According to the features discussed herein, through a single generalized arc-fault detection algorithm, various types of series and/or parallel arc faults can be detected without any nuisance trip for either AC or DC Electric Power Systems. Running Discrete Fourier Series (RDFS) formulation for nuisance-free operation and cost-effective implementation is developed. Unlike other methods which require numerous source and load-side current and voltage measurements, only source side current is required. An arc detector may include a first detector to monitor variations of a magnitude of a fundamental component of a current, and a second detector to monitor an overload condition based in an i2t calculation. A method may include obtaining a first cycle of a fundamental component of a current, obtaining a second cycle of the fundamental component of the current, and comparing the first cycle of the fundamental component of the current and the second cycle of the fundamental component of the current to determine if a difference of the first cycle and the second cycle is greater than a threshold amount.