A traditional fuse will break open and does not recover after the fault event is corrected. The fuse component has to be replaced for the circuit to function again.
A PTC fuse is a special fuse that will reset after power is removed from the circuit. It is a temperature-dependent resistor or thermistor whose resistance rises with increasing temperature.
A PTC fuse quickly increases its resistance as a response to an overcurrent, over-temperature, or short circuit situation to restrict the current flow. PTCs enable the equipment to function, with extreme cases the exception. Circuit designers select PTCs on occasions where maintaining user transparency, or constant system uptime is at a premium.
Poll Question: Are You Specifying PTC Resettable Fuses in Your Next Electronic Design?
Top Comments
We use them in products to make resetting easier for customers.
I don't use them in my personal projects because the number of times and situations where they would be useful is miniscule or smaller.…
I voted 'other', because of the obvious engineering answer: it depends...
They should be used everywhere to be honest.. a single component that goes a long way to protect damage to circuit boards in case of a fault or short. Admittedly it's sometimes an afterthought, but it…