The joys of shopping online!

[Hell Razor5543]

Those three legged fuses were designed to meet the strict rules on the Isle of Man!

[CitroJim]

A special fuse to allow both positive and negative legs to be fused simultaneously

Come on Jim you'll be confusing people, that is clearly a 3 phase fuse!!

Love it! You're absolutely right Mick

[CitroJim]

Those three legged fuses were designed to meet the strict rules on the Isle of Man!

Cracker

[bobins]

I think those three legged fuses were designed to overcome the fact that an awful lot of people didn't realise that the two legged ones were directional and they'd been putting them in the wrong way 'round

[GiveMeABreak]

Screwfix Direct are part of the Kingfisher Group, who also owns B&Q.

Yes I used to work for them many moons ago, but just because they are owned by the same umbrella group, doesn't mean they have the same products or suppliers. Take stellantis group, I won't be seeing any Lancia or Maserati components in my Aircross anytime soon even though these are part of the same group.

And yes, I know that the C3 Aircross is built at the Zaragoza Spanish factory that produces the Opel Crossland X which is a similar vehicle in many areas.

[MattBLancs]

I think those three legged fuses were designed to overcome the fact that an awful lot of people didn't realise that the two legged ones were directional and they'd been putting them in the wrong way 'round

The one who put a 10 fuse in place of a one amp as read it as 01 the other way up?


I shudder to think about a three legged fuse finding its way into a PSA vehicle with one of those two position fuse spots (commonly cigarette lighter socket, allowed it to be on permanent live or switched live depending on which pair the boring old 2 legged fuse was occupying) imagine the crazy faults with permanently fed 12 volts to circuits intended to go off with the ignition!

[CitroJim]

I shudder to think about a three legged fuse finding its way into a PSA vehicle with one of those two position fuse spots (commonly cigarette lighter socket, allowed it to be on permanent live or switched live depending on which pair the boring old 2 legged fuse was occupying) imagine the crazy faults with permanently fed 12 volts to circuits intended to go off with the ignition!

Cor yes! The mind boggles

Back along and especially those of us older radio engineers brought up on thermionic valves used to call early transistors 'three-legged fuses'

To be fair, they were quite delicate and would not tolerate any abuse at all, unlike good old valves...

[Gibbo2286]

Back in the day householders used iron nails to replace blown fuses.

[mickthemaverick]

I remember my Dad wrapping a blown plug fuse in kitchen foil to bring my bedside light back to life when I were a lad!!

[MattBLancs]

On the topic of fuses, and of a complete disregard for safety. Take a look at these innocent looking fairy lights.

In particular the plug (about 3:50 in, I think)

[myglaren]

Back in the day householders used iron nails to replace blown fuses.

It is not that long since that I had to dispose of a lot of electrical equipment from a factory unit that was being refurbished. It was quite horrifying how many 13A fuses had been replaced with nails.
Also how the light-boxes had been wired with the switches in the neutral line.

[mickthemaverick]

They are horrendous Matt!! Just shows how the internet has permitted a total dismissal of standards in our country, I shall add that to my list of reasons why the internet was and is a bad idea!!

[CitroJim]

There's a Facebook meme doing the rounds showing different 'emergency' fuses from screws, ring pulls from drinks cans, foil and right up to spanners and big bolts...

One is a live ammunition round rated at, I think, 800 amps... If it blows it gives you a visual and audible alert

Actually not so far off the truth... Some fuses used on 3-phase overhead electricity distribution networks incorporate an explosive bolt to forcibly operate a breaker to ensure that it one phase fuse blows for any reason all three phases are taken offline as bad things can happen if one phase is lost...

These can be spotted high up on the poles and often in the vicinity of pole-mounted transformers that step down the 11Kv to supply a small group of households and outlying farm buildings... Many farms have three-phase supplies and again, if they loose one phase the results can be quite serious... Always best to loose all three...

[CitroJim]

They are horrendous Matt!! Just shows how the internet has permitted a total dismissal of standards in our country, I shall add that to my list of reasons why the internet was and is a bad idea!!

Indeed... It's shocking (no pun intended)... I'm a member of a forum where this is often discussed and the scale of it is truly horrifying...

How this country - and indeed most of the world - has not gone up in flames is quite remarkable. So much is a disaster just waiting to happen...

The worst thing is that BS, CE and UK markings are no guarantee of safety whatsoever now as so much is allegedly counterfeit and the safety compliance marks likewise...

[mickthemaverick]

Couldn't agree more Jim, it's a pity we can't "Brexit" the internet!!