DocumentCode
1386470
Title
Glowing Connection Experiments With Alternating Currents Below 1
Author
Urbas, Joe
Author_Institution
Dept. of Eng. Technol., Univ. of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
Volume
33
Issue
4
fYear
2010
Firstpage
777
Lastpage
783
Abstract
It was experimentally shown that a glowing connection can develop in an electrical switch at a terminal connection comprised of a connector that utilizes a spring action against a conductor to provide electrical contact in household electrical appliances where vibration exists, and when the connection is loose. This can happen at a current flow such as 0.6 Arms at 120-V. Further, the glow can provide sufficient heat to degrade plastic in contact with the terminal components. Violent arcing involving intense gasification can then develop on nearby plastic areas, sometimes accompanied by intensely glowing areas inside the plastic. Sometimes the intense glowing areas inside plastic develop without the violent arcing. The intense arcing or the glow inside plastic often develops into flaming, which can be of sufficient intensity and duration to ignite combustible materials near the connection.
Keywords
arcs (electric); domestic appliances; electrical contacts; sparks; switches; alternating currents; combustible materials; current 0.6 A; electrical contact; electrical switch; glowing connection; household electrical appliances; spring action; violent arcing; voltage 120 V; Arc discharges; Conductors; Degradation; Home appliances; Plastics; Switches; Vibrations; Fire re-creation; glowing connection; ignition;
fLanguage
English
Journal_Title
Components and Packaging Technologies, IEEE Transactions on
Publisher
ieee
ISSN
1521-3331
Type
jour
DOI
10.1109/TCAPT.2010.2077737
Filename
5643130
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