Fuses, Miniature Circuit Breakers and Residual Current Circuit Breakers

Fuses

Fuses are safety devices that are wired into an electrical circuit to prevent damages or fires in case of overloading or faults.
The function of a fuse is to break the circuit if a fault leads to too much current flowing. This is achieved because the fuse wire melts and breaks the circuit when too much current passes through it.
Ratings of a fuse are typically given in amperes (A). It’s crucial to use the correct rating. If the fuse’s rating is too high, it may not melt soon enough to prevent damage. If it’s too low, it might melt too quickly.

Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs) are modern replacements for fuses. They automatically switch off if they detect a fault, breaking the circuit.
MCBs are more sophisticated than fuses as they can be reset manually or automatically afters it has detected and interrupted a fault.

Residual Current Circuit Breakers (RCCBs) or Residual Current Devices (RCDs) are safety devices that can break the circuit much faster than fuses or MCBs.
The function of an RCCB is to prevent serious electric shocks or other injuries. They are designed to protect human life by sensing any imbalance in the live and neutral wires (A leakage to earth) of an electrical circuit.
RCCBs are commonly found in circuit boards in homes and workplaces. They provide vital protection in areas where there’s a higher risk of electric shock, such as bathrooms, gardens and kitchens.