IX International Symposium on
Lightning Protection
26th-30th November 2007 – Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
LIGHTNING CURRENT ARRESTER TECHNOLOGIES –
COMPARISON OF SPARK-GAP- AND MOV-TECHNOLOGY
Dipl.-Ing. Holger Heckler
PHOENIX CONTACT GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
hheckler@phoenixcontact.com
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Scheibe
University of Applied Sciences, Kiel, Germany
klaus.scheibe@fh-kiel.de
Dr.-Ing. Martin Wetter, Flachsmarktstraße 8, D – 32825 Blomberg Germany
Abstract – Surge protective devices (SPDs) are classified
according to IEC 61643-1. Depending on the discharge
capability SPDs are classified as lightning current arresters
(Class I), surge voltage arresters (Class II) or device
protection (Class III).
Up to now in most cases spark-gap based Class I SPDs have
been used for the protection against full-grown lightning
strikes. Class I spark gaps can lead through lightning
currents up to Iimp = 100 kA (10/350 μs). Due to
improvements in MOV technology varistor-based SPDs are
nowadays able to lead through lightning currents up to
Iimp = 25 kA (10/350 μs) – even with a relative low protection
level. Nowadays varistor-based Class I SPDs compete with
spark-gap-based Class I SPDs
This paper discusses spark-gap- and varistor-technology
with the help of measurements taken in the laboratory. The
advantages and disadvantages of both technologies are
discussed having in mind real-world power supply systems
and end devices which shall be protected efficiently by SPDs.
Also an arrester combination, consisting of a Class I spark
gap and a Class II varistor, has been tested. This report not
only describes the general operating behavior of spark gaps
and varistors, it discusses as well the energetic coordination
of multi-stage SPDs. Lightning current capability, line-
follow current, protection level and prospective lifetime are
some of the compared parameters.
1 INTRODUCTION
The usage of powerful Class I lightning-current arresters
with spark gaps is nowadays very common. The robust
design of SPDs with spark-gaps allows the discharge of
full-grown lightning currents of the waveshape 10/350 µs
multiple times without damaging or degrading a surge
protective device. At the same time sensitive electronic
devices are efficiently protected, even during high-energy
surge currents with amplitudes up to 100 kA (10/350 µs).
Dr.-Ing. Martin Wetter
PHOENIX CONTACT GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
mwetter@phoenixcontact.com
Dipl.-Ing. Joachim Schimanski
PHOENIX CONTACT GmbH & Co. KG, Germany
jschimanski@phoenixcontact.com
The reason for this efficiency in protection is the relative
low impedance of spark gaps during the discharge of
lightning currents. During the discharge, when a spark
gap has become fully conductive, the arc-burning voltage
is usually in the range between U = 100V...500 V.
Varistor-based SPDs behave totally different.
SPD with varistor:
• The residual voltage stays nearly during the
whole duration of a surge current at a high level.
SPD with spark gap:
• During the short amount of time in which the
space between the main electrodes of a spark gap
has not been fully ionized, the residual voltage
stays at a high level.
• As soon as the space between the main
electrodes gets fully ionized – and therefore
becomes low-impedant – the residual voltage
drops immediately to voltage levels of
U < 500 V.
Because of the low course of the residual voltage with
spark-gap-based SPDs, the amount of energy which is
converted to heat inside spark gaps is much lower than
the amount of energy which is converted to heat inside a
varistor-based SPD.
2 DISCHARGE CAPABILITY
For the simulation of powerful real-world lightning
strikes and the test of Class I SPDs, surge currents with
the waveshape 10/350 µs are used. The 10/350 µs surge
current emulates the first strike of a lightning current. The
technical parameters of 10/350 µs surge-current impulses
– e. g. waveshape and charge – are specified in IEC
62305-4.
