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Ever thought about ... ?

I was asked a series of interesting questions this week about fault protection and overload protection for a particular application. Some of these really make you think, and the physics doesn't always lead you where you think you'd go.


Dropping out of all this, was me pointing out something interesting which I wonder whether it's ever crossed the minds of contributors to this Forum ... so here goes.


Ever thought about what, in typical UK installations, protects the electronics in a plug-in [to a standard BS 1363-2 socket-outlet] phone charger / wall-wart type power converter against:

(a) Fault current (consider both cases of L-N and L-PE); and

(b) Overload current ?





Parents
  • Sparkingchip:
    Sparkingchip:

    What sort of question is that to ask of a guy with a lightning charger lead dangling over the arm of the settee immediately next to him?


    Being an Ipad lightning lead the terminals are exposed to touch and every so often I feel a tingle when I put by bare elbow on it, guess what it is plugged into?



     




    So the worst that can happen is?




    Depends what's causing the tingles. In terms of failure of protection against fault current, well, if there's a fault, but inadequate protection, the worst is fire and/or small explosion I guess.


Reply
  • Sparkingchip:
    Sparkingchip:

    What sort of question is that to ask of a guy with a lightning charger lead dangling over the arm of the settee immediately next to him?


    Being an Ipad lightning lead the terminals are exposed to touch and every so often I feel a tingle when I put by bare elbow on it, guess what it is plugged into?



     




    So the worst that can happen is?




    Depends what's causing the tingles. In terms of failure of protection against fault current, well, if there's a fault, but inadequate protection, the worst is fire and/or small explosion I guess.


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