Patent ID: 7982159

Claim:
A method of initiating a plasma arc in an apparatus comprising an arc gap defined by a first gap side and second gap side, the method comprising: generating a DC pilot current from a DC power supply, the power supply comprising a pilot current output and a return current input; generating a voltage impulse by directing current along an initial current path from the pilot current output and back to the return current input; injecting the voltage impulse in series with the pilot current output and the first gap side to generate an arc across the first and second gap sides; directing current flow through a second current path from the pilot output to the first gap side, across the gap to the second gap side, and back to the return current input without injecting current from any components outside the initial or second current flow paths; and discontinuing current flow along the initial current path at or shortly after current flow begins through the second current path; whereby both the initial and the second current flow paths comprise the DC power supply.