Fuses and circuit breakers

Fuses are devices used to protect against too much electricity flowing into the circuits in a house. They are made from wire that strongly resists the electric current. If too high a current flows through the wire it becomes so hot it melts, breaking the electric circuit and stopping the electrical flow.

Many houses have circuit breakers rather than fuses. The advantage of circuit breakers is that they are easy to reset. When too high a current passes through the circuit breaker, the heat it generates or the magnetic field it creates causes a trigger to rapidly separate the pair of contacts that normally conduct the current. This breaks the circuit and cuts off electricity to the house. The circuit breaker can be reset by flicking a switch and used over and over again.

Learn more about electrical safety