Fusible vs Non-Fusible Safety Switches

Which Disconnect Switch Right For You?

When talking about your commercial business, absolutely nothing is more important than the safety of your employees, associates, and equipment. And where electrical equipment is concerned, this goes doubly so. Electrical safety is integral to avoiding injury and property loss, and to ensure this need is provided for, PSI Power & Controls offers top-quality disconnect switches.

Our experts have been providing top-quality solutions and products for half a century, and in that time, our family-owned and operated business has become known for superior design and function in all of our products! But when choosing the perfect safety switch for your commercial business, there is one big and important question. Do you choose fusible or non-fusible switches? What’s the difference?

What Is a Disconnect Switch?

Also called a safety switch or a “load break switch”, these NEC-required products protect against a variety of inconsistencies or electrical emergencies with equipment within your facility. These switches are capable of shutting down and cutting off electrical power in less than a second, within nearly an instant of electrical failure, complications, or activation. You can rely on a disconnect to deal with:

• Sudden and dangerous interruptions of power
• Overcurrents
• Short-circuiting
• Structural damage to components or equipment

Disconnects can also be utilized to safely maintain, repair, or inspect equipment during a “lock out”.

Fusible vs Non-Fusible Switches

Many of our consumers want to know which they should choose. The decision relies predominantly on the type of equipment being protected. Though even on that front some variables can impact your decision.

The absolute, hands-down way of ensuring you’re making the best choice to meet your needs is by working alongside a certified electrician. Hard and fast rules are difficult to come by and when it comes to safety, you want to ensure you’re making the best decisions for your business.

Having said that, there are some generalizations one can make. While both options provide easy access to manually open and close a circuit for various purposes oftentimes fusible switches are chosen for equipment that carries higher loads. For example, many residences make use of non-fusible switches for simple equipment like a water heater. While things that require a higher load often make use of the slightly higher safety ratings of a fusible disconnect switch.

What do we mean by higher safety? It is essentially the difference in the function between the two. Both open and closed circuits are reliable, but a fusible disconnect provides strong protection against overcurrents and other electrical mishaps through the use of multiple fuses located within the switch.

Expertly Designed Safety Switches with PSI Power & Controls

Our superior disconnect switches are crafted to provide the absolute best in reliability, performance, and dependability. We’ve been supplying the best in electrical safety and control solutions since 1961, and our team takes great pride in bringing our consumers the very best.

Want to learn more about our safety switch options, or get your safety switch solutions? Contact our experts any time! We’ll put our knowledge and skill to use in assisting you in choosing the best options to suit your needs and the needs of your commercial business!