Cable Fault Location:

Cable fault location is the process of locating periodic faults, such as insulation faults in underground cables, and is
an application of electrical measurement systems. This is used to find cable faults, which can’t be seen. Cable faults are
Damage in the cable, due to which resistance in the cable is affected. If this damage or fault in the cable is allowed to go
unchecked, it can lead to a voltage breakdown. In case of damage in the wire, could result in risk of wire damage, short
circuit and fire. R.K. Electrical Engineers has seen to provide the electrical cable fault services in India with their devices
like surge generator and time domain reflectomer.

Electrical cable faults are harm to links which impact an obstruction in the wire. Whenever permitted to hold on,