Fuses? Why can't we have high quality inline circuit breakers

[ack]

I've always been puzzled by this... the high end is fully of tweakery, yet no one has invented a high quality, active circuit breaker that would attach to the male end of the power cord so we can do away with stupid fuses? Really? There surely are those push-button circuit breakers that you usually find in some power distributors and/or power conditioners, and what I am thinking is an elaborate, more transparent implementation specifically as extensions to power cords...

 

[microstrip]

I've always been puzzled by this... the high end is fully of tweakery, yet no one has invented a high quality, active circuit breaker that would attach to the male end of the power cord so we can do away with stupid fuses? Really? There surely are those push-button circuit breakers that you usually find in some power distributors and/or power conditioners, and what I am thinking is an elaborate, more transparent implementation specifically as extensions to power cords...

In most of Europe the answer is very simple - regulations! For safety devices must be independently protected with fuses. It is mandatory, not optional.

 

[ack]

So DartZeel does not sell to most of Europe?

 

[microstrip]

So DartZeel does not sell to most of Europe?

You are right, although they are manufactured in Switzerland they have CE certification. The NH108 was fused but it seems that the NH458 has a circuit breaker. It means there is a way to avoid this requirement. I will try to get an explanation from our distributor.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

You are right, although they are manufactured in Switzerland they have CE certification. The NH108 was fused but it seems that the NH458 has a circuit breaker. It means there is a way to avoid this requirement. I will try to get an explanation from our distributor.

from the darTZeel NHB-458 manual;

"there is not any fuse to replace. The thermal breaker is only intended to protect the machine and your installation against catastrophic failure. No Fuse, better Sound!"

from NHB-458 press information;

"for the first time in darTZeel history, the main AC fuse has been replaced by a sophisticated thermal breaker, located on the rear panel. Not only this thermal breaker is easy to re-activate by pushing the button/key, it allows for a much better electrical contact, a mandatory thing here considering the huge current peaks involved."

i've been told that these thermal breaker/couplers are very expensive; but i have no idea about that myself.

 

[FrantzM]

With all this talk, we'll soon see cryo-treated circuit breakers with the obligatory high price tag. Where does it stop ? No emoticons for shaking/hanging my head?

About cryo-treated things. How does one ascertain the component in question has , indeed been cryo-ed?

 

[microstrip]

With all this talk, we'll soon see cryo-treated circuit breakers with the obligatory high price tag. Where does it stop ? No emoticons for shaking/hanging my head?

About cryo-treated things. How does one ascertain the component in question has , indeed been cryo-ed?

Nice. You do not comment fuses in another thread (I hope that it was not because they are too cheap) but it seems that expensive breakers are a much more interesting subject.

 

[FrantzM]

microstrip
I need to visit you so that we spar on everything ... I am way very serious. Yours is one European country I don't know yet and with the music, the food, the scenery and the ad infinitum discussions I will be gratified

Who says $100 for a fuse is not expensive? I do.

 

[microstrip]

microstrip
I need to visit you so that we spar on everything ... I am way very serious. Yours is one European country I don't know yet and with the music, the food, the scenery and the ad infinitum discussions I will be gratified

Who says $100 for a fuse is not expensive? I do.

You are welcome anytime!

Considering prices I think that the $100 fuse is cheaper than the $10k power conditioner you supported in another thread. According to my maths it is just 1%.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i don't think it's starts out as money with Frantz, it's whether it fits his view of engineering logic. if not then it becomes the money.

for me; it's whether it sounds good to me. if i like it then it becomes whether i can get my wife to let me buy it, or whether i can sneak it into the room.

the money is never the issue; just staying married.

 

[garylkoh]

Mike, you are lucky to have a lovely wife who lets you indulge in this hobby. I'm sure that isn't the money. When you buy something new, you spend more time listening

My wife would never let me be home and yet spend so much time away from her listening to music! (Time asleep doesn't count).

 

[garylkoh]

Fuses.....

Back OT, I'm sure that it's regulations all around the world. We have cascades of fuses (and hence I'm sure that this is a profitable product at $100 each!!). In the UK (and Singapore and other places that uses that particular plug) there is also a fuse inside the plug itself. When we use a power conditioner, another fuse is frequently added on the conditioner.

One audiophile I know bought a power conditioner, and then hard-wired his entire system into the power conditioner. The power conditioner doesn't have a fuse, but is protected by a breaker. First he hard-wired the power cords to the power conditioner (eliminating one socket and plug), then he hard-wired the power cords to each component (eliminating one socket, IEC, and one fuse). Each step was an improvement. I know that he's now contemplating hard-wiring the power conditioner directly to the breaker panel.

The entire system would be protected by one thermo-magnetic breaker on the power conditioner, and an ordinary circuit breaker on the panel.

 

[daytona600]

bit like transistors killing off the Tube , circuit breakers where supposed to kill off the fuse but never will
breakers good for overload protection , but fuses can,t be beaten for short circuit protection ( 300ka 300,000amps breaking capacity ) & provide overcurrent protection as well

selling circuit protection for 25years , volumes are just to small for big companies like Ge ABB to make special audiophile circuit breakers
then get them certified and approved for world markets
Same with fuses bussmann , littelfuse , ferraz do not make audiophile fuses
most are just COTS commercial of the shelf fuses like 5x20mm but plated end caps , cryo etc

cleaning your mains can also save the planet

Nb - my system is powered from my 6kwp ( 6,000watts )PV system no nasty emc/rfi/dc from the mains
also powers the whole house & balance about 75% i sell to the grid and get paid
pv inverter basically a regen unit from dc pv panels to ac mains

sounds better than the mains & the sun never sends you a bill

answer before the question is asked
what happens at night , mine has a dual on/off grid system with battery back-up
1.000watts for 8hours , ideal in a power cut for the hifi , fridge , pc , shower etc

 

[JackD201]

What's PV? You have a 6kW solar system?!!!!!!!

 

[daytona600]

PV photovoltaic - solar system
different english across the pond jack

 

[Speedskater]

A "PV photovoltaic - solar system " and Scotland is an oxymoron.

 

[daytona600]

works in any light condition , bright , diffuse , cloudy even the south pole
even in scotland

create your own energy its free or don,t and leave your children nuclear & fossil fuels to fxxk the planet

 

[c1ferrari]

"Elimination of the power supply rail fuses from the signal path..." is featured in the BAT Rex Power amp.

BAT states amplifier protection is now achieved via electronic protection circuits.
Perhaps, this can be construed as an inline circuit breaker