Automotive Reference
Every blade fuse tells you its rating by colour — and comes in five physical sizes. Here's the colour-to-amp code and how to tell a mini from a maxi.
Same idea, different footprint. Match the physical size to the empty slot, then the colour (amperage) to the circuit. A too-big fuse is dangerous — it won't blow when it should.
Colours above are illustrative — a fuse's real colour tells you its amperage, per the chart below.
This colour code is standard across mini, standard and (mostly) maxi blade fuses.
| Colour | Rating |
|---|---|
| Black | 1 A |
| Grey | 2 A |
| Violet | 3 A |
| Pink | 4 A |
| Tan | 5 A |
| Brown | 7.5 A |
| Colour | Rating |
|---|---|
| Red | 10 A |
| Blue | 15 A |
| Yellow | 20 A |
| Clear | 25 A |
| Green | 30 A |
| Orange | 40 A |
Maxi fuses cover the higher end (30–120 A) and a few colours differ at the top; always confirm the number printed on the fuse itself.
Blue. The common ones to memorise: red = 10A, blue = 15A, yellow = 20A, green = 30A. The full code runs from black (1A) up to orange (40A).
No — they physically don't fit the same slot. Match the size (micro, mini, standard/ATO, maxi) to the fuse box, then match the colour/amperage to the circuit.
No, and it's a fire risk. The fuse is sized to protect the wire, not the device. A higher rating lets too much current flow before it blows, overheating the wiring. Always replace like-for-like.
Look through the clear top — a blown fuse has a broken metal strip inside. Or test across the two exposed tabs with a multimeter or a test light; no continuity means it's blown.