Cable Fault Locator
Faults in cables can occur due to many reasons, such as regular service aging, overvoltages, thermal overload, corrosion, and poor workmanship during transport and installation, among others. Obtaining efficient equipment to locate and resolve faults as soon as possible helps to keep downtime and subsequent costs to a minimum.
The BAUR cable fault locator portfolio of instruments and systems are applicable to all types of cables ranging from 1 kV to 500 kV and all types of cable faults such as:
- Short circuit faults
- Cable cuts
- Resistive faults
- Intermittent faults
- Sheath faults
We distinguish between two types of cable fault location: pre-location and pin-pointing.
The IRG Series for cable fault pre-location using time domain reflectometry (TDR) on low, medium, and high voltage cables. It can also be used on live cables up to 400 V. Further fault location methods are available with the application of the appropriate coupling device.
- SIM/MIM – Singular Impulse Method / Multiple Impulse Method
- ICM – Impulse Current Method
- Decay Method
- Differential Methods
BAUR’s surge voltage generators are used for pre-locating as well as for pin-pointing of high and low resistance faults in power cables. The stored energy of the high voltage capacitors is fed at intervals into the faulty cable. This causes an acoustic noise at the fault position which can be detected with a ground microphone and an audio frequency receiver.
- Models with high surge voltage up to 32 kV
- High surge energy in each voltage range (up to 3000 J)
- Surge sequence up to 30 pulses/min
- Automatic discharging device
The burn down transformer ATG Series is used to decrease the impedance of cable faults in medium and low voltage cable networks. The short circuit proof transformer provides a maximum voltage of 10 kV (ATG 2) or 15kV (ATG 6000) and is enclosed in a fully encapsulated 19″ housing. Additionally in each step voltage and current can be limited separately via potentiometer.
- Models with output voltage up to 10 kV DC
- Maximum power consumption 2.2 kVA
- Optimized output voltage ranges
- Electronic control of voltage and current
BAUR’s revolutionary and unique device is used for cable and cable sheath testing, fault pre-location, as well as for sheath fault pin pointing according to the step voltage method. Analysis is done fully automatically and the results are displayed digitally. For cable fault pin pointing according to the step voltage method, Shirla applies a defined DC pulse pattern and the step voltage can be picked up by using the Protrac.
- Cable and cable sheath testing up to 10kV
- Resistance measurement
- Cable and cable sheath fault pre-location with high precision bridge
- Cable sheath fault pin pointing
The Syscompact series is a multi-functional cable fault locator system in a modular 19” plug-in design. The surge and test generator is designed for testing of cables and cable sheaths and for the precise location of high-resistance and intermittent faults. The SYSCOMPACT 400 is used preferably in low and medium voltage networks for locating faults on cables up to 65 km in length.
The integration of established fault pre-location methods SIM/MIM and Impulse Current Method enables the precise location of high and low-resistance as well as intermittent faults using established TDR devices.
Test Methods:
- Impulse Reflection Methods (TDR)
- Secondary Impulse Method / Multiple Impulse Method (SIM/MIM) – BAUR patented invention
- SIM/MIM with DC
- Impulse Current Method
BAUR offers several models for cable fault pin-pointing and cable tracing such as:
- Protrac– for the precise pinpointing of cable and cable sheath faults. Combining acoustic and electromagnetic fault pinpointing with sheath fault location in one system, it is ideal for universal application. In combination with an acoustic frequency transmitter and the new acoustic frequency probe, the Protrac can be used to trace cables as well locate faults and cable joints.
- CL 20 Cable Locator– The versatility of features in the CL 20 such as direct galvanic or inductive coupling, active search frequencies and passive 60 Hz network frequencies makes it universally applicable.
The cable identification system KSG 200 is used for selection of single and multicore cables from a cable bundle. The amplitude, time and phase control (ATP) discriminator provides the user with the utmost security of cable identification. The KSG 200 offers special advantages like fully automatic gain control, user-friendly menu guidance, voltage-proof transmitter output and small dimensions.
- Cable identification of single and multicore cables
- Reliable signal acquisition by digital 3-parameter analysis,
- Cable identification even in live LV cables via the mains proof direct connection (KSG 200 T)
- Inductive pulse injection by current transformer clamp into live cables (option)
- Models available with rechargeable batteries (KSG 200 A & KSG 200 TA)