I have a GB Instruments multimeter (GMT -19A). I've had this meter for years and it's always worked fine. It came with 2 fuses. One was installed in the fuse holder inside by the batteries. The other is a spare fuse which was in a plastic clip on the other side of the batteries, and meant to be a spare. The fuses are 7/8 inch long and are supposed to be SFE 0.5 amp / 250V. I have gone to several hardware stores, an automotive parts store, and a home improvement center. No one carries this amperage fuse, at least not in that length (SFE). I thought I'd use a 1 amp if nothing else, but I cant even find those. For now, I found a 9 amp that fits, and am using that, but I know that is not going to protect the meter. I dont buy much online, and only use Ebay when I do. I thought Ebay surely would have them, but I was wrong. Ebay has SFE fuses, but only in larger amp sizes. Seems 7.5 amp and higher are common. (I searched ebay using these words "sfe 1 amp fuse" ) * Now I know why I miss Radio Shack, they usually had stuff like this. Does anyone know where I might find these fuses? (Even a 1 amp size). No, I am NOT willing to go to one of those places that have a large minimum order, or charge $10 or more to ship a small item like this. After all, multimeters like this only cost around $25. One thing I did find, is at a local hardware store they do have a few boxes of AGA 1 amp. Those are a little short though, but I was wondering about slipping a tiny piece of copper tubing over one end.... Without having one of them in front of me, I am not sure what the actual length is for a AGA type. But a website lists them as 5/8" so I assume that's correct. I also learned that the AG means "ALL GLASS". [ I do wonder if I might still find these using other wording, on ebay. I really would expect Ebay to have this... ] But what wording???
Need fuses for Multimeter
Started by ●January 30, 2018
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
oldschool@tubes.com wrote:> > * Now I know why I miss Radio Shack, they usually had stuff like this.Are you kidding? Radio Shack had almost nothing. They never would have had a fuse like that even before they started focusing on toys and cell phones. Haven't you looked at Digi-Key?
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
oldschool@tubes.com wrote:> > It came with 2 fuses. One was installed in the fuse holder inside by > the batteries. The other is a spare fuse which was in a plastic clip > on the other side of the batteries, and meant to be a spare. > > The fuses are 7/8 inch long and are supposed to be SFE 0.5 amp / 250V.I forgot to mention what "a fuse like that" means. It's a 'high rupture capacity' HRC fuse. That's what to look for.
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
On Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 12:56:38 PM UTC-8, olds...@tubes.com wrote:> I have a GB Instruments multimeter.. GMT-19A> The fuses are 7/8 inch long and are supposed to be SFE 0.5 amp / 250V.> (I searched ebay using these words "sfe 1 amp fuse" )That may be problematic: the 'SFE' designation is peculiar to the fuse manufacturer, and (for safety-conscious customers) the best manufacturing practice is to rename the fuse line every time ANY change in material, construction, or tolerances is made. So, looking for one three-letter acronym is casting a VERY narrow net. The 'SFE' fuses I see are not rated for 250V 7/8" is about 22mm, could it be a 5mm x 20mm fuse? And, is it glass or ceramic? 1/2A, 250V, in 20mm length in Eaton/Bussmann fuse line is 'S501-500-R' in a ceramic tube. Gardner-Bender is still in operation, their (presumably similar) GMT-319 meter takes a fuse "F500mA H, 250V, GB GF-0306" according to the manual ... maybe a note to <tech.support@gardnerbender.com> would be in order.
