For a 120-volt circuit supplying 38 amperes of continuous load, what is the minimum standard size fuse required for overcurrent protection?

To determine the minimum standard size fuse required for overcurrent protection in this scenario, you need to calculate the necessary ampacity based on the continuous load and then refer to the NEC (National Electrical Code) guidelines.

For a continuous load, the NEC states that the overcurrent protection must be sized at 125% of the continuous load. In this case, the continuous load is 38 amperes.

First, calculate 125% of 38 amperes:

[

125% \times 38 , \text{A} = 1.25 \times 38 , \text{A} = 47.5 , \text{A}

]

Since fuses come in standardized sizes, the next step is to choose the smallest fuse that meets or exceeds this calculated requirement of 47.5 A. The closest standard fuse size above this amount is 50 A.

This reasoning aligns with the safety guidelines that require fuses to accommodate potential overload without blowing during normal operating conditions. Therefore, selecting a 50 A fuse ensures that it provides adequate protection against overcurrents while allowing some margin for normal variations in the load.

The options not selected (40 A, 45 A, and 60