Color Fuse Reduces Vehicle Downtime September 2004 Issue Published Date: September 24, 2004
The 1610 series thermal circuit breaker has been designed with new color-coded housings. A resettable alternative for standard plug-in type blade fuses for fuse blocs in vehicles with 12V or 24V electrical systems, the new breaker is expected to reduce downtime caused by blown fuses in trucks, recreational vehicles, specialty vehicles, passenger cars and boats. A color-coding scheme corresponds to the colors of blade fuses compliant with DIN 72581 and SAE J1284 standards. Color coding is said to simplify maintenance and repairs, reduces errors, and increases efficiency. The 1610 series circuit breaker comes in a wide range of current ratings easily identified by color—dark green at 6A; honey at 8A; red at 10A, blue at 15A, yellow at 20A, pearl at 25A and light green at 30A. Compared to a traditional fuse, the 1610 series can be quickly reset, enabling the circuit to be restored with a minimum of downtime and eliminating the possibility of a fuse being replaced with another of the wrong rating. In addition, circuit breaker performance is consistent over time, and thermal circuit breakers can discriminate between in-rush currents and sustained overloads, unlike fuses. The 1610 circuit breaker can protect a variety of loads including fans, windshield wipers, lights and power windows. Pricing is $6 each/500-1,000. E-T-A CIRCUIT BREAKERS, Mt. Prospect, IL. (847) 827-7600.
