PSU 13A fuse or not 13A fuse?

[Ravenheart]

Originally Posted by Cupboard

It really shouldn't have a 13A fuse in it, or otherwise should have the notch out of the cable.
They have provided something that doesn't stick to the standards.

I could put a 13A fuse in a cable only meant for 6A in the same way I could put 32A ends on a 13A cable, but that doesn't necessarily make it a good idea! Likewise, I could make a cable that doesn't conform to standards, and provide it with a PSU that might need the extra current what what happens then when someone plugs a 5A fused cable/plug in? the fuse goes. Not good!

This post was taken from the Kettle lead/PSU questions thread on here, and I've checked the lead that came with my Corsair HX 850 psu and it definitely does have a 13A fuse in it, what I want to verify is whose right Corsair or Cupboard?

Corsair put a 13A fuse in the lead that came with the power supply so I'd assume it's correct and should indeed be a 13A fuse.

Cupboard clearly thinks they have provided something that doesn't stick to the standards.

So whose right? I would think Corsair since the lead came with the psu and I doubt they would put a lead with a 13A fuse in the box unless it should have a 13A fuse in it.

Comments please.

[unknowngamer]

Depends on the power pulled from the wall.

620 watt @ 80% effeciency 775 watt from the wall.

At 240 Volt
Watts = volts * Amps
4 Amps would be fine.

5 Amp fuse would be plenty for the PSU.
3 amp would probably be fine, but may blow from time to time.
as a fuse costs 50p it's cheap enough to try if you're concerned



If you have a good PSU and an anti-surge plug/block youd be OK.

I use a belkin like the one linked.
All my kits protected from surge/voltage


I'd trust a proper antisurge over a fuse.
A fuse takes longer to blow and a RCD so a good surge protector offers better protection.

[Flibblebot]

Most computer kettle leads I have sitting round have 5A fuses in them. As unknowngamer said,

Originally Posted by unknowngamer

Watts = volts * Amps

or, to put it easier:

Amps = Watts/Volts

so in the UK, Amps = Watts/240

If the lead came with a 13A fuse, the fuse wouldn't blow unless the PSU sudenly drew over 3kW - highly unlikely from a 620W power supply, and in any case, the PSU's internal fuses would blow first. Either way, I wouldn't trust any computer lead to pull 3kW without melting in a nasty mess.

Possibly Corsair's argument is that because the PSU's fuse would blow first, it doesn't matter what rating fuse is put in the plug, as long as it's high enough to power the PSU.

[butter100fly]

Originally Posted by Flibblebot

Amps = Watts/Volts

so in the UK, Amps = Watts/240

If the lead came with a 13A fuse, the fuse wouldn't blow unless the PSU sudenly drew over 3kW - highly unlikely from a 620W power supply, and in any case, the PSU's internal fuses would blow first. Either way, I wouldn't trust any computer lead to pull 3kW without melting in a nasty mess.

+1 to that - Do the math (but do it with 230v and 250v), allow some breathing space, and then go with that (which a the man says would never require 13a your gaming rig)

Whatever fuses or current protectors are in the way there is ALWAYS room for something to go wrong.Your hardware is valuable, your life is valuable, and socket voltage at 13amp is WAY too much for both of those

[Atomic]

Pretty much all kettle leads will come with a 10A or 13A fuse when they come from the factory. Corsair (or any other manufacturer) won't make the leads themselves and will rely on an internal fuse to stop the PSU overheating and becoming a safety hazard as they cannot be certain what rating of fuse you will use.

When I was trained for PAT Testing, I was told that almost all desktop computers would be fine with a 5A fuse. Only the specialist scientific work stations we used needed a higher rated fuse...

[nsymons]

After the previous post I checked all my home kettle leads (for TV, HIFI, 'puter etc.).

The leads themselves are all rated for 10A (as printed on plastic at the PSU end of the lead) However they all have a 5A fuse in the plug.

[Cupboard]

I did not mean to suggest that your cable was dangerous in any way, and if it was taken to mean that I am very sorry. Likewise, I wouldn't change the cable that came with your PSU, they will have given you something they, experts, consider to be the right tool for the job.

Most leads with that end will be 5 or 10 amp, it is just weird and non-standard to have one with a 13A fuse. And also rather unnecessary!

[cobalt6700]

Whats sort of surge do you get when you first boot up a pc? im guessing why thats a 13A fuse in there but could you really pull 13A on starting up?

I seem to have a 16A IEC connector on my Bequiet! PSU (no idea why??), but im not sure what fuse is in it - ill have a look tonight.

[Fredrics]

All i know on this subject is that fuses in the lead are only in the U.K, places such as europe and U.S.A don't have a fuse in the plug. Therefore corsair dont rely on fuses within the plugs.