESKA 6,3x32 mm, 1000V, 0,5A, ff, 30kA HRC EUR 1.80- ESKA 10,3x38 mm, 1000V, 10A, ff, 30kA HRC EUR 7.80- SIBA 10x38mm, 1000V, 10A, ff, 30kA HRC EUR 4.99Both are German manufacturers.

author: Nauris
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2017, 02:21:35 pm
content: If you are not going to probe big high voltage battery packs or directly at the transformer, then normal gG 10x38mm cartridge fuse should be good enought, and they cost only like 2€ a piece.

author: MrAl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2017, 03:15:02 pm
content: Hi,When i look around, i see some fuses are cheap like 0.31 cents (USD) each while specialty fuses are more expensive.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2017, 04:17:12 pm
content: Quote from: TheAmmoniacal on March 19, 2017, 11:56:03 amFWIW, the least expensive source I've found for HRC fuses in Agilent/Keysight DMM's, is to buy directly from Agilent/Keysight.Granted I know you're not in the US, but what harm will come from checking it out?