Abstract: This paper presents a particular analysis of the consistency in surge test between using gas arrestors and capacitors. High voltage probe and oscilloscope were used to measure the open circuit voltage waveform respectively under the capacitor coupling mode and the gas arrester coupling mode.The experimental result showed that for 10/700μs generators, when the voltage is below 500V, the waveform distortion of gas arrester coupling mode is serious. And with the increase of test voltage, the waveform distortion is reduced. When voltage reaches 1000V, the influence of gas arrester can be ignored.