Arc protection is a safety feature designed to protect the power supply from damage caused by sudden arc discharge events at the load. When an arc occurs, it generates high-frequency transients and surge currents. The protection circuit detects these anomalies and instantly shuts down the output or limits the current to prevent internal component failure.
Arc discharges typically occur due to insulation breakdown due to the potential difference between the output terminals and the chassis or ground. For more information on the phenomenon, please refer to the glossary "Arc Discharge".
Note: Arc protection shields the power supply from damage, but it does not prevent the physical phenomenon of arcing itself. For applications involving frequent or repetitive arcing, such as plasma processes, standard protection may be insufficient. In such cases, an external limiting resistor or a power supply specifically engineered for high-arc environments is recommended.