Underground Cable Fault Detection Methods

Syscompact 4000 cable fault location system with integrated tdr and thumper surge generator titron cable test van breakdown detection.

Underground cable fault detection methods.

In order to identify the faults in the cable we need to develop special methods which will be discussed in this article. This paper proposes fault location model for underground power cable using microcontroller. 2 offline method in this method special instrument is used to test out service of cable in the field there are two offline methods as following 1 tracer method in this method fault point is detected by walking on the cable lines fault point. The challenge with the existing methods used for locating faults in underground cables is the inaccuracy in calculating the distance where the fault is located and the low durability of such.

There are many locating methods coupled with new detection technologies that make this task much easier and less time consuming. In 20 years that followed over 2000 fault location vehicles were manufactured more than half of which were intended for the former ussr. Two of the popular techniques are the murray and varley loop tests for locating faults in underground cables this article explains about few other popular techniques for locating faults in underground cables viz. The aim of this project is to determine the distance of underground cable fault from base station in kilometers.

Use of the arc reflection method combined with a high capacitance surge generator and state of the art pinpointing devices for underground cable fault locating will find faults in less time and with less risk of damaging good cable than classical techniques. The conventionally used aid in cable fault testing and location is the cable test van. Fault points online method for underground cable are less than overhead lines. The van is installed with conventional cable measuring systems for quickly reaching the location of any cable fault.

This project uses the simple concept of. If the fault is considered to be high resistive or intermittent a dc voltage can be applied to the cable to determine at which voltage the fault breaks down. This project uses the ohms law concept when a low voltage dc is applied to the feeder end through a series resistor then the current would differ based on the location of fault occurred in the cable in case is there any short circuit occurred from line to ground then the voltage across series resistor alters accordingly then it is fed to an. Underground cable fault distance locator circuit.

Finding the location of an underground cable fault doesn t have to be like finding a needle in a haystack.