A Method of Measuring the Duration of Arc Discharge Supplied with AC and DC Power Source

This paper describes a simple method of measuring the duration of an arc and/or the integrated are duration in a series of arcs supplied with ac and dc power source. This new method is based on the conversion of the arc duration into the time during which the larger generated power between the electrical contacts exist. The prototype equipment is constructed by using four IC products, a clock oscillator, and a digital counter; it is very simple, handy, accurate, and easy to deal with. The equipment can measure the duration of widely fluctuating arcs without changing the measuring ranges, whenever one arc, the reignition of arc and a series of arcs occur between the electrical contacts.