[Amps] Arcing

[gdaught6 at stanford.edu]

On 7 Mar 2003 at 11:35, Jeffrey Madore wrote:

> I can't say I fully grasp the theory yet.

It's really simple!  Somebody already posted  V=Ldi/dt and for those 
of us uncomfortable with calculus, in words it's "The voltage across 
an inductor is a product of the inductance and the rate of change of 
current through the inductor."  When we run a DC current through 
an inductor, and then try to turn it off abruptly, the voltage will get 
very large indeed.  I've been bitten many times measuring the 
resistance of big inductors using a volt-ohmmeter.  

73,