Fig. 1 – Surge-current test impulses
According to IEC 60364-5-53, the minimum discharge
capability for lightning-current arresters is Iimp = 12.5 kA
(10/350 µs) for four-wire power supply systems. The
calculated discharge current to fulfill the requirements of
the Lightning Protection Class I is – according to IEC
62305-1 – an expected cumulative current of Iimp =
100 kA (10/350 µs) in buildings. Therefore in four-wire
systems, without any other conductive parts, an SPD has
to be able to lead through at least Iimp = 25 kA (10/350 µs)
surge-current impulses, otherwise the requirements of
Lightning Protection Class I are not fulfilled.
According to the standards Class II SPDs are tested with
medium-energy or low-energy surge currents of the
waveshape 8/20 µs. The 8/20 µs surge current emulates
surge currents which are generated by switching action in
electrical installations or by partial lightning currents.
Electric charge Q of surge-current impulses:
• Surge-current impulse 10/350 µs (25 kA): 12.5 C
• Surge-current impulse 8/20 µs (25 kA): 0.5 C
On the condition that surge currents do have the same
amplitude – the electric charge of an 10/350 µs surge
current is about 25 times higher than the charge of an
8/20 µs surge current. The difference in electric charge
can be calculated by mathematical means. Another way to
determine the difference in electric charge is to compare
the areas below the 10/350 µs curve and the 8/20 µs
curve.
3 PROTECTION LEVEL
In the beginnings of electrical engineering electrical
devices have been relatively robust regarding surge
voltages. For robust electrical devices a protection level
of Up = 4 kV in 230/400 V AC power supply systems is
often sufficient. Class I spark gaps without trigger
electronics have therefore in past been a good choice to
reach protection levels below 4 kV. Nowadays more and
more sensitive electronic devices are used. A protection
level of 4 kV is in most cases not acceptable for sensitive
electronic devices.
To achieve lower protection levels for end devices in
power supply systems the classical approach has been a
combination of different surge protective devices:
• Class I SPD: untriggered spark gap (1st stage of
protection)
• Decoupling element for coordination of SPDs:
certain length of wire or additional decoupling coil
• Class II SPD: varistor (2nd stage of protection)
This combination of arresters made it possible to reduce
surges to voltage levels below 2.5 kV or even 1.5 kV. The
usage of a certain length of wire or additional decoupling
coils works well with fast-rising surge currents. Fast-
rising surge currents cause a voltage drop via the
terminals of a decoupling coil (or length of wire) –
because of the inductance of a conductor (coil, wire, etc.).
The voltage drop via the terminals of the decoupling coil
plus the voltage drop via the Class II varistor has to be
high enough to trigger a Class I spark gap (untriggered).
This works pretty well for fast-rising surges.
Unfortunately for slow-rising surges the voltage drop via
a decoupling coil is relatively low – sometimes too low to
ignite an untriggered spark gap. An untriggered Class I
spark gap (1st stage of protection) therefore may not
become conductive during the discharge of a slow-rising
high-energy lightning current. In this case a Class II
varistor (2nd stage of protection) may be overloaded by
high-energy surge currents. This non-triggering of spark
gaps is called “blind spot behavior”. To address this
problem electronically triggered spark gaps have been
invented. Electronically triggered spark gaps for
230/400 V AC power supply systems have been
introduced first in 1998 by Phoenix Contact. The ignition
of electronically triggered spark gaps is voltage-
dependent and no longer depends on the rise time of a
surge current. State-of-the-art Class I spark gaps are able
to reach protection levels below Up = 1.5 kV – and this
even with high-amplitude surge currents. Having
protection levels below Up = 1.5 kV let’s assume that
these SPDs provide a good protection for downstream
power supply systems and sensitive electronic equipment.
If the protection level of a modern Class I SPD is already
so low, does it make sense to use - additional to Class I
SPDs – as well Class II SPDs? A closer look at the
characteristic curves of the residual voltages of the
following types of SPDs gives us some guidance:
• Class II varistor
• Class I spark gap combined with Class II varistor

Fig. 2 – Class I and Class II SPDs in one device
(FLASHTRAB compact)
For the measurements, discussed below, a surge current
generator has been used which produces 8/20 µs surge
currents and whose rise time is nearly independent of the
impedance of the SPD under test. Another reason for the
usage of an 8/20 µs surge generator is the fact that,
because of the short rise time of the leading edge of an
8/20 µs impulse, the residual voltages at the terminals of
an SPD are higher than with 10/350 µs surge current
impulses of the same amplitude.
