initial efforts in addressing the emerging problems associated with the introduction of semiconductors in 

the consumer market. 

This report was prepared to document experiments performed in the early sixties to assess the surge 

withstand capability of devices available at that time for use in residential circuits. The context was that 

the emerging electronic appliances were found vulnerable to transient overvoltages and therefore in need 

of some form of protection. 

The findings arose sufficient interest to continue on the path of research in transient occurrence, 

propagation, effects, and mitigation. With hindsight they might be qualified as “quaint” but they contain the 

seeds of later findings such as debunking the then-prevalent expectation that increasing the PIV rating of 

a semiconductor would increase its surge withstand capability, and the failure mechanism of light bulbs (it 

took 30 years of latent and only mild interest in that subject to come up with the definitive study of lamp 

failure mechanisms reported in the paper “Using Incandescent Lamp Failure Levels for Assessment of the 

Surge Environment” (See “Lamp Failure” in Part 2) that was motivated by the need for a “Reality Check” to 

be submitted to a working group of the IEC developing a technical report on the surge environment.
GENERAL @ ELECTRIC 

SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK - 

Devices I None 

REPRODUCIBLE COPY FILED AT G.E. TECHNICAL DATA CENTER NO. PAWS g BLDC. 5, SCHENECTADY, N. Y. 

IUMMARY 

TECHNICAL IlVFORMATlOlY 

SERIES 

During the 1963 Transient Overvoltage Pooled 

Program, various devices were subjected to surges, 

either deliberately ae the result of a specific 

interest or indirectly as a result of being part 

of a larger system. 

NO. 63GL133 

DATE 12/31/63 

ox. CLASS 

UTHOR 

.D.Martzloff 

This report documents the observations made 

during the year. The results are not otherwise 

related to each other. 

SUIJKT 

Transient Overvol t ages 

Data are reported on the failure level of the 

following devices, and are offered as "for instance" 

bench marks rather than transient ratings: 

ITLE 

Surge Withstand Capability of Various 

Silicon rectifiers 

Silicon Controlled Rectifiers 

Incandescent light bulbs 

Delco Cadmium Sulfide photo cell 

TESTS MADE BY F. D. Martzloff 

F. D Matloff /-?.fla& AUTHOR 

COMPONENT Electric Converfion Engineering 

APPROVED J . P. Hanna //3/1/'/ r &#< 
were subjected to surges, either deliberately as a result of a specific 

interest in their failure level, or indirectly as a result of their presence 

in a larger system being subjected to surges (for instance, light bulbs). 

This report documents and records the observations made during the year. 

The value of these results should be to disseminate a better appreciation 

of the capabilities or limitations of some devices. The numerical values 

given for the failure levels are limited to the specific device under the 

stated conditions, and should not be construed as ratings. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The failure level of these devices under transient overvoltage falls 

within the range of surges recorded on typical 100 V AC distribution systems. 

(See TIS 62GL191). Therefore, continued caution is in order when applying 

these devices in circuits exposed to such surges. 

Surge suppressions have been investigated, as previously reported; they 

can reduce the surge levels to harmless values. (See TIS 63GL97). 
SILICON RECTIFIERS 

Various rectifiers were subjected to the surges described under the test 

condtions shown for each type of rectifier. The criterion of failure was 

chopping of the surge wave or short circuit of the rectifier circuit. 

RECTIFIER TEST CONDITION TYPICAL FAILURE 

GE 1N679 Reverse voltage surge 

(Glass Subminiature, of 0.1 x 5 ps applied at 

Diffused junction peak of 60 cps inverse 

200 and 600V PIV) voltage, at room temp. 

Fails at 1700 volts 

in 1 ps or less 

Reverse voltage surge 

of 0.1 x 5 ps applied 

during conduction time 

junction at 150~~ 

Fails at 800 volts 

in 1 ps or less 

GE 4JA4 

low current 

alloyed junction 

200 and 600V PIV 

Fails at 1500 volts 

in 1 ps or more 

Reverse voltage surge 

with various rates of 

rise at room temperature 

Fails at 2500 volts 

in 0.1 ys or less 

GE 4JA10 

low current 

alloyed junction 

400 and 500V PIV 

Reverse voltage surge of 

1 x 3 us applied at peak 

of 60 cps inverse voltage 

in capacitor input halfwave 

DC rectifier 

Fails at 1300 volts 

GE IN1696 

low current 

alloyed junction 

500V PIV 

Fails at 1200 volts 

Mallory IN2070 

(400V PIV) 

Fail at 1500 volts 

following overshoot 

of 1800 volts at 

front of surge 

Semtech SC4 

(400V PIV) 

Fail at 1200 volts 

Mallory LA 400 11 Fail at 750 volts* 

Mallory TX400 

Solitron Type 400 

Fail at 7500 volts* 

Fail at 500-700 volts* 

*data from very small samples (less than 5) compared to minimum of 10 on other dat
voltage surges of .1 x 5 ps wave shape, applied at room temperature and 

with no other steady-state voltage. 

The surges were applied as single shot, with 10 surges at the same level 

before increasing the voltage to the next level. 

At surge levels in the order of 1500 volts, the wave shape of the 

applied surge was distorted, showing a loading effect on the surge generator. 

However, no change in the room temperature characteristis of the SCR was 

found . 

Towards 2000 volts, the surge voltage was actually chopped after .15 ps. 