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
In article <iok17d9mlrbt9b60dpmk6i9ri0da54vavc@4ax.com>, oldschool@tubes.com says...> > I have a GB Instruments multimeter (GMT -19A). > I've had this meter for years and it's always worked fine. > > It came with 2 fuses. One was installed in the fuse holder inside by the > batteries. The other is a spare fuse which was in a plastic clip on the > other side of the batteries, and meant to be a spare. > > The fuses are 7/8 inch long and are supposed to be SFE 0.5 amp / 250V. > > I have gone to several hardware stores, an automotive parts store, and a > home improvement center. No one carries this amperage fuse, at least not > in that length (SFE). I thought I'd use a 1 amp if nothing else, but I > cant even find those. > > For now, I found a 9 amp that fits, and am using that, but I know that > is not going to protect the meter. > > I dont buy much online, and only use Ebay when I do. I thought Ebay > surely would have them, but I was wrong. Ebay has SFE fuses, but only in > larger amp sizes. Seems 7.5 amp and higher are common. > > (I searched ebay using these words "sfe 1 amp fuse" ) > > * Now I know why I miss Radio Shack, they usually had stuff like this. > > Does anyone know where I might find these fuses? (Even a 1 amp size). > > No, I am NOT willing to go to one of those places that have a large > minimum order, or charge $10 or more to ship a small item like this. > After all, multimeters like this only cost around $25. > > One thing I did find, is at a local hardware store they do have a few > boxes of AGA 1 amp. Those are a little short though, but I was wondering > about slipping a tiny piece of copper tubing over one end.... > > Without having one of them in front of me, I am not sure what the actual > length is for a AGA type. But a website lists them as 5/8" so I assume > that's correct. I also learned that the AG means "ALL GLASS". > > [ I do wonder if I might still find these using other wording, on ebay. > I really would expect Ebay to have this... ] But what wording???If you check the book on the meter, you will see that you are not looking for a SFE fuse. A SFE fuse that length would only be made in a 4 amp rating and probably 32 volts. SFE fuses were a certain length depeding on the curent rating. Your fuse may have a F on it,but probaly not the whole SFE. Copied from the internet. This fuse is known by the Garner Bender part of GF-0306 and it is rated at 500mA, 250V fast blow. It is also known as F500mA, 250V. Amazon carries it: www.amazon.com/Littelfuse-500mA-Fast-Blow- Fuse/dp/B000PHCTP2 And Ebay: www.ebay.com/itm/5x-F500mAL250V-F500mA-250V-F500m-L250V-F500mL250V- cartridge-GLASS-fuse-5X20mm-/151136253242 Or do a search on Google for "F500mA 250V fuse". The are easily and readily available. End of copy. That fuse is probably a metric size fuse.
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
In article <p4qqqg$ru1$1@dont-email.me>, fizzbintuesday@that-google- mail-domain.com says...> > oldschool@tubes.com wrote: > > > > * Now I know why I miss Radio Shack, they usually had stuff like this. > > Are you kidding? Radio Shack had almost nothing. They never would have > had a fuse like that even before they started focusing on toys and cell > phones. > > Haven't you looked at Digi-Key?Radio Shack may have had a fuse for the meter when they were open. Just not under the numbers OS gave out. It is probably one of the metric fuses and may have had a F on it,but not the SFE. Probably one of the metric type fuses and common where fuses are sold.
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
In article <iok17d9mlrbt9b60dpmk6i9ri0da54vavc@4ax.com>, oldschool@tubes.com says...> > I have a GB Instruments multimeter (GMT -19A). > I've had this meter for years and it's always worked fine. > > It came with 2 fuses. One was installed in the fuse holder inside by the > batteries. The other is a spare fuse which was in a plastic clip on the > other side of the batteries, and meant to be a spare. > > The fuses are 7/8 inch long and are supposed to be SFE 0.5 amp / 250V. > > I have gone to several hardware stores, an automotive parts store, and a > home improvement center. No one carries this amperage fuse, at least not > in that length (SFE). I thought I'd use a 1 amp if nothing else, but I > cant even find those. > > For now, I found a 9 amp that fits, and am using that, but I know that > is not going to protect the meter. > > I dont buy much online, and only use Ebay when I do. I thought Ebay > surely would have them, but I was wrong. Ebay has SFE fuses, but only in > larger amp sizes. Seems 7.5 amp and higher are common. > > (I searched ebay using these words "sfe 1 amp fuse" ) > > * Now I know why I miss Radio Shack, they usually had stuff like this. > > Does anyone know where I might find these fuses? (Even a 1 amp size). > > No, I am NOT willing to go to one of those places that have a large > minimum order, or charge $10 or more to ship a small item like this. > After all, multimeters like this only cost around $25. > > One thing I did find, is at a local hardware store they do have a few > boxes of AGA 1 amp. Those are a little short though, but I was wondering > about slipping a tiny piece of copper tubing over one end.... > > Without having one of them in front of me, I am not sure what the actual > length is for a AGA type. But a website lists them as 5/8" so I assume > that's correct. I also learned that the AG means "ALL GLASS". > > [ I do wonder if I might still find these using other wording, on ebay. > I really would expect Ebay to have this... ] But what wording???We have bunches are work... 125ma and up.
