If a fault occurs on a lateral, what can a recloser do to allow a fuse to blow?

• A. Increase voltage
• B. Delay closing
• C. Close immediately
• D. Do nothing

Answer: (B)

When a fault happens on a lateral, letting the recloser wait before closing gives the fuse on the lateral time to operate and clear the fault. If the recloser closes immediately, it would re-energize the fault before the fuse had a chance to blow, defeating the protection and potentially spreading the disturbance. A deliberate delay allows the fuse to clear the fault and isolate the lateral, after which the recloser can re-energize the healthy parts of the line. Increasing voltage isn’t a function of a recloser, and doing nothing wouldn’t clear the fault or restore service.