Fuses in Shunyata UK NR/XC power cable mains plugs

[The Attorney]

Originally Posted by GuillaumeB

This is a very common misconception: the fuse in the mains plug is not there to protect the appliance it is powering, it is there to protect the cable.

Well, I did try to exit this particular aspect, but you've cleverly drawn me right back in

It's more accurate to say that the fuse in the mains plug is there to protect both appliance and cable. The 13A fuse is aimed at very high power appliances, like electric room heaters and kettles, that can draw up to 3kW. And 3A fuses for most other things like lamp bases and hifi up to 700W. Less common these days is the 5A fuse for up to 1.2kW. In the modern world, it is of particular benefit in protecting "dumb" appliances that do not have their own internal fuse protection - say old design heaters built before current EU regulations and any modern lampbase.

As I said before, let's drop the plug fuse bypass idea - it's a Pandora's box I wish I hadn't opened. So what's the alternatives?

Some audiophiles do use the schuko socket idea with dedicated radial lines - usually 2 as minimum, 1 for analogue and 1 for digital. Then maybe add further ones dedicated to power amps. This I think is perfectly legal, but any house wiring change requires a qualified electrician to formally certify the end result (they don't have to carry out the work itself, but best if they do). But as you said, you may have to convince them it's a good idea, and put up with some eye rolling.

A simpler route, not requiring an electrician, is to have your power conditioner/distribution block connected to a standard UK socket, but have schuko etc outlets from the conditioner. This means that there's only 1 fuse for the entire hifi system, so a compromise. Both these solutions may have a cost hit when you come to sell any of this, as many UK users would be unfamiliar with the concept.

Another alternative is to fuse roll the UK plug. The simplest thing to try.
But if you're really worried about safety, you should choose a rating more appropriate for the appliance. 3000W with a 13A fuse is a ridiculous amount of overhead for powering a 30W source component, But wait, ALL audiophile fuses are only available in 13A. And most of them are not EU/US certified (the AMR one is). So maybe not so simple after all. But it doesn't matter much, because the correctly rated RCD breaker and internal component fuse will keep you safe in most practical situations.

[John49]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

Wow, very helpful post and information, G. Thanks so much.

+1