If a 25 kA (8/20 µs) surge current is discharged via a
varistor-based Class II SPD (Uc = 350 V AC, Imax =
40 kA, 8/20 µs), the residual voltage has a maximum
value of 1300 V (see fig. 3, upper curve). It’s typical for
the behavior of varistors that, during the discharge of a
surge current, the residual voltage stays for a long time at
a high voltage level. A high voltage level for a long
duration of time causes stress for the insulation material
and for the devices to be protected.
Fig. 3 – Residual voltages of a Class II varistor and a
combination of a Class I spark gap and a Class II varistor –
tested with 25 kA surge currents (8/20 µs)
With the combination of a Class I SPD (Uc = 350 V AC,
Iimp = 25 kA [10/350 µs], spark gap) together with a
Class II SPD (Uc = 350 V AC, Imax = 40 kA [8/20 µs],
varistor), the residual voltage has a maximum value of
1140 V (see fig. 3, lower curve). The residual voltage of a
Class I and Class II SPD combination stays significantly
below the residual voltage of a varistor-based Class II
SPD. After the ignition of the spark gap – in the Class I
SPD – the residual voltage drops very fast below 500 V.
Even with high-energy long-duration surge currents a
combination of a spark-gap-based Class I SPD and a
varistor-based Class II SPD in one device is very
effective to achieve low residual voltages for the whole
duration of surge currents.
4 RESPONSE TIMES
The purpose of Class I SPDs is on the one hand to lead
through high-energy lightning currents with high
amplitudes. On the other hand sensitive electronic devices
shall be protected against fast-rising voltage impulses
which can be caused e. g. by switching action. Therefore
it is essential that a surge protective device has as well a
short and therefore good response time.
The dielectric strength of insulation material and the
coordination of insulation is specified in IEC 60364-4-44.
For the testing of the insulation coordination the 1.2/50 µs
surge-voltage impulse is used (see fig. 4). Power supply
systems with a nominal voltage of 230/400 V AC are for
example tested with 1.5 kV, 2.5 kV, 4.0 kV and 6.0 kV
surge-voltage impulses (1.2/50 µs) – depending on the
place of installation.
Fig. 4 – Surge-voltage impulse 1.2/50 µs
With a rise time of only 1.2 µs the 1.2/50 µs surge-
voltage impulse has a very short rise time. The time until
the full-duration half maximum is 50 µs. For the testing
of the dielectric strength of insulation material not only
the peak voltage of a surge-voltage impulse is of
importance, but as well the time-course of the voltage
change. The testing of insulation material with the
1.2/50 µs voltage impulse shows that insulation materials
can not only be overloaded during the front time of the
1.2/50 µs impulse. Very often insulation breakdown
happens during the relatively long full-duration half
maximum time.
To be able to compare the response behavior of spark-
gap-based Class I SPDs with varistor-based Class II
SPDs, measurements with fast-rising 1.2/50 µs surge-
voltage impulses have been carried out. The surge-
voltage generator, used for the tests is a so called "hybrid
generator". A hybrid generator produces a 1.2/50 µs
voltage impulse when the device under test has a high
impedance. In the very moment when the device under
test becomes low-impedant a hybrid generator produces a
current impulse of the waveshape 8/20 µs.
Fig. 5 – Residual voltages of a spark-gap-based Class I SPD and
a varistor-based Class II SPD at 6 kV surge-voltage impulses
(1.2/50 µs).