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
On Tue, 30 Jan 2018 18:14:36 -0500, Ralph Mowery <rmowery28146@earthlink.net> wrote:>In article <iok17d9mlrbt9b60dpmk6i9ri0da54vavc@4ax.com>, >oldschool@tubes.com says... >> >> I have a GB Instruments multimeter (GMT -19A). >> I've had this meter for years and it's always worked fine. >> >> It came with 2 fuses. One was installed in the fuse holder inside by the >> batteries. The other is a spare fuse which was in a plastic clip on the >> other side of the batteries, and meant to be a spare. >> >> The fuses are 7/8 inch long and are supposed to be SFE 0.5 amp / 250V. >> >> I have gone to several hardware stores, an automotive parts store, and a >> home improvement center. No one carries this amperage fuse, at least not >> in that length (SFE). I thought I'd use a 1 amp if nothing else, but I >> cant even find those. >> >> For now, I found a 9 amp that fits, and am using that, but I know that >> is not going to protect the meter. >> >> I dont buy much online, and only use Ebay when I do. I thought Ebay >> surely would have them, but I was wrong. Ebay has SFE fuses, but only in >> larger amp sizes. Seems 7.5 amp and higher are common. >> >> (I searched ebay using these words "sfe 1 amp fuse" ) >> >> * Now I know why I miss Radio Shack, they usually had stuff like this. >> >> Does anyone know where I might find these fuses? (Even a 1 amp size). >> >> No, I am NOT willing to go to one of those places that have a large >> minimum order, or charge $10 or more to ship a small item like this. >> After all, multimeters like this only cost around $25. >> >> One thing I did find, is at a local hardware store they do have a few >> boxes of AGA 1 amp. Those are a little short though, but I was wondering >> about slipping a tiny piece of copper tubing over one end.... >> >> Without having one of them in front of me, I am not sure what the actual >> length is for a AGA type. But a website lists them as 5/8" so I assume >> that's correct. I also learned that the AG means "ALL GLASS". >> >> [ I do wonder if I might still find these using other wording, on ebay. >> I really would expect Ebay to have this... ] But what wording??? > > >If you check the book on the meter, you will see that you are not >looking for a SFE fuse. A SFE fuse that length would only be made in a >4 amp rating and probably 32 volts. SFE fuses were a certain length >depeding on the curent rating. > >Your fuse may have a F on it,but probaly not the whole SFE. > >Copied from the internet. > >This fuse is known by the Garner Bender part of GF-0306 and it is rated >at 500mA, 250V fast blow. It is also known as F500mA, 250V. >Amazon carries it: www.amazon.com/Littelfuse-500mA-Fast-Blow- >Fuse/dp/B000PHCTP2 >And Ebay: >www.ebay.com/itm/5x-F500mAL250V-F500mA-250V-F500m-L250V-F500mL250V- >cartridge-GLASS-fuse-5X20mm-/151136253242 >Or do a search on Google for "F500mA 250V fuse". The are easily and >readily available. > >End of copy. > >That fuse is probably a metric size fuse. > >Could you be kind enough to tell me where you found an online "book" for this meter? I no longer have the paper version. Thanks
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
olds...@tubes.com wrote: ----------------------------------> > > > >Copied from the internet. > > > >This fuse is known by the Garner Bender part of GF-0306 and it is rated > >at 500mA, 250V fast blow. It is also known as F500mA, 250V. > >Amazon carries it: www.amazon.com/Littelfuse-500mA-Fast-Blow- > >Fuse/dp/B000PHCTP2 > >And Ebay: > >www.ebay.com/itm/5x-F500mAL250V-F500mA-250V-F500m-L250V-F500mL250V- > >cartridge-GLASS-fuse-5X20mm-/151136253242 > >Or do a search on Google for "F500mA 250V fuse". The are easily and > >readily available. > > > >End of copy. > > > >That fuse is probably a metric size fuse. > > > > > > Could you be kind enough to tell me where you found an online "book" for > this meter? I no longer have the paper version. >http://ec1.images-amazon.com/media/i3d/01/A/man-migrate/MANUAL000034172.pdf ** The fuse is a common, 20 x 5 mm, 0.5A fast blow - it only protects the low milliamp ranges. IME, the resistor in the lowest Ohms rage is the most likely to get accidentally blown when using an analog meter. Digital multimeters are vastly more rugged than analogues ones, even the simplest 3.5 digit types can tolerate 240VAC on the ohms ranges and are damn near drop proof. .... Phil
Reply by ●January 30, 20182018-01-30
