Multimeter fuses

[EEVblog]

Thanks for trying to help, getting spare fuses should not be so difficult, I hope Dave considers offering spare fuses next time.

It's not really worth the hassle for me to do that myself, as you can buy them many places.
I have not checked out wholesale prices of these fuses, but it wouldn't be worth my while to sell them onesies and twosies.
Maybe on Amazon fullfillment perhaps, but that would have to be an at-cost service.

[EEVblog]

While I like the BM-235, my frustration finding the SIBA 7017240.0.4 replacement fuse continues. I'm trying to avoid eBay and Amazon as there is no way to know if you are getting a clone/copy.  I called SIBA USA, they gave me 3 US websites to try. Only one even listed the fuse, no stock, minimum order of 10, and it's a SPECIAL order. Not a good situation.

They're not located in the US, but TME carries both fuses needed for your BM237 and sells them as singles (they're in Poland).

• SIBA 7017240.0,5
• SIBA 5019906.11

That's very cheap.
The SIBA by far the best fuse I've found on that size. 1000V, 30kA, and nominal 650mV drop.
The Littlefuse equivalent 508 series is only 10kA and double the resistance (and 500mA only).
I'm pretty sure 500mA would be OK in this application, and 10kA is plenty. I have asked Brymen. Several factors to consider though if you want to get into the nitty gritty of it. But as long as you have a fast acting ceramic of 400mA odd in there and a high enough breaking voltage for your application, no problem.
I'd be curious  to know if anyone else and direct equivalent to the SIBA, it seems to be a special snowflake.

[EEVblog]

Local Oz rep for SIBA is AU$11.30ea, ouch.

[kcbrown]

Thanks for trying to help, getting spare fuses should not be so difficult, I hope Dave considers offering spare fuses next time.

It's not really worth the hassle for me to do that myself, as you can buy them many places.

If that were truly the case for these fuses, at any rate, I would not have expected people here to be having the amount of difficulty in buying them that they seem to be having.

I have not checked out wholesale prices of these fuses, but it wouldn't be worth my while to sell them onesies and twosies.
Maybe on Amazon fullfillment perhaps, but that would have to be an at-cost service.

You might yet be able to make some profit on it via Amazon fulfillment, but that would obviously depend on the wholesale prices.  Given the high retail prices you've seen, it might be worth checking out.

[kcbrown]

Local Oz rep for SIBA is AU$11.30ea, ouch.

Is that wholesale?  If so, that is high!   

[EEVblog]

You might yet be able to make some profit on it via Amazon fulfillment, but that would obviously depend on the wholesale prices.

Not possible. The small volume and the time it tales to setup and sell stuff via Amazon fulfillment, import and re-export, individually bag and barcode etc.
If I can get them at a good wholesale price then it might be worth bundling 5 with each new meter or something.

[EEVblog]

Local Oz rep for SIBA is AU$11.30ea, ouch.

Is that wholesale?  If so, that is high!   

One-off.
Just got the revised wholesale quote and they are AU$7.54ea (US$5.78)  for 500qty 
So it's cheaper for me to buy direct from a retailer in the EU (TME) one-off and import them than it is to buy 500 wholesale in Australia.
 

TME are probable buying direct from from SIBA being in the EU, but they just fobbed me off to the Australian rep.
http://www.tme.eu/en/details/zgssh-0.4a/fuses-63x32mm-super-fast/siba/701254004/

[MacMeter]

You might yet be able to make some profit on it via Amazon fulfillment, but that would obviously depend on the wholesale prices.

Not possible. The small volume and the time it tales to setup and sell stuff via Amazon fulfillment, import and re-export, individually bag and barcode etc.
If I can get them at a good wholesale price then it might be worth bundling 5 with each new meter or something.

Including 2 of each type would be great, and the customer would not need to do any searching or shopping. I would always be willing to pay more up front for fuse "insurance". Since I also bought the case "kit" with my EEVBLOG BM235, you might consider bundling some spares in the case kit, an incentive to get the case with those included accessories, adjust price accordingly. That's assuming you can get them at a volume price in the first place. Both SIBA and Bussmann aren't too interested in selling individual fuses, as I found out, but not sure how much a volume order would be. I was lucky to be gifted a few of the larger 11amp Bussmann fuses, so my search was focused on the smaller .4a SIBA fuses. When I receive them from the U.K. EBay seller, I will visually inspect them, but don't have a known way to test them for authenticity, any suggestions?

