Question

Technician A says circuit breakers are sort of like fuses that can be reset.

Technician B says that if a circuit breaker keeps blowing, replace it with a regular fuse.
Who is correct?

Answer 1

Technician A is correct that circuit breakers are like resettable fuses. Technician B is incorrect; a frequently tripping circuit breaker should be investigated, not replaced with a fuse.

Step-by-step explanation:

Technician A is correct in saying that circuit breakers are similar to fuses in the sense that they serve to protect electrical circuits from excessive current. However, unlike fuses, circuit breakers are resettable devices. As described in the provided references, a fuse contains a metal strip with a low melting point that permanently disconnects when it overheats due to excessive current, whereas a circuit breaker uses a bimetallic strip and spring mechanism to temporarily break the connection, which can then be reset.

Technician B's advice to replace a repeatedly tripping circuit breaker with a regular fuse is incorrect and potentially dangerous. Circuit breakers and fuses have distinct design purposes, and simply replacing one with the other without proper assessment could lead to safety hazards or circuit damage. If a circuit breaker is tripping frequently, it often indicates an underlying problem in the circuit that needs to be addressed by a qualified electrician, rather than merely substituting the protective device.