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The Electric Arc Heat Flux Calculator was developed by Alan Privette of Duke Power to give the user an estimate of the potential hazard associated with live current. The software calculates the heat that could result should an electric arc jump potentials, measured in cal/cm2 (calories per square centimeter).

The software is DOS-based and will function on any PC running any version of Windows.

Download the Electric Arc Heat Flux Calculator Now (25 kb ZIP file)

How to use the Arc Hazard Assessment Software — the software asks for five inputs:

Available Fault Current (amps) Check with your utility company if you do not know the power service being delivered to you.

Arc Gap (inches) Distance between the different potentials. The larger the gap the greater the explosive power.

Supply Voltage (volts) Common 120V, 265V, and 480V (voltage to ground), or voltages exceeding 13,200V. Check with your power supplier.
IMPORTANT: If the program responds with the message, “Supply Voltage Insufficient to Support Arc”, DO NOT assume your work area is safe. Even low voltages can produce arcs if potentials are shorted. Therefore, you should increase the voltage until the program produces a result.

Distance (inches) from Arc to Receiving Surface (person)

Number of Cycles Typical values are 8 – 20 cycles for normal fuses, 6 – 12 cycles for circuit breakers (assuming a 50 – 60 Hz system).

NOTES: If supply voltage is 480V (3-phase), you must multiply the final result by 3 to account for potential arcs between each phase combination.
ALSO: If working in a box, you must multiply the final result by an additional factor of 2, regardless of voltage. (This is the “box factor”.)

DISCLAIMER: Cementex Products, Inc. provides no warranties, express or implied, for the Electric Arc Heat Flux Calculator software. Cementex Products, Inc. will not be held liable for any damages incurred from use or misuse of this product. The software provides reasonable estimates within the range of 1kA and 10kA. However, outside of this range, extreme caution should be used due to potential inaccuracies.