Where to buy ATC (closed) blade fuses? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 01:32:02 pm
content: I've searched all over but cannot find anyone who can deliver ATC (closed) blade fuses; the type used in potentially explosive atmospheres (petrol engine compartments, batter charging enclosures, boats/caravans using LPG, etc). Everyone seems to think that ATO and ATC are the same thing these days, but they really aren't. I know Eaton/Bussman used to make a kit with ATC fuses but it seems these now contain ATO (open). Grateful for any pointers.

author: DBecker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 03:52:34 pm
content: If you need only a few, rather than production quantities, check automotive parts suppliers. The specialty BMW suppliers in the US sell high quality ATC fuses with full thickness contact blades. (Chain parts stores typically sell Chinese made ATO fuses with thin blades. It's a known issue that these fit loosely in old fuse boxes, causing burnt contacts.)

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 05:52:41 pm
content: IT looks like blue sea is using a sealed lid for their ignition rated products. I.e.https://www.bluesea.com/products/7725/SafetyHub_100_Fuse_BlockBut cooper lists their ATC productshttp://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/bussmann/edison/products/ul_fuses_generalpurpose/automotive_fuses/blade_fuses.htmlas ignition protected also.Searching for 'bussman ATC-5m' yielded a few results, so dig through the cooper datasheet, and find some specific part numbers you want, and go with that.Or retrofit a sealed fuse block, if you can, put sealed fuses in to double up on protection, and if you ever get in a situation where only ATO is available, you're still safe.

author: georges80
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 09:13:18 pm
content: Digikey has ATC fuses. In the US I buy stuff like that from Waytekwire - but they have a minimum qty for such items, which of course means I have a lifetime supplye.g.https://www.waytekwire.com/products?pSearch=atc%20fuse&sc=1367&Fuse-Type=ATCDon't buy ebay/chinese fuses - you have NO idea what their true rating is and the blade quality tends to be garbage.cheers,george.

author: Lomax
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 10:31:13 pm
content: Thanks everyone - not for the first time I feel a tinge of jealousy for not living in the US, where it seems almost anything is available (will resist temptation of making a political joke here). I do have a Blue Sea semi-sealed enclosure which claims to be "ignition protected" - but the damn fuses I bought to put in it are a smidgen too tall to be able to fit the lid on with them installedIt came with a single 15A ATC fuse from Japanese "Pacific Engineering Corporation", which has a 12mm tall sealed (closed) polycarbonate body and looks to be of very high quality (it even includes a nice pair of test points on the top) - while my 2A ATO fuses from Italian MTA, which Ithoughtwould be well designed and usable despite being ATO (courtesy of the sealed enclosure), have a body measuring 13.5mm from blade exit to top, and are too tall for the Blue Sea enclosure's lid. I don't know who's at fault here; Blue Sea or MTA, but since I'm already in for a pretty pound on the fuse holder and the useless MTA fuses, I wanna make sure I get it right next time and whatever fuses I get will be usable in any enclosure/environment, whether it calls for ATC or not.Quote from: georges80 on August 14, 2017, 09:13:18 pm@georges80: I've seen the Bussmann/Eaton fuses at DigiKey, butprice is a tiny bit better at RS- though at £0.50+VAT a pop they're hardly cheap! I also checked Farnell, TME, Mouser and Rapid - plus a lot of searching on eBay (US/GB/EU), Amazon (US/GB/DE) and general hunting in various search engines (google, DuckDuckGo). But this is where things getreallycomplicated; apparently Bussmann/Eaton supply both ATO and ATC fuses underthe same or very nearly the same part numbers, and according to alarge number of reviews on Amazonwill even mix them up. There is no way to be sure aboutanythinghere. For example, a Bussmann BK/ATC-2 issupposedlyan ATC fuse, while a BK/ATC-5 is in fact an ATO, and to get a 5A ATC fuse you'd need to get the BK/ATC-5M. This fromtheir owndatasheet:QuoteIf a world-leading manufacturer/distributor of blade fusesthemselves do not know the differencebetween ATC and ATO blade fuses, then what hope is there?Quote from: georges80 on August 14, 2017, 09:13:18 pmQuite happy to buy things on eBay - but only when I can ascertain what it is I'm buying. And Ineververy rarely buy anything from a seller who isn't 1) based in the US/UK/EU and 2) seems to understand the products that they sell. If their listed items include (fake) perfume and trainers I will avoid them. Similarly if their username is along the lines of "luckyshop2017", "happydeal315" or "speedysavings".