A 6 kV surge-voltage impulse (1.2/50 µs, hybrid
generator) is limited by the varistor-based Class II SPD
VALVETRAB compact (Uc = 350 V AC, Imax = 40 kA,
8/20 µs) to Ures = 840 V (see fig. 5). Fast rising surge-
voltage impulses can be limited efficiently with the help
of varistors. For state-of-the-art Class I spark gaps higher
voltage levels are measured. A peak value of 1410 V has
been measured at the terminals of a modern encapsulated
spark gap. This voltage level is still low enough for a
proper protection of sensitive electronic devices. After
reaching it's peak value the instantaneous value of the
residual voltage is immediately reduced to about 650 V.
The triggering circuit of the spark gap allows a nearly
delayless response behavior of the spark gap. Already
during the very short front time of the 1.2/50 µs impulse
the trigger circuit of the spark gap becomes conductive
and discharges the surge voltage via an auxiliary
electrode inside the encapsulated Class I spark gap.
Because of the design of the triggering electronics and the
auxiliary electrode the power supply system is efficiently
protected against fast-rising voltage surges – even if the
main spark gap has not yet become fully conductive.
Additional tests with a combination of a Class I SPD
(with triggered spark gap) and a Class II SPD (with
varistor) have been carried out. During these tests with
6 kV surge-voltage impulses (1.2/50 µs, hybrid generator)
the FLASHTRAB compact arrester combination (Class I
and Class II in one device) limits the 6 kV impulse to
840 V. During the discharge no measurable current has
flown through the main spark gap of the Class I SPD.
This shows, that with a FLASHTRAB compact arrester
combination, low-energy surges are discharged only with
the help of the Class II varistor. If a high-energy long-
duration surge current reaches the arrester combination,
then the Class I spark gap becomes conductive and nearly
100 % of the surge current flows through the Class I
spark gap. This function principle of energetic
coordination of a Class I spark gap and a Class II varistor,
which are connected in parallel, is called Active Energy
Control (AEC). Active Energy Control makes sure that
there is a proper coordination for the whole range of real-
world surge currents – beginning with slow-rising low-
energy surges up to fast-rising high-energy surges. Proper
coordination means that due to surge currents the stress
level for a Class II varistor stays at a very low level. A
low stress level during the discharge of lightning currents
is an essential factor for a long prospective lifetime of an
SPD.
5 LINE-FOLLOW CURRENT
One advantage of varistor-based SPDs is that they are
free of line-follow current. During the discharge of a
surge current, the residual voltage of a varistor always
stays above the instantaneous voltage of the respective
power supply system – therefore no line-follow current
can flow.
If the protective element of an SPD is a spark gap, then
there might flow a line-follow current. A line-follow
current will always flow if the instantaneous value of the
supply voltage is higher than the arc-burning voltage of a
spark gap during the discharge of a lightning current. In
this case the supply voltage causes an additional current-
flow through the spark-gap based SPD. In the past line-
follow currents of spark gaps have often been the cause
for discussions, because the flowing of line-follow
current causes additional stress for upstream back-up
fuses.
6 SPARK GAPS WITH REDUCED LINE-FOLLOW
CURRENT
In the beginning the design of spark-gap based SPDs has
been rather simple. The main electrodes have been
relatively simple electrodes with low line-follow current
quenching capability. For this class of old-fashioned
SPDs the occurrence of line-follow current has been
totally normal during or after the discharge of a surge
current. With the help of arc baffle plates, quenching
plates and plastic material which releases quenching gas
during getting heated up by electric arcs, the line-follow
current quenching capability has been significantly
improved. These spark gaps still have one disadvantage.
They have not been encapsulated and ionized gases have
been blown out during the discharge of lightning currents.
In real-world applications this emission of ionized gases
has never been a problem, because SPDs are installed in
switching cabinets which are designed to deal properly
with ionized gases. During the discharge of surge currents
a non-encapsulated spark gap behaves pretty much like a
circuit breaker during tripping. When a circuit breaker
trips then it blows out as well ionized gases. Nevertheless
end users had the wish that spark-gap-based SPDs are
developed which no longer blow out ionized gases. So
manufacturers of SPDs developed encapsulated spark
gaps. State-of-the-art encapsulated spark gaps nowadays
can quench up to 50 kA prospective short-circuit current
on their own.
