ECO fuse 10A 1-pole B characteristic 6KA 230V

Fuse B 10A 1-pole for 230V circuits of individual sockets and loads

The 10A single-pole automatic circuit breaker with tripping characteristic B (fast) is one of the LS switches in private households. The tolerance until tripping is 5 times the rated current. The single-pole fuse has a rated current (nominal current) of 10A. A single-pole LS switch of this type is suitable for protecting 230V circuits of sockets and lighting, but not for three-phase circuits. They are used to protect individual sockets and lamps with rather weak loads or with only one connected load. For circuits that supply several consumers with high loads, you should select a fuse with a higher rated current / rated current.

To protect three-phase circuits, you also need a 3-pole automatic circuit breaker, e.g. the B 16A 3-pole automatic circuit breaker. The use of 16A fuses (or higher) is also recommended for more powerful loads such as washing machines, refrigerators or televisions. For consumers with even higher loads (e.g. instantaneous water heaters or cookers), fuses with correspondingly higher rated currents (e.g. 25A or 35A) should be used.

Just like classic fuses, this miniature circuit breaker also serves to protect cables, systems and people from damage. However, there are some differences.

Strictly speaking, a circuit breaker is not a fuse or an automatic circuit breaker in the classic sense. This is why it is also referred to as a circuit breaker, miniature circuit breaker or LS switch.

The terms fuse and circuit breaker are therefore obsolete, but are still widely used for circuit breakers. Fuses work according to the principle of the electrical and thermal properties of conductive materials. Circuit breakers work according to the electromagnetic and switching principle and also have a thermal tripping function.

One of the most important differences between fuses in the classic sense and circuit breakers is that the more old-fashioned fuses only protect against overload, whereas a modern circuit breaker also protects people, cables and devices against short circuits. This is because it has a magnetic release for short circuits and a thermal release for overloads.

And our LS switches have many other advantages. They take up less space in the fuse box and can simply be switched on again after tripping in the event of a fault. Traditional circuit breakers had to be replaced once they had tripped. For this reason, a circuit with a fuse could not be manually disconnected or switched on and off. They are hardly ever used in private households any more. Or do you still have spare fuses in the cupboard?

In addition, modern miniature circuit-breakers are durable and do not suffer from age-related changes in tripping behaviour (no shifting of the curve/characteristic). They are very easy to combine with shunt releases, undervoltage releases and fire protection switches. They also allow circuits to be switched on and off manually, although they are not intended for this purpose. However, in an emergency or when installing new appliances or fitting a new ceiling light, they can be used to switch the circuit off manually if required.

This circuit breaker is designed for applications up to 6kA and offers effective personal and system protection through safe disconnection in the event of an overload or short circuit.

Tripping functions of the B10 circuit-breaker:

Overload tripping: This function trips the fuse if the rated current is greatly exceeded over a long period of time. This happens when a bimetallic switch inside trips and switches off the circuit breaker. The bimetal bends if the current is too high. The point at which it trips depends on the level at which the maximum current is exceeded. The higher the level, the faster the bimetal bends. With this B automatic circuit breaker, the rated current must be exceeded 5 times.

Short-circuit tripping: If a short circuit occurs, current flows through a magnet in the circuit breaker, which then trips within milliseconds to ensure personal and line protection.
Free tripping: Free tripping supplements the protection against short circuits. It ensures that the circuit breaker interrupts the circuit immediately even if the lever is operated or held manually.
Manual tripping: The circuit breaker can also be switched on and off manually at the fuse box. This switches off the circuit, e.g. to carry out work on the cable or motor. In the industrial sector, however, this function is performed by main switches, which is why these are also known as maintenance switches. These are also used to manually switch off a circuit in emergencies, independently of the fuses

Installation of circuit breakers in the fuse box

To make it easier to insert conductors, the circuit breaker has a rectangular terminal design to accommodate pin busbars together with conductors from 0.75 mm² to 35 mm².

You can also find a suitable fuse box for installing the miniature circuit breaker on top-hat rails / installation rails in our online shop for electrical installations. The fuses are often installed in the distribution box in combination with RCDs.They are installed on DIN top-hat rails, which are standardised across all manufacturers. A simple automatic circuit breaker (1-pole) corresponds to 1 TE, i.e. a unit of division corresponding to approximately 17.5 millimetres.

A total of 12 HP per top-hat rail can be installed in the standard distribution box.For a 3-row distribution box (3 top-hat rails), this corresponds to a total of 36 HP for DIN rail-mounted devices.This means that several elements such as circuit breakers, RCDs, relays, meters, etc. can be combined in one switch cabinet.
When do I need an automatic circuit breaker with tripping characteristic C?The tripping characteristic determines the sensitivity at which the circuit breakers trip.

