Glow discharges are caused by the conduction of high voltages at low currents through various gases.
The nature of glow discharges can be modified by changing the spacing between the conductors, the voltage,
the current and/or the gas between the conductors. Low currents at high voltages discharged in Neon can produce over 150
shades of red glowing light. High current can produce the intense arc search lights. Even though the currents are in the
milliamp range, the voltage of each Neon tube is in the thousands of volts. These power levels can easily kill and if
shorted can produce enough heat to set combustible material on fire. However, the power is limited by the transformer power
supply and there is not enough energy to create a true arc fault.
For more information about glow discharge:
In Analytical Chemistry
web.chem.ufl.edu/Groups/Harrison/focus.htm
In general
www.exploratorium.edu/xref/exhibits/glow_discharge.html
Neon lights
inventors.miningco.com/science/inventors/library/weekly/aa980107.htm
St Elmo’s Fire
www.sciam.com/askexpert/physics/physics35.html
Ball lightening
www.eskimo.com/~billb/tesla/ballgtn.html
Do you have any information?
Send to "arc@arc?fault.org" But first take out the ? that I placed there to reduce the spam.
I will gladly acknowledge the source of any information you supply.