To minimize line-follow currents, or to make sure that
there are never line-follow currents, the residual voltage
of an SPD has to be so high that it will never drop below
the instantaneous voltage of a power supply system
Fig. 6 – Modern high-performance spark gap (FLASHTRAB
compact)
The latest generation of encapsulated and electronically
triggered spark gaps (see fig. 6) is able to control the arc-
burning voltage in a way that line-follow currents are
minimized – even under worst-case conditions. This
special operation behavior of the FLASHTRAB compact
series of SPDs has been achieved by the following design
principles:
• Increasing the distance between the main
electrodes
• Ignition of the electric arc between the main
electrodes with the help of an auxiliary electrode
• Building-up pressure during the discharge of surge
currents
• Using an arc-channel which is oriented transversal
to the electrical field
Because of the relative high distance between the main
electrodes, the spark gap has an high arc-burning voltage.
Therefore this new design for encapsulated spark gaps
minimizes or prevents possible line-follow currents.
Usually a high arc-burning voltage as well causes a high
spark-over voltage and therefore a high protection level –
which is not adequate for the protection of sensitive
electronic devices. With the help of an auxiliary electrode
and the triggering electronics the space between the main
electrodes gets artificially ionized during the beginning
discharge of a surge current. The artificial ionization
makes it possible to achieve low spark-over voltages and
low protection levels – even if the distance between the
main electrodes is pretty high.
7 CABLE INDUCTANCE AND INDUCED
VOLTAGES IN CABLES
Cable inductance can usually be neglected at power
supply systems with nominal frequencies of 50/60 Hz.
However for surge protective devices the cable
inductance plays an important role. The reason for this is
the fact that the frequency spectra created by transient
surge currents and surge voltages can reach into the range
of several megahertz. Real-world surges can have an
extremely fast change of the current. Therefore the
voltage boosts on the conductors, which can occur during
the leading-through of surge currents, can lie in the range
of several ten thousand volts. High voltage boosts on the
conductors can destroy electrical equipment (cables,
switches, end devices, etc.).
For the measurement of the residual voltage of SPDs, the
voltage is measured directly at the terminals of an SPD.
In real-world applications a feed-line which leads from a
busbar to a surge protective device always has a certain
length. To simulate the behavior of SPDs, which are
installed in real-world electrical systems, measurements
of residual voltages at 25 kA (10/350 µs) lightning-
current impulses have been carried out with different
types of SPDs and with different lengths of feed-lines.
Class I varistor (Iimp = 25 kA [10/350 µs], Uc = 320 V
AC)
• SPD with 0.0 m feed-line
• SPD with 0.5 m feed-line
Class I spark gap in combination with Class II varistor
(Iimp = 25 kA [10/350 µs], Uc = 350 V AC)
• SPD with 0.0 m feed-line
• SPD with 0.5 m feed-line
The tests have been carried out with a 10/350 µs surge-
current generator. This type of surge-current generator
has a rise time of 10 µs when it is operated in short-circuit
mode. Test items with a certain impedance, like varistors
or spark gaps, increase significantly the rise time of
current surges produced by 10/350 µs surge-current
generators. IEC 61643-1 reflects this specific behavior of
10/350 µs surge-current generators. It is allowed,
according to this standard, to use surge-current impulses
with rise times up to 50 µs. For the following
measurements, carried out with varistors and spark gaps,
the rise time of the surge-current impulses has been in the
range of 25 µs.
Nowadays more and more sensitive electronic devices are
used in direct proximity to the main distribution panel -
the place where a Class I SPD is usually installed.
Examples for such sensitive devices are e. g. PLCs or
devices for power-factor correction. For an efficient
protection of such sensitive devices it is important to limit
short-duration fast-rising voltage surges and to reach low-
level residual voltages during long-duration current
surges.
