add inline fuse in ac power cord


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Old 08-19-06, 12:09 PM
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add inline fuse in ac power cord

I need to add an inline fuse to an AC power cord. The unit does not have a 3 wire cord either. I am adding a cord with a ground and transferring from a plastic case to metal. I will ground the case and want to add an inline fuse. I was planning to add the fuse in the balck wire. Would that be correct?
 
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Old 08-19-06, 12:14 PM
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Yes, the black or hot wire is the proper place to install a fuse. But you have me curoius. Why are you adding the fuse. Please post the details.
 
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Old 08-19-06, 01:50 PM
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I am doing a project at work. This unit powers a 104 watt ring heater. My boss doesn't like plastic boxes and wants it in a metal box. It also has a very old AC plug with no ground on it.So he wants the AC cord changed, the box grounded to the heater fixture, box changed and grounded and a fuse added.
 

Last edited by ghamilton; 08-19-06 at 02:10 PM.
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Old 08-19-06, 02:16 PM
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Let me get this right. You are doing electrical work on a bit of equiptment that is used in either a commercial or industrial application??????


Your boss asked you to do the work, cause he is too cheep to hire a licenced electrician, so you came here to get the details on how to do it right.

Dude, If you do not even know which wire to put the fuse in, you are over your head. I don't know why people think that electrical is as easy as ... daym.. never mind.

Bail out dude. You do not want to be responsible for the if something goes wrong part of this project.
 
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Old 08-19-06, 04:18 PM
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Thanks for the info. The one mistake I made was posting here to make sure I was doing it right. Remember that I asked if what I thought the way to do it was right? I had the right answer but wanted to double check it here. If you want to get a bad attitude then maybe you should not post here.
 
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Old 08-19-06, 11:03 PM
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With what you are doing there is a very real possibility of liability civil and criminal not to mention your conscience if something goes wrong.

What goes wrong might not even be because of your work but because you modified a manufactured device the fact you altered it might be enough to make a lot of trouble for you.

Manufacturers build things in a certain way sometimes for reasons you might not even be aware of..
 
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Old 08-20-06, 07:33 AM
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adding a inline fuse ,certainly dosnt modify the device in any way .sounds like you guys have never worked in a industrial enviorment . things are commanly modified to suit the needs . it s far diffrent than homeowner DIY type stuff.

the OP was just asking for confirmation , he had it right , he sounds competenat I suspect his modification will be just fine.
 
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Old 08-20-06, 10:48 AM
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I do currently work in a commercial/ industrial enviornment. Any changes like the one discribed above would be made by qualified persons. Either the inhouse maint dept, or subcontracted to an electrical contractor, or sent to a rework shop.

All of the above would know which line the fuse goes in.

Taking a factory cord out of an equipment, changing the junction box, and installing a new cord is about as close to the definition of modification as it gets. Any mfg would void thier warentee for sure if this were done by unqualified persons, and probably even then.

If I were to do this at work I would have to choose a type size and class fuse holder and fuse for the equipment. I have the tools and proper connectors for making all the connections properly.

IMHO DIY ends when a person leaves thier own home.
 
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Old 08-20-06, 11:35 AM
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I have to back jwhite on this one.

The OP showed very little electrical knowledge by asking the question they did. A person with such limited knowledge should never make repairs or alterations in a commercial setting.


Insurance companies; liability, workmans comp, and the premises insurer would have a problem with what has been done.

I have no problem with the actual alteration neccessarily but if the OP is taking on things that require such minimal knowledge, what is the limit?

I do work for a company that has an "I can do it" guy. He nearly killed himself (actually) by not having a basic knowledge of or concern for electricity. One Sunday he cost the company a $500 service call because of his fiddling with things.

This past week I was first shocked, then removed an extension cord that had 3 splices in it, ALL of which were performed by merely twisting the wires together and leaving the twists exposed. (talk about getting p.o'd at somebody)

Bottom line: if you do not have at least the basic knowledge to answer the OP's question, you should not be doing electrical work, ESPECIALLY for an employer.
 
 

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