Amazon Sells Fake Electrical Fuses
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN cites it as the key example of Amazon selling dangerous counterfeit goods and warns people to test their fuses.
What it is
Louis Rossmann examines fuses sold on Amazon that fail to trip at their rated current, including a 2A fuse surviving 8 amps. He uses it to criticize Amazon's lax control over safety-relevant products.
Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2024 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Recommends inetknght · 2024-01 · on “What's that touchscreen in my room?”
> Turns out, I need a 3A fuse, so I ordered one from Amazon OP might want to watch Louis Rossmann's video about buying things from Amazon. [this video]
Recommends _DeadFred_ · 2024-08 · on “Tattoo ink sold on Amazon has high levels of weird and rare bacteria”
This video gives a good overview of how Amazon's NGAF attitude about safety needs to be reigned in. [this video] If you are in the USA report unsafe products here: [LINK]
Cites xerox13ster · 2024-01 · on “What's that touchscreen in my room?”
> A 3A fuse would burn out in a fraction of a second if you tried to do that. he bought it on Amazon. He has every reason to be worried that it won't burn out. Louis Rossman did a video[0] where he put 8 amps through a 2 amp fuse and left the room for quite a long time, I think it was several minutes with 8a going through a 2a fuse. [0]: [this video]
Cites alright2565 · 2024-05 · on “My new PSU burns out – I fix it, and torture it by cracking water”
> 2.5A primary side fuse (integrated into the AC inlet) did not melt This is a current-limited power-supply right? Test your fuse! Would not be the first time a fuse-shaped wire is sold[1] [1]: [this video]
Critical mschuster91 · 2024-01 · on “Money pours into new fabs and facilities”
> Like yes, if its Friday afternoon, and you need parts urgently for your weekend project, then you can go there. But otherwise you get better choice for less money online. Yep, agreed. But online has its own problems... Amazon is full of shit with zero supply chain control, including safety-relevant stuff like fuses [1], or stuff secretly dropshipped from China or grey-imported from the UK or shipped from Poland with way more than a day of lead time. eBay is even worse. Bürklin is good but they do take their while to ship because they don't have an insane volume deal with DHL. And all of online is useless if you have stuff like weird connectors you need to find a matching mate or want to ma
Critical _DeadFred_ · 2025-04 · on “Temu pulls its U.S. Google Shopping ads”
An easy example of the harm: [this video] I'll just return the fuses to Amazon after my family burns up I guess. Now expand that to people buying supplements, bolts holding things in place that can harm people, etc from Amazon.
Critical _DeadFred_ · 2025-07 · on “The Prime Reasons to Avoid Amazon”
People buy fuses from Amazon for the cars/motorcycles not understanding it can kill them. They are actually evil at this point for doing nothing about any of these ongoing issues. They can't be unaware if us rando consumers are aware (or if they are doing recalls for fake products). [this video]
Critical SXX · 2025-10 · on “Way past its prime: how did Amazon get so rubbish?”
Most likely Japan just have better customer protections. Amazon only able to sell open-nox and co-mingled knock-off crap because US regulators are toothless. Louis Rossmann have a video about fake electrical fuses sold on Amazon US with almost half a million views. Literally the product that can burn your house to the ground: [this video] Did Amazon US at least pulled these off store? Nope.