True or False: Neglecting maintenance can lead to higher arc flash energy than predicted.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not Sure
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

The energy released in an arc flash depends on how long the arc lasts and how much current flows through it, with longer interruptions and more severe faults driving up energy. When maintenance is neglected, protection and electrical equipment are more likely to drift from their designed performance. Relays and breakers can become miscalibrated or corroded, contacts can loosen or wear, and control circuits can deteriorate. These issues heighten the chance that a fault is not interrupted quickly, or not interrupted as intended, allowing the arc to persist longer and deliver more energy than your calculated value. There may also be changes in equipment condition that affect how the arc forms, reinforcing the potential for higher actual energy. So, neglecting maintenance can indeed lead to higher arc flash energy than predicted.