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MCB or Porcelain Fuse, Which One Is Better?

We have all seen both MCB and Porcelain fuses used as protection against overload and short circuit. But what’s better is something we’ve always had in the back of our minds. This article describes the pros and cons of each device and where they have an advantage over the other.

How MCB Works

When a short circuit occurs, a large amount of current begins to flow causing the MCB to trip almost immediately. In the event of an overload, it takes a few seconds to trip and interrupt the circuit.

When fault occurs, the bimetallic strip gets heated and deflected by bending. The deflection of the bimetallic strip releases a notch, causing the MCB to get tripped and stops flow of current in the circuit.

To mitigate the risk of overloading and short circuits in the power supply, MCBs are installed.

How Porcelain Fuses Works

Porcelain Fuse consists of a fuse carrier and a base with metal contacts attached. These metal contacts are connected to incoming and outgoing wires.

In the event of an overload, the inner thin wire of the fuse will melt and cut off the electrical current to prevent damage to an appliance or other electrical device.

They protect electrical devices from excess current due to overload by breaking off the circuit. They have a high heat tolerance to ensure that they can withstand a rise in temperature.

Advantages Of MCB Over Porcelain Fuse

MCBs are more current sensitive than a fuse. As soon as they spot anomalies, they immediately trip and break the circuit. 

They can also be reset after they have tripped, which is a huge advantage over fuses. This is one of the main reasons for using MCBs over a fuse as they reusable and hence has less maintenance and replacement cost

Advantages Of Porcelain Fuse Over MCB

The main advantage of this type of fuse is that it can be easily disconnected from the circuit without the risk of coming into contact with the live.

They are devised to be user-friendly for any level of expertise. They also offer swift installations to reduce the possibility of faulty installations.

MCB has many advantages over porcelain fuses, but still, fuses serve as a better alternative for many purposes. They generally have less operating time and are more economical than MCBs. 

They also offer more flexibility as they can be changed to operate at a different load capacity for temporary use. This can be done by changing the thickness of the fuse wire used.

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