Confused About Fuses

Skydawggy

I have a hot tub that has a 2 stage pump motor for the front jets and a 1 stage pump motor for the rear jets. The front motor stopped working and I removed both fuses and went to my local electric supply house. Both are Buss fuses and are SC 25 amps. However they both have a different number on them. The front fuse is FP27-51 and has a green label. The rear fuse is FP30-26 and has a blue label.

Problem is the electric supply guy says the front one isn't in stock and if he orders it for me I have to buy 10 fuses for about $8.00 each. The other one is in stock and I can buy just one for $6.60.

Can someone explain the differences? They are both the same size and are 25 amps. Why couldn't I just buy 2 of the FP30-26? How dangerous would it be to use 2 30 amp fuses?



Thanks for any help.

sparehair

I'm not an electrician but I doubt any electrician will answer your question. I've always followed the 'don't f'in ever put in a higher fuse than was previously in the doohicky holemabobber before' and the corollary 75.12 a "always use the same part you took out when you put it back in."

Too much amperage could cause a fire, destroy the pump, fry electronics, maybe electrocute someone or work just fine. The bads out weigh the goods in my book.

Magnettica

Contact the manufacturer and ask them. Once you go messing with the UL listing it's relatively downhill from there. One's blue, and one's green likely because of the stages in the heating element. Who knows, maybe the manufacturer will send you the fuse for nothing or send out a technician or something. The tub is UL listed, right?

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Skydawggy

I'm not planning on using a 30 amp fuse. My question has more to do with why I couldn't use any 25 amp SC fuse. I don't understand why the manufacturer did'nt just use the same fuse? And what is the difference between the two 25 amp fuses I referenced?

Magnettica

I meant to say pump motor, not heat element.


Why are they two different colors? I have no idea other than ratings for that specific fuse.

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Skydawggy

All I get from the manufacturer is salespeople who don't know anything but how to sell the product. I can get the 2 different fuses, I'm just not thrilled at having to buy 10 for $80. when I only need one.

Magnettica

Have you asked to speak to service people?

Sales people could careless because your tubs already been sold.

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woodchuck2

I would try another supply store or local hardware store that may carry such fuses. I know my local hardware has them in stock. Heck Lowes or Home Depot may even have them.

Archania

I think that might be a time delay fuse... Probably takes into account for a greater starting load. You could probably put the regular one in, but I doubt it would last long.

mrmike

Archania is exactly right . That fuse probably is sized to to give the motor max protection for the FLA (full load amps) yet is a time delay to allow enough time for the starting current-------there are many many types of fuses in industry that we had to pay attention to the #'s for particular situations ,(time delay) quick blow) etc. You could not just replace a 25a with any 25a on the shelf.....hope this helps..............Mike
I would check At the Pool/spa places around your area for them. There also is an Ebay site that sells them (Gecko Electronics/Spa) Good Luck!

bwalley

Hidyusbeast

Did you do a resistance/continuity check on the fuses to verify they were bad? If so you still need to figure out what is causing them to blow. I would recommend having a qualified repair person diagnose and fix it.

Skydawggy

Thanks for the info. I went to 3 electric supply stores, HD and Lowes. All of them except 1 told me any 25 amp fuse would work. I bought them from the guy who knew the difference of the time delay.

As it turns out, it wasn't the fuse. The impaller on one of the pumps had broken off and that's what was causing the pump not to circulate water. So now I've gotta go out and remove the pump and replace the impaller when it's 20 degrees and windy.

thom

There's a reason these guys are working as clerks instead of electricians.

Trusting the word of a clerk is like playing the powerball lottery, there's a one-in-a-billion chance it will be right.

Magnettica

Couldn't have said it any better Thom.

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Archania

Ha, and they are probably the same guys that do the "how to" clinics on the weekends...

Skydawggy

Yup, that's why I asked the Pro's.