This circuit breaker has tripping characteristic B (fast) and therefore has a lower tolerance than a circuit breaker with tripping characteristic C (slow). In the case of appliances and motors with a high starting current, it would therefore already trip from 5 times the rated current / rated current. B fuses are therefore used in private households for 230V (1-pole) and 400V (3-pole) circuits.

A fuse with tripping characteristic C only trips from 10 x rated current. They are therefore primarily suitable for high inrush currents (starting currents), such as in motors, where a circuit-breaker with a B characteristic would already trip.

C circuit breakers are also used for large machines that are operated with power plugs, e.g. when operating circular saws or lifting platforms.For household appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, cookers or instantaneous water heaters, B circuit breakers are usually sufficient. For appliances with higher consumption, only a fuse with a higher rated current should be used, e.g. 25A or 35A.

Tripping characteristic B: Fast-acting B circuit breakers are used to protect normal light and socket circuits.Suitable for household appliances such as cookers, refrigerators, lighting, computers, instantaneous water heaters and washing machines. They trip at 5 times their rated current.
Tripping characteristic C: Slow-action C circuit-breakers are suitable for circuits with high starting currents, e.g. for motors. They are also suitable for machines that are operated via power plugs / CEE plugs. For example, for use in construction site power distributors, for operating circular saws or lifting platforms. Trip at 10 times their rated current
Buy LS switch 10A 1-pole with tripping characteristic C: ECO C 10A 1-pole fuse

How many sockets can I protect with a 10A fuse?

Most of you have probably already experienced the familiar "fuse blows". This is because there are no legal regulations on how many sockets can be protected with a 10A circuit breaker.

With a 10A single-pole circuit breaker with B characteristic, you could therefore protect around 1 socket in this bedroom. If we assume the lower statistical empirical values, it may even be possible to protect two sockets with such a fuse (2,300 watts / 1,000 watts).

For the bedroom in the example, you should therefore use four of these B 10A fuses. However, it should be noted that this calculation may already be invalid for a consumer with a high load.

Tip: for special household appliances such as the cooker or instantaneous water heater, you should always use 25A circuit breakers or higher, e.g. the ECO 3-pole B 25A automatic circuit breaker.

Too many factors play a role here. However, there are empirical values that should be taken into account when planning line and system protection.

The so-called HEA equipment values for residential buildings, which are based on statutory guidelines and DIN and VDE standards, should be mentioned here in particular. In particular, the requirements of RAL-RG 678 should be observed (download HEA brochure RAL-RG 678).The DIN standards DIN 18015-2 for minimum equipment and DIN 18015-4 for preparing the use of building system technology are also relevant here.

In residential buildings, the individual appliance circuits for normal consumers are usually protected with 16-amp circuit breakers.
P=UxI Example for circuit breaker 10A 1-pole and 3-pole

The formula P=UxI (kilowatts (U) = volts (V) * amps (A)) can be used to calculate the maximum permissible wattage of the loads connected to a circuit, above which the fuse would blow. To do this, multiply the rated voltage by the rated current or rated current.

LS switch 3-pole (for 400V circuits)

400 volts x 10 amps = 4,000 watts

LS switch 1-pole (for 230V circuits)

230V x 10 amps = 2,300 watts

This means that electrical loads up to a maximum power of 2,300 watts can be connected to a circuit that is protected by 1-pole 10A miniature circuit breakers. If this value is exceeded (due to a short circuit or overcurrent), the circuit breaker triggers accordingly to interrupt the circuit.

This example calculation makes it clear that the maximum load can be exceeded with just one socket, depending on the electrical loads that are supplied via this socket (e.g. via socket strips). As a rule, however, these values are not reached, but are much lower, which is why the statistical empirical values are used for planning the sockets and fuses.

Empirical values for circuit protection with 10A LS switches:

    Single socket outlet: 200 to 300 watts
    Double socket outlet: 300 to 500 watts
    Divide the possible maximum total load (formula) of 3,680 watts by the individual loads based on the empirical values. Now you get the number of sockets per fuse

Example: A bedroom has two double sockets and two single sockets. This corresponds to a total load of 1,000 to 1,600 watts. Now divide the total load by these values:

2,300 watts / 1,600 watts = 1.44

With a 10A single-pole circuit breaker with B characteristic, you could therefore protect around 1 socket in this bedroom. If we assume the lower statistical empirical values, it may even be possible to protect two sockets with such a fuse (2,300 watts / 1,000 watts). For the bedroom in the example, you should therefore use four of these B 10A fuses. However, it should be noted that this calculation may already be invalid for a consumer with a high load.

Tip: for special household appliances such as the cooker or instantaneous water heater, you should always use 25A circuit breakers or higher, e.g. the ECO 3-pole B 25A automatic circuit breaker.