Spark Gaps

Excelitas spark gaps are high-energy, voltage-controlled switching devices, unique in their ability to repeatedly switch currents of thousands of amperes. These devices are appropriate for use in commercial, industrial, and military ground and aerospace applications.

Additional Resources
Why should you choose Excelitas as your provider of Spark Gaps?
As a leading provider of electronic component solutions for commercial, industrial, military, and aerospace applications worldwide, Excelitas provides unmatched high-voltage spark gap switch solutions manufactured with efficiency and reliability in mind. Made from high-grade alumina ceramic housing with metal supports and hermetically sealed for increased mechanical strength, spark gaps manufactured by Excelitas are perfect for high voltage spark gap switch applications. We are unmatched in the conceptualization, design, and manufacture of high-energy switches.
What is Spark Gap used for?
For customers asking what is spark gap used for?... we tell them that they are gas-filled, high-energy switching devices used in the rapid switching of currents ranging thousands of amperes. These are typically applied in systems that require the diversion of large electrical surges, such as lighting, electromagnetic pulses, and other high-voltage, high-current sources.
What types of Spark Gap Solutions do you offer?
Excelitas provides a wide range of switch sparking solutions to suit a wide variety of applications. Our spark gap solutions are made from high-grade ceramic metal electrodes hermetically sealed and filled with pressurized gas. These include:
  • Over-Voltage Spark Gaps - typically used to divert stored energy inside capacitor banks or inductors to protect their internal components, such as microwave tubes.
  • Triggered Mini Spark Gaps and Transformers - used in the activation of electro-explosive devices, such as electronic safe and arm systems, exploding bridge wires, and detonators.
  • Triggered Spark Gaps - made up of three electrodes hermetically sealed in a pressurized envelope, these create a high voltage spark gap switch at low impedance and are used in series switches.
  • Triggered Vacuum Spark Gaps - the ideal high voltage spark gap switches for applications that require a wide operating voltage range. Gaps are used in overvoltage protection in crowbar circuits.
What are the applications of Spark Gaps?
Spark gaps are ideal for applications that require the prevention of voltage surges in order to protect equipment and its components, such as in power switching tubes, travelling electric arcs, voltage protective devices, pulse-forming circuits, and spark plugs in ignition systems.
Do you offer Custom Spark Gap Solutions?
Yes, we do! Excelitas is a leading provider of spark gap solutions worldwide. We conceptualize, design, and manufacture spark gaps made from high-grade ceramic metal materials to ensure the quality and reliability of each component. We provide off-the-shelf solutions and were made with your applications in mind. But should you require a more specialized solution, we also offer customized switch sparking solutions to help meet your operational requirements. Provide us with sample specifications of your desired application, and we will make sure to create a customized solution that meets your needs.
Excelitas Overvoltage Spark Gaps

Over-Voltage Spark Gaps

Excelitas ceramic-metal overvoltage spark gaps consist of two refractory metal electrodes in a hermetically sealed pressurized envelope. Overvoltage gaps are most often used in crowbar circuits to divert the energy stored in a capacitor bank or inductor to protect components such as microwave...
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Mini Triggered Spark Gaps and Transformers

Triggered Mini Spark Gaps and Transformers

Excelitas Mini-Triggered Spark Gaps are designed for high-reliability switching up to 4 kV and 10 kA. Constructed of hermetically sealed ceramic-metal and filled with pressurized gas, they are typically used for activating electro-explosive devices such as exploding bridge wires, electronic safe...
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Excelitas Triggered Spark Gaps

Triggered Spark Gaps

Excelitas Triggered Spark Gaps consist of three electrodes in a hermetically sealed, pressurized envelope. Their applications fall into two broad categories, each involving capacitor switching at low impedance. A protective device, where the gap is used to crowbar energy elements or a series...
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Triggered Vacuum Gap, GPV-series

Triggered Vacuum Spark Gaps

Excelitas triggered vacuum gaps are the ideal high-voltage switches for applications where a wide operating voltage range is desired. The low end of the operating voltage range is independent of the Static breakdown voltage (SBV). Operating ranges from 300 volts to 80 kilovolts are possible. The...
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