gdhal, good point! Two thoughts; any fuse replacement is going to require entering the unit. Most of the manufacturers I know who object to opening the unit hold an absolute ban on it, regardless if it is a fuse or other part. Some even place a tamper proof seal over the access to the component so they will know if it has been opened. So, the question regarding aftermarket fuses and such manufacturers might be moot. You are right, in such cases voiding a warranty for replacing a fuse would be high price to pay. That should be weighed, and if I had such a component I likely would not replace the fuse in it. Sensible enough.
In other cases, however, when it comes to a fear that a manufacturer would void the warranty, I think first it would have to be demonstrated that fuses had the capacity to actually cause damage. We have seen nothing along those lines here (Unless someone wishes to offer an example, but I think they would be rare to non-existent). When you have a fear of voiding a warranty doing a "DIY" change that has perhaps a .0001 % chance of damage, or maybe even less, then that fear, imo, is unfounded. Most manufacturers would know this. In fact, they likely would be highly suspicious of anyone who claimed the fuse caused damage for that reason. The odds would be far greater that the person damaged something else while in the act of trying to place or remove a fuse. But that would be horridly clumsy, and such a person shouldn’t even be inside a component. YMMV
Regardless, I think you raise a good point, and though I don’t agree with it entirely it is something to be considered. :)
In other cases, however, when it comes to a fear that a manufacturer would void the warranty, I think first it would have to be demonstrated that fuses had the capacity to actually cause damage. We have seen nothing along those lines here (Unless someone wishes to offer an example, but I think they would be rare to non-existent). When you have a fear of voiding a warranty doing a "DIY" change that has perhaps a .0001 % chance of damage, or maybe even less, then that fear, imo, is unfounded. Most manufacturers would know this. In fact, they likely would be highly suspicious of anyone who claimed the fuse caused damage for that reason. The odds would be far greater that the person damaged something else while in the act of trying to place or remove a fuse. But that would be horridly clumsy, and such a person shouldn’t even be inside a component. YMMV
Regardless, I think you raise a good point, and though I don’t agree with it entirely it is something to be considered. :)