Minimum voltage for electric arc

[Anonymous No.10391679]

Does anybody know the minimum voltage to cause an arc? With references or a calculation if it exists?

A can accept even a few volts could cause a spark, but I have a project where people think 1V difference between two object could be a hazard in sparking. I doubt it.

[Anonymous No.10391696]

>>10391679
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_breakdown#Gases

Like 3kv per mm depending on temperature.

[Anonymous No.10391725]

i think that is to sustain an arc. or maybe create one from isolated terminals.

Drop a spanner across the terminals of a 12V car battery and it will spark for sure.

[Anonymous No.10391750]

>>10391725
Don't confuse an arc with a brief flash of light due to recombination. In that case the distance is much smaller than a mm.

[Anonymous No.10391798]

>>10391750
OK good. you sound knowledgeable.

Spark/Ark/recombination. If it would be enough to ignite a CH4 gas leak then that is a problem.

I am assuming the recombination/spark from a 12V battery shorting would ignite CH4/ or LNG.

Would it occur a 5V? (probably), 3V? 2V? 1V?

[Anonymous No.10391805]

>>10391798
I'm not sure what you mean. Keep in mind a 9 volt battery can drive a 100,000 volt stun gun. So yes even small voltages stepped up can create an arc big enough to cause an explosion. Very low voltages are unlikely to do it. Every gas has their own particular break down voltage, but it doesn't take much for methane (CH4)and O2 to go.

[Anonymous No.10391822]

>>10391805
yes a stun gun powers a 9 V battery coz it steps it up. You could power a stun gun with enough pieces of copper, zinc and lemons.

What I mean is, if someone said
"I'll pay you $1M to stand in this chamber filled with CH4 and air at a correct flammability mixture (you can have your own independent breathing supply) and then short out a 12V battery with a spanner, would you do it? How confident the air/CH4 wouldnt explode from the sparks caused when you short the car battery.

Now, same question but make the battery 6V

Same again, make the battery 3V, 2V, or 1V

At what voltage would there definately not be a spark capable of ingiting the mixture??!?!?!?

[Anonymous No.10392225]

>>10391822
Electrician here, just about any voltage can create a spark when shorted, try it yourself with a 1.5v battery and a piece of wire.
The way to insure you have no ignition risk is an airtight electrical system that is earthed with a main-neutral-earth link (or earth / negative commonality on DC).

Describe what it you are trying to do and I'll try to help with what I learnt wiring up a LPG processing plant.

[Anonymous No.10392245]

>>10392225
This anon is right. This is why certain industrial centers require you to carry an "intrinsically safe" cell phone, one that is designed not to arc. Most unshielded devices can create small arcs inside them, enough to ignite an explosible atmosphere. It's why lots of equipment in those plants must be explosion proof, either grounded at every point possible or specially insulated from the atmosphere. You can cause a major explosion just from static electricity, it's why they recommend you touch your vehicle before gassing up, to discharge the static.

[Anonymous No.10392595]

>>10391696
How many kv per planck length?

[Anonymous No.10392607]

>>10392595
That's a stupid question.

[Anonymous No.10392726]

Unrelated yet related question. I've been wondering if there are any experiments done with arcs of electricity in space. Does the arc become a straight?

[Anonymous No.10392788]

>>10391679
it's complicated. Once you have an initial arc, you can use a lower voltage because the resistance of an arc is lower than air provided you are able to provide enough amperage. In fact the resistance can even be negative

[Anonymous No.10393077]

>>10392595
4.849×10^-32 kv