Nearly everything around us runs on some form of electricity. For example, the coffee you took this morning was most likely made in an “electrical” coffee maker. Even the screen you’re reading this post on uses electricity.
This means that just as much as electrical products are popular, electrical hazards are just as equally likely. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), nearly 51,000 fires occur every year which are related to electrical mishaps.
This is where Thermal Fuses come in to provide an extra level of security and prevent a majority of electrical hazards from occurring. And that’s exactly why you need high-quality thermal fuses that NEVER fail under operation.
What is a thermal fuse and how does it work?
A thermal fuse is a heat-sensitive safety device that is designed to break the electrical circuit under unsafe conditions.
As the name suggests, a thermal fuse works by responding to high-temperature values. Whenever current flows through a wire, it heats up, which is exactly the principle thermal fuse uses for its operation.
Thermal fuses use a bimetallic strip that bends and breaks when the wire overheats, thereby preventing electrical current from flowing in the circuit. Once the circuit breaks, you will need to replace the thermal fuse if you want your electrical appliance to work again.
Why do thermal fuses need to be replaced?
Many circuit breakers don’t need to be replaced once they are tripped, however, that is not the case with thermal fuses. So, what’s the significance of using a safety device that doesn’t reset itself and is needed to be replaced every time it is tripped?
This is because thermal fuses are specifically designed to protect electrical appliances from overheating. If it has been tripped, there are chances that the issue which caused it to trip still persists and needs to be addressed.
For example, if the thermal fuse breaks in a hair dryer it might be because the dryer’s exhaust vent is blocked, or its heating element is malfunctioning. As the hair dryer is very close to our skin, it is necessary to take every extra safety precautions.
Applications of Thermal Fuses
There are many applications that utilize thermal fuses, here are a few of them:
1. Appliances
Thermal fuses are frequently used in household appliances such as dryers, microwave ovens, washing machines, and several other devices that can overheat and cause electrical fires.
2. Electrical Devices
Computers, cellphones, tablets, and even chargers of such devices feature thermal fuses.
3. Industrial Equipment
Motors, transformers, pumps, generators, and many other industrial equipments normally utilize more than one thermal fuses.
4. Automotive
Thermal fuses are used in vehicles and are found in components such as electrical systems, motors, exhaust systems, engine cooling systems, air conditioning systems, and more.
How To Make Sure Your Safety Device Is From A Legit Supplier
As thermal fuses are primarily used for safety, we need to be 100% sure that they are reliable. This is possible only when you order your electronic component is from a legit distributor, like TME, with a proven track record.
Here are a few ways that can help you find trustworthy electronic component distributors online, so you can make sure that none of your incredibly vital safety devices – thermal fuse – fail under operation.
1. Avoid Obvious Red Flags
Almost every scammer website would have some obvious red flags that you should avoid if you want to find legit distributors. These red flags can be:
- offers that are too good to be true – either suspiciously cheap or too mind-blowing
- irregularity in data displayed on website
- too many mistakes on website as this shows unprofessionalism
- limited or no info offered by the distributor
2. The Electronic Component Distributors Know Their Product
One of the biggest hints that you are dealing with a legit distributor is that they really know their product. You could ask them for details by reaching out through the contact form, and if they are genuine, they would definitely reply back.
3. They Provide All The Relevant Info About The Electronic Component
Electronic Components are complex devices with a lot of specifications. So, even if it’s difficult to provide all the relevant details about the component, legit distributors wouldn’t mind going out of their way to offer this information.
TME, for example, does this by displaying their products in an easy-to-understand with organized view. Their website offers 400,000 products and yet they are organized in their relevant lists. For thermal fuses, you can easily find one with your unique specification by sorting on their website in different ways including current rating, voltage rating, fuse size, operating temperature, and more.
4. Ask The Community
In the age of internet, getting opinions from people all over the world is incredibly easy. After all, all it takes is a couple of extra clicks. So, go ahead and visit forums, groups, and community website to inquire about the authenticity of your distributor.
One of the ways asking the community could work for you is if you ordered your electronic components from reputable business websites like Newegg. These websites usually act as curators for the product that you want. So based on their review you can judge the genuineness of the distributor. And if they are offering the product that you have your eyes on, you can safely place order with them knowing that it has already gone extra quality checks on this curator website.
Conclusion
Thermal fuses are safety devices that are also highly reliable. They can be used in a variety of applications and the best part about them is that they are very cost-effective.
Overall, they ensure a safe and reliable operation, with an extra layer of protection against electrical hazards in a huge range of applications. As thermal fuses control our safety, take every extra precaution to make sure you have a genuine product.
Get Your Thermal Fuses From TME
TME has been in the business of supplying high-quality electronic components for more than 33 years. It began as a small shop in 1989 in Lodz, Poland, founded by the brothers Zbigniew and Adam Kuczyński.
Over the years, TME has enhanced its services, thanks to wisdom-filled decades of experience. And along the way, TME has acquired standard quality certifications including ISO:9001 and ISO:14001.
Today, TME is the major supplier of electronic components in more than 150 countries and maintains its subsidiaries in 11 countries including Germany, Italy, the USA, Netherlands, the UK, and of course its home country – Poland.
TME offers around 400,000 unique electronic products and maintains a very high stock for each type. For example, TME offers over 353 types of Thermal Fuses and maintains a stock of each type of around 9,000 units. This means you can order as many as you like without worrying about undesired waiting-in-queue time. Click here to get started or visit this link to learn more https://www.tme.com/us/en-us/katalog/thermal-fuses_100089/.
