Abstract
As the first step of our investigation into a fire phenomenon caused by leakage of electricity in the wall of a wooden building mortared on wire lath, we studied what phenomenon will come about when the leaked current flows into the contact part of the lath.
If electric current flows into the contact part of lathes in the open air, putting on more electric pressure to them, the contact part may be fused or shows an arc discharge. It was found that in the latter case, the special curve indicating the relation between the current and voltage shows a drooping tendency ; the alternating current hysteresis, discharging voltage wave and other characteristics of this arc are similar in nature to those of the natural a. c. arc discharge ; and the heat generated in the arc increases as time goes by.
