Permanently wiring in christmas lights - fusing

[Jermin]

Hi, I'm wiring some decorative mini string lights (basically the same
as christmas lights - approx. 18 lights of 7 v each) into a switch, so
I can just flip a switch whenever I want them on. This involves
cutting the plug off the string lights and wiring it into a wall
switch (inside a junction box of course). To protect from overloading
the wire/lights I am planning on replacing the 3 amp fuse that was in
the cut off plug with an inline fuse of no more than 3 or 4 amps. The
confusing thing is that the plug contains 2 fuses, not one. Why did
the manufacturer of the Xmas light strings fuse both the hot feed and
return lines? Isn't it perfectly safe for me to just fuse the hot feed
line?

--Jermin

 

[Rileyesi]

Hi, I'm wiring some decorative mini string lights (basically the same
as christmas lights - approx. 18 lights of 7 v each) into a switch, so
I can just flip a switch whenever I want them on. This involves
cutting the plug off the string lights and wiring it into a wall
switch (inside a junction box of course). To protect from overloading
the wire/lights I am planning on replacing the 3 amp fuse that was in
the cut off plug with an inline fuse of no more than 3 or 4 amps. The
confusing thing is that the plug contains 2 fuses, not one. Why did
the manufacturer of the Xmas light strings fuse both the hot feed and
return lines? Isn't it perfectly safe for me to just fuse the hot feed
line?

--Jermin

Was it a 2 prong plug? If so, is one prong larger than the other? The only
reason I could see that the manufacturer did that was to account for the user
inserting the plug in either orientation.

On teh power supplies we make we fuse only the AC hot side. Fusing the AC
neutral, to me, seems dangerous.

Just my 2 cents. Take it for what it's worth!

 

[Jermin]

Was it a 2 prong plug? If so, is one prong larger than the other? The only
reason I could see that the manufacturer did that was to account for the user
inserting the plug in either orientation.

The prongs are equal in size, so I think your guess is a very good

one! I ended up only fusing the hot side.