Do not Ignore Blown Fuses When Troubleshooting Security Systems.
Do not Ignore Blown Fuses – If you find a blown fuse in a circuit or piece of equipment bear in mind that it represents a symptom not the cause of the problem.
That said, the issue may be a lack of preventative maintenance, which should encourage a tech to give the system a detailed maintenance check, replacing all fuses, as well as checking terminations, ground and battery health.
If the cause is not functional obsolescence, a blown fuse means either a spike has been induced into the circuit or a circuit has reached overload because a higher wattage device or component has been connected to it.
If you’re upgrading a circuit to carry a higher wattage – more likely in an access control or automation system than an alarm system – be sure to check the wire size before you start beefing up fuses – the last thing you want to do is increase the risk of fire.
A basic glass fuse in a stable low voltage environment can have a working life of 20 or 30 years, so it’s worth thinking about what have caused failure. Moisture will have the greatest impact, so consider water ingress and ventilation as contributing factors.
Moisture alters filler packings of fuse links, impacting on performance. Paper labels lifting off controllers or housings can be a tell-tale. The issue is more likely if the fuses were improperly stored, or the controller has spent a long period decommissioned during which the warmth generated by circuit resistance has not kept it dry.
If fuses are dated, it’s good practice to swap them out after 10 years during the course of other maintenance so as to avoid exposing the customer to unnecessary expense, inconvenience and risk.
You can learn more about glass fuses here or read more SEN news here.
“Do not Ignore Blown Fuses When Troubleshooting Security Systems.”
