Design Considerations For Consumer Products Utilizing High Voltage

High-voltage devices found in residential and office environments present unique challenges for the product designer. The design of these devices requires consideration to account for their ability to generate alternate, unintended current paths known as arc tracks along the surfaces of the materials used in their construction. Left unchecked, such a condition can lead to a fire hazard. There are several techniques that designers can employ to help prevent and mitigate arc tracking and arc-tracking related failures. These techniques are outlined in this paper and include material selection, detection circuitry, physical layout, and other considerations. Examples of arc tracks exhibiting thermal damage are presented