[MacMeter]

Local Oz rep for SIBA is AU$11.30ea, ouch.

Is that wholesale?  If so, that is high!   

One-off.
Just got the revised wholesale quote and they are AU$7.54ea (US$5.78)  for 500qty 
So it's cheaper for me to buy direct from a retailer in the EU (TME) one-off and import them than it is to buy 500 wholesale in Australia.
 

TME are probable buying direct from from SIBA being in the EU, but they just fobbed me off to the Australian rep.
http://www.tme.eu/en/details/zgssh-0.4a/fuses-63x32mm-super-fast/siba/701254004/

Interesting, there was no stock on those SIBA fuses a week a go. In fact I don't remember even seeing the .4 amp version. So I wrote them, and received this response "sorry but we don't have it in our offer". Guess their CS department was/is confused. I would have bought them there.

[EEVblog]

Interesting, there was no stock on those SIBA fuses a week a go. In fact I don't remember even seeing the .4 amp version. So I wrote them, and received this response "sorry but we don't have it in our offer". Guess their CS department was/is confused. I would have bought them there.

The 400mA is a slightly different series. 750VAC rated at 50kA instead of 1000VDC and 30kA

[MacMeter]

Interesting, there was no stock on those SIBA fuses a week a go. In fact I don't remember even seeing the .4 amp version. So I wrote them, and received this response "sorry but we don't have it in our offer". Guess their CS department was/is confused. I would have bought them there.

The 400mA is a slightly different series. 750VAC rated at 50kA instead of 1000VDC and 30kA

Just testing you Dave! Nice catch, now I see it, all in the DETAILS!

[EEVblog]

I just remembered the 121GW needs the same 400mA fuse. It comes with an ASTM HV610.0.4 10kA 600V
But the higher rated ASTM HV620.0.4 10kA 1000V would also be suitable for the BM235. Buggered if I can find a source for those though.
http://www.astml.com/uploads/product/hv620%20series_1000vdc_20160428.pdf

ASTM also make a suitable 11A fuse
http://www.astml.com/uploads/product/hv110.xxa_dmi_a.pdf

Realistically, 600V fuses could also be safely used in the BM235 for most applications.

Manual updated with additional fuses

[EEVblog]

When I queried SIBA on the big price discrepancy, they did not know, and weren't even sure if the SIBA fuses sold by TME were genuine or not.

[EEVblog]

Including 2 of each type would be great, and the customer would not need to do any searching or shopping. I would always be willing to pay more up front for fuse "insurance". Since I also bought the case "kit" with my EEVBLOG BM235, you might consider bundling some spares in the case kit, an incentive to get the case with those included accessories, adjust price accordingly. That's assuming you can get them at a volume price in the first place.

Yep, working on it now. Just occurred to me to ask Brymen who almost certainly get them in huge qty at the lowest price possible.

Both SIBA and Bussmann aren't too interested in selling individual fuses, as I found out, but not sure how much a volume order would be. I was lucky to be gifted a few of the larger 11amp Bussmann fuses, so my search was focused on the smaller .4a SIBA fuses. When I receive them from the U.K. EBay seller, I will visually inspect them, but don't have a known way to test them for authenticity, any suggestions?

Test fuses for "genuineness" is probably tricky business.

[EEVblog]

Winner winner chicken dinner, I'm ordering 1000 x ASTM HV620.0.4 fuses 

[MacMeter]

Winner winner chicken dinner, I'm ordering 1000 x ASTM HV620.0.4 fuses 

Dam, you're like a PIT BULL! Good on ya mate!
Now get back to work on the new meter!

[EEVblog]

SIBA fuses on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SIBA-Fuse-7017240-6-3x32mm-Ultra-Rapid-Ceramic-Pick-Your-Rating-FF-1000V/282049300801

Seems legit enough.

[rsjsouza]

SIBA fuses on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SIBA-Fuse-7017240-6-3x32mm-Ultra-Rapid-Ceramic-Pick-Your-Rating-FF-1000V/282049300801

Seems legit enough.

Same seller quoted a few replies ago. That is what MacMeter bought.

I bought also legit Siba fuses from Amazon for my BM857 (different fuses), but they look the real deal and at the time were supplied by Amazon themselves.

[MacMeter]

The EBay fuses were ordered last Wednesday, came today, regular mail from U.K. to USA, 6 days is fast. They are SIBA branded and visually look proper. The 5 fuses were in little plastic bag, the only protection was the very slightly paddded shipping envelope, packing could have been more protective, they seemed to have survived, guess it's time to break out the BM235, and at least continuity test em. $20.00 US, $4.00/each, not bad!

