Patent ID: 8711538

Claim:
An arrester for preventing an insulator supporting a power line from experiencing an electrical flashover, the arrester comprising: an electrode, the electrode spaced apart from: (a) the power line, or (b) a conductor that is distinct from the power line, so as to define an external gap therebetween; a varistor; a separating device, the separating device comprising two portions operative to separate from one another when the varistor experiences an electrical condition sufficient to cause the varistor to fail; and a strap, the strap being continuous and defining two ends, each of the two ends coupled to a respective one of the two portions of the separating device; wherein the electrode, the external gap, the separating device, and the varistor are arranged in electrical series with one another and in electrical parallel with the insulator; wherein the strap is operative to span between the two portions of the separating device after the separating device separates into the two portions.