A good way to evaluate the efficiency of an SPD is to
compare the residual voltage of an SPD with the
1.2/50 µs surge-voltage impulse. This surge-voltage
impulse is used for the testing of the dielectric strength of
insulation material and as well for the testing of electric
and electronic devices. If the residual voltage of an SPD
stays below the respective max. permissible 1.2/50 µs
curve for the device to be protected, then it can be
assumed that the protection effect of the SPD is
sufficient. The lower the residual voltage stays below the
respective 1.2/50 µs waveshape, the better is the
protection effect. Therefore the oscillograms shown in
fig. 7 + 8, have been superimposed with an 1.5 kV surge-
voltage impulse of the waveshape 1.2/50 µs.
Fig. 7 – Residual voltages at 25 kA surge-current impulses
(10/350 µs). Length of feed line: 0.0 m
The measurements show that the residual voltage of a
Class I varistor-based SPD, exposed to an 25 kA
(10/350 µs) surge current, stays for a long time at a about
1000 V. This causes a lot of stress for the insulation
material of the power supply system and as well for
devices which are connected with the power supply
system.
In real-world applications the length of the feed lines for
SPDs is always longer than 0.0 m. To show the voltage-
rising effect which is caused by feed lines the following
measurements have been carried out with 0.5 m feed
lines.
Fig. 8 – Residual voltages at 25 kA surge-current impulses
(10/350 µs). Length of feed line: 0.5 m
The surge current which flows through a 0.5 m feed-line,
causes an additional rise of the peak voltage of about
620 V during the rise time of the surge current.
The residual voltage of a Class I varistor stays above the
1.5 kV surge-voltage impulse (1.2/50 µs). This means
that SPDs with Class I varistors are not capable to protect
sensitive electronic devices efficiently.
The residual voltage of a Class I spark gap - in
combination with a Class II varistor - is clearly below the
1.5 kV surge-voltage impulse (1.2/50 µs). This means
low stress and an efficient protection for power supply
systems and sensitive electronic devices.
8 CONCLUSION
The measurements taken with varistor-based and spark-
gap-based Class I SPDs have shown that varistor-based
Class I SPDs don’t provide the same protection against
10/350 µs surge currents compared to modern high-
performance Class I spark gaps. Electronically triggered
Class I spark gaps reach low residual voltages even with
long-duration surge currents.
The combination of a triggered Class I spark gap and a
Class II varistor protects very efficiently power supply
systems and electric and electronic devices. This
combination of SPDs unites in one protection device a
real multi-stage protection with a high surge current
discharge capability, low residual voltages and a very fast
response behavior.
9 REFERENCES
[1] IEC 62305-1 (2006-01): Protection against lightning -
Part 1: General principles
[2] IEC 62305-4 (2006-01): Protection against lightning -
Part 4: Electrical and electronic systems within structures
[3] IEC 60364-4-44 (2006-11): Low voltage electrical
installations - Part 4-44: Protection for safety - Protection
against voltage disturbances and measures against
electromagnetic influences
[4] IEC 60364-5-53 (2002-06): Electrical installations of
buildings - Part 5-53: Selection and erection of electrical
equipment - Isolation, switching and control
[5] IEC 61643-1 (2005-03): Low-voltage surge protective
devices - Part 1: Surge protective devices connected to
low-voltage power distribution systems - Requirements
and tests
[6] IEC 60060-1 (1989-11): High-voltage test techniques -
Part 1: General definitions and test requirements
[7] J. Schimanski, K. Scheibe, M. Wetter: Coordination of
varistors; International Conference on Lightning Protec-
tion (2000-09, Rhodes, Greece)
[8] M. Wetter, J. Wosgien, R. Durth: A new technology of
triggered lightning current arresters; International Confer-
ence on Lightning Protection (2002-09, Cracow, Poland)
[9] M. Wetter, J. Schimanski, K. Scheibe: High performance
triggered lightning current arresters; International Confer-
ence on Lightning Protection (2004-09, Avignon, France)
[10] H. Heckler, J. Schimanski, M. Wetter: Ableitvermögen
und Ansprechzeit von Blitzstromableitern; etz Heft 8/2005
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[11] J. Schimanski: Überspannungsschutz - Theorie und Pra-
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