No change in the SCR characteristics were found after 10 surges. However, 

after about 300 surges at 60 per second, the SCR had failed by short circuit. 

Further tests are planned, so that at this time it appears that the 

failure level is situated between 1500 and 2000 volts. 
INCANDESCEPSI: LIGm BULBS 

Test Conditions 

The bulbs were installed in the laboratory model of a typical house 

wiring system in which surges simulating those measured in field tests were 

injected from a capacitor discharge circuit (see Reference 2) 

The surges, 2 to 3 microseconds wide, were applied at the peak of the 

60 cps voltage with the same polarity as the instantaneous AC voltage. 

Tests were made at various line voltage values on a GE 100 watt bulb, 

also at constant line voltage for various ratings of GE bulbs and various 

brands of 100 watt bulbs. 

Failure levels are tabulated below (volts at crest) 

Test Results 

A. Variable line voltage B. 110 V line voltage C. 110 V line voltage 

(2 samples of each) (3 samples of each) (3 samples of each) 

100 watt GE Softwhite GE Bulbs 100 watt various brands 

Line Voltage Failure Watts Failure GE 1600 

100 2000 40 none at 2500 Champion 2000 

108 1700 50 1200 KenRad 1900 

110 1400 75 1500 Sylvania 1400 

125 1400 1QO 1200 - W 2300 

150 1700 

200 1700 

300 none at 2500 

Comments 

1. Failure occurs at voltage levels which have been observed in field 

measurements. 

2. The failure mechanism is not obvious. Among possible causes, thermal 

shock in the leads, electromagnetic stresses in the filament coil, 

dielectric failure (flashover of the first coil turns) are possible causes

Test Conditions 

Surges with 0.5 ys rise time and 50 ys tail were applied to a 25 watt 

light-dependent resistor. Criterion of failure was a significant change in 

the cell resistance before and after surge, combined with an apparent change 

in wave shape on the CRO display. The cell resistance is lower with incident 

light, causing greater regulation of the surge generator between the no-load 

and loaded output. The energy dissipated in the cell corresponds to that 

required to develop the instantaneous voltage displayed on the CRO across 

the resistance of the cell under the existing light conditions. 

Test Results 

A. Cell in dark, 500 Kninitial resistance 

Withstand: 1400 volts 

Failure at 1700 volts (20 ~Afinal resistance) 

B. Cell with incident light, 150n initial resistance 

Withstand: 1200 volts 

Failure at 1300 volts (200n final resistance, in darkness) 
GENERAL DESCRIPTION 

The Delco Cadmium Sulfide Power Photocell is constructed of a 

thin layer of sintered semic~ductor applied to an aluminum 

oxide substrate. Virtual hermetic seal ing, which is necessary to 

protect the device from moisture is accomplished through the use 

of film adhesives and a glass cap. With this construction, it is 

possible to abtain pwer handling capabilities heretofore not 

available in this type of device. Sensitivity, speed of response, 

and dark resistance are representative of the present state of the 

art in this field. However, the current handling capability of 

1 ampere and the power dissipation rating of 25 watts far exceed 

any announced rating by other manufacturers. 

APPLICATION 

The power photocell is intended primarily for medium or high 

power switching and control applications where turn-on and 

turn-off times of the wder of tens of milliseconds are required. 

The device is designed to operate directly from 1 lOVAC and is 

conservatively rated at 200 DC or ~eak AC volts. Because of its 

LIGHT DEPENDENT 

RESISTOR 

high voltage rating and inherently "claw" switching speed, beer photocell is particularly - 

suited formow bdwtiv= 14s &ere-y&age-sgrges encounkred&j.<,b-= ---=--- . ----- -I 

ju_P.cfipn_&~~~~~ ace apr*bm. (Surge current of short duratron up to 1 ampere can be tolerated in 

most appl ica~ions). - / if. / ; 

/ 

When used with captive light sources, the power photocell can provide appreciable power gain 

as well os complete isolation between control and load circuits. With standard miniature incandescent lamps, continuous smooth control of up to 50 watts in the load circuit can be 

obtained with control inputs of 1 watt or less. Using miniature neon lamps it is possible to 

switch up to 40 watts with less than 500mw input pwer. 

Except in those applications where size is a major factor, he power photocell will replace 

most currently available cadmium sulfide photocells. 

ABSOLlJTE MAXIMUM RATING a 

Current ............................................................ 500 ma max. (DC 

Voltage ........................................................... 200 volts max. (DC or AC peak) 

Dissipation ...................................................... 25 watts maxf (30°c ambient) 

Operating Temperature ........................................ 60OC max. (tentative) 

Storage Temperature ........................................... 60O~ max. (tentative) 

ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS 

Wavelength of kx. Sens .................................... .... 6000 AO - 

Lumen Sensitivity .................................................. 10 amps/lumen at 2 ft. C. and 50 VDC. 

Resistance (typical D. C. vaiues): 

1 ungsten (2800~~) 10 foot candles .......... ,400 ohms 

100 foot candles.. ......... 80 ohms 

1 QOO foot candles ........... 15 ohms 

NePh neon lamp with 1 OKahm 

Series resistor (captive source) .............................. 75 ohms max. 

Dark (1 0 sec. after removal of light) ......................... 500Kohms Min. 

Approx. time for current to decay to 

10% of illuminated value ..................................... 20 millisec. (18 ft. C. and above)