[Welectron]

The guys at Brymen tend to be very helpful, I'm sure you'll get an answer.

Quick googleing led me to this, says it's available, but I've never dealt with them:
https://www.welectron.com/SIBA-701724004-Sicherung-63x32mm-04A-1000V

I would just get the 700VAC 400mA version though, from TME. Or the 500mA 1kV one. Just keep the ratings in mind when using it, it's not that big of a deal for hobby uses.

Thanks, but that German website link looks like they don't ship to the USA.

They do, but worldwide shipping is expensive: https://www.welectron.com/Shipping-cost
I'd drop them an email asking for a lower shipping price.

We did not hear from you yet, but I saw this post and thought it would be a good idea to offer cheaper international shipping options for small items. We now introduced a cheap registered mail option for world wide shipping via German Post. Hope it is appropriate to leave a short hint here.

As a side note, all our offered fuses for Brymen multimeters are directly sourced from Brymen, Taiwan.

[CraigHB]

I have a high end Extech handheld multimeter that takes a big ass fast blow fuse on the  uA/mA range.  It takes a similar one on the Amp range, but it's hard to blow that one and it's a lot cheaper to replace.  It's crazy expensive to replace that low current fuse, ridiculous really.  It's easy to blow that one too.  I ended up adapting a more standard size fuse with an acceptable replacement cost.  Though the voltage rating on the reasonably priced replacement is 250V compared to 1kV for the original.  That's fine for me since I don't use my meter for high voltage.

[EEVblog]

My ASTM fuses are on the way, 400mA 1000V and 11A 1000V.
Not sure how best to sell them though, as some sort of set maybe? like 5x400mA and 2x11A?

For individual shipment I suppose I can just ship them in a cardboard envelope by regular post or something? Otherwise you'll be able to order on my store and include with other purchases.
Not sure if it's worth having them on Amazon and ebay.

I will have enough stock for the entire planet I suspect

[Wytnucls]

I have a high end Extech handheld multimeter that takes a big ass fast blow fuse on the  uA/mA range.  It takes a similar one on the Amp range, but it's hard to blow that one and it's a lot cheaper to replace.  It's crazy expensive to replace that low current fuse, ridiculous really.  It's easy to blow that one too.  I ended up adapting a more standard size fuse with an acceptable replacement cost.  Though the voltage rating on the reasonably priced replacement is 250V compared to 1kV for the original.  That's fine for me since I don't use my meter for high voltage.

There is an easier solution: NEVER use the mA range!
You will usually get enough resolution on the Amps range and there is virtually no problem with burden voltage.

[CraigHB]

It depends on the meter though.  I use my mA range a lot since it only goes up to 5mA on the uA range and the Amps range does not have good resolution at very low currents.  But yeah the Volts/Amp burden on the uA range is high enough to keep lower voltages from blowing the fuse.  The way it gets blown is I forget it's in mA mode and go to check a voltage not realizing I'm in the wrong mode.  Pretty much the opposite of idiot proof, totally dependent on the user paying attention.

In any case, it's kind of a kludge the way I adapt the cheap fuses.  If I could get the low current ones for cheap that would be a better option.  So yeah I'd be interesting in picking up some of those fuses if they are available and they're inexpensive.

[Iceberg86300]

My ASTM fuses are on the way, 400mA 1000V and 11A 1000V.
Not sure how best to sell them though, as some sort of set maybe? like 5x400mA and 2x11A?

For individual shipment I suppose I can just ship them in a cardboard envelope by regular post or something? Otherwise you'll be able to order on my store and include with other purchases.
Not sure if it's worth having them on Amazon and ebay.

I will have enough stock for the entire planet I suspect

I'd buy em for my crappy craftsmen meter which currently has CHEAP radio shack fuses in it.

5/2 sounds pretty reasonable. If you only offer them in that configuration then I'd pay the neighbor kid to tape them to a piece of cardboard, then fold it over and tape for a cardboard-fuse-cardboard sandwich.

Maybe just one piece of cardboard if you send a bunch of stuff in cardboard or padded envelopes and buy those in bulk.

Poor man's blister pack essentially.

Then you could just grab a "fuse card" when ordered and not have to screw around with picking out and stuffing fuses into baggies and then adding protection based on the order. Although I guess you could pay the neighbor kid to stuff a bunch of baggies as well. You just lose the inherent protection of a piece of a cardboard.