Difference between Fuse and Circuit Breaker

A fuse is a metallic piece of wire which melts when excessive current flows through it. Compared to fuse, a circuit breaker is a complex electrical device which comprises of different components. Both circuit breakers and fuse serve the same purpose i.e. to stop excessive current for protection of the circuit. But how are they different? This post illustrates the differences between fuse and circuit breaker.


FuseCircuit breaker
Symbol: fuse-symbolSymbol: circuit-breaker-symbol
Has small operating timeHas large operating time
Needs replacement after every operationNo need of replacement after operation
Its breaking capacity is smallHas large breaking capacity
Is simple in constructionIs complex
Low costIs expensive
Is easy to installIs comparatively difficult to install
Takes time after operationCan be reset quickly after operation
Characteristic curve changes with ageCharacteristic curves stay same with age
There is a chance of replacing a fuse with other fuse having different ratingNo change of error while replacing a circuit breaker

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