Fuses that matter.

slow-blow vs fast-blo?

We all know fuses do make a difference (at least those commenting here). And I presume most of us -when we say fuse upgrade- are buying slow-blo.

But what if its fast-blo fuses that are best? Putting aside what the manual says, has anyone compared both types of the same value and brand?

No doubt some boutique fuse manufacturers are just supplying the same product for both fast and slow, but that's another story.

"No doubt some boutique fuse manufacturers are just supplying the same product for both fast and slow, but that's another story." On what are you basing that assumption? One might replace a fast blow fuse, with a time delay type, BUT- it would be VERY foolish, to do the opposite. ie: Generally; time delay is necessary, to allow a power supply's caps to charge. Rail or B+ fuses need to respond immediately, should a downstream device short/draw high current, or serious damage can occur elsewhere in the unit's circuitry.

MY BAD; I meant to say, "One might replace a Slo-Blo fuse with a fast blow type...." Sure would be nice, if this, "IMPROVED" site, still allowed for editting a post.

Simply put, replacing a slow blow with a fast blow risks "nuisance" (unnecessary) blows, while replacing a fast blow with a slow blow risks extensive damage to the equipment (and conceivably even the possibility of a fire) if a fault were to occur.

A substantial change in the "nominal melting" (amps squared-seconds) parameter of a fuse, which would result from a change between fast and slow blow types, amounts to a design change in the equipment, which should not be done without careful analysis. And the information about the design that would be necessary to do that analysis will generally be unavailable to the end user.

Regards,
-- Al

Hopefully, people listen to AL in that that is really the thing that "matters" most with fuses.

How different ones in good operating condition sound is a distant second IMHO. Lots of other ways to tweak ones system without putting it at risk IMHO.