Experimental studies of the characteristics of dry band arcing on ADSS fiber optic cables

A series of simulated arcing experiments are conducted in a laboratory setting to investigate the characteristics of dry band arcs on ADSS fiber optic cables. The measurement of resistance, power, and energy of dry band arcs is described. The impact of voltage and current on arc resistance is presented. The power and energy of dry band arcing is measured under different short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage. An equation which relates arc power to open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current is proposed. Experiments show that arc power has a threshold to cause the damage of cable jackets. The study of arc power and energy can be used to predict a potential damage of ADSS cables.