Red Seal Electrician Practice
Wiring and componentsQuestion 68 of 1506

What is wetting current?

  1. The maximum current a contact can switch without welding closed
  2. The minimum current a contact must carry to keep itself clean
  3. The leakage current across an open contact when it is wet
  4. The current drawn by a snubber when the contact is open
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Correct answer: The minimum current a contact must carry to keep itself clean

A little arcing keeps contact faces free of dirt and corrosion. Too little current causes high resistance.

Source: Lessons in Electric Circuits IV: Digital (Kuphaldt), 4.2: Switch Contact Design

Practice wiring and components

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026