Thread: Electrical or electronic

Originally Posted by p38arover

I think that's a bit too simplistic a view. For example, one might make an RC filter using resistors and capacitors which are both passive components yet it would still be an electronic item. Ditto for an LC filter using inductors and capacitors.

Agree, plenty of grey area to cross but a fuse box is still a 'electrical' item.

You also can't use a simple rule like transmission/control of power and communications either, both can be done with 'Electrical', 'Electromechanical' or 'Electronic' equipment.
Well I guess you can (use simple rules), but they are not definitive.

A solid state relay is electronic, brings in the term 'Power Electronics'.
My background is as an electrician, that moved into power electronics and automation, then into data aquisition and telemetry.
So if electrons flow through it I have probably touched it, fixed it or broken it.
Sometimes all three on the same day

[QUOTE=BigJon;1796407]It seems that most (all?) agree with me that a fuse box is not an electronic item.

....Please Note: Electronic Items are not refundable.
I am going to take it back and argue strongly that it is not an electronic item, therefore should be refundable.......QUOTE]

Aha ! - how about a smarty-pants definition... Electric parts can only be damaged by 'mechanical' means, torn, cut, melted, fused, smashed etc. ALL are clearly visible failures.

'Electronic' parts can fail 'invisibly', such as a semiconductor internally shorting/open circuit or an IC having a nervous breakdown etc etc. Needing instrumentation to detect...

If there's nothing on the Fuse-box that can fail invisibly, then it must be a non-electronic part.