Notching
Definition
A V-shaped or crescent-shaped indentation in copper at an arc site, caused by localised material ejection during the arc event. Notching on a conductor that was not exposed to fire is strong evidence of a primary arc.
Related terms
- AFCI
- Arc-fault circuit interrupter. A device that detects the high-frequency signature of arcing current and opens the circuit. Required by the National Electrical...
- Alloying
- Incorporation of a foreign metal (steel, zinc, aluminium) into a copper arc bead. The arc's intense temperature fuses adjacent metals together. The...
- Arc fault
- An unintended electrical discharge across a gap or through degraded insulation that releases energy as heat and light. Arc faults are classified...
- Primary arc
- An arc that preceded and caused the fire. Its markers on copper conductors appear before any fire damage has reached that location.
- Secondary arc
- Arc damage created after a fire was already burning, caused by the fire melting insulation and shorting conductors. These markers are consequences...
Explained in
- Electrical Fire Failure AnalysisA V-shaped or crescent-shaped indentation in copper at an arc site, caused by localised material ejection during the arc event. Notching on a conductor that wa...