What are components designed to protect conductors from overheating during a ground fault?

Fuses and circuit breakers are specifically designed to protect electrical circuits and conductors from overheating that can occur during a ground fault condition. When a fault occurs, it causes an abnormal increase in current flow that can lead to excessive heat, potentially damaging conductors and creating fire hazards. Fuses act as one-time overcurrent protection devices that will melt and break the circuit when the current exceeds a certain limit, effectively stopping the flow of electricity and preventing overheating. Circuit breakers serve a similar purpose but can be reset once the fault has been cleared, allowing for repeated use while still providing necessary protection from excess current that could cause overheating.

The other options include devices that serve different roles in electrical systems. Tap changers are typically used in transformers to adjust voltage levels rather than provide overcurrent protection. Sectionalizers are used in distribution systems to isolate sections when there's a fault but do not directly prevent overheating. Transformers and voltage regulators manage voltage levels and supply characteristics, but they are not designed for overcurrent or ground fault protection. Thus, fuses and circuit breakers are the correct components for addressing the overheating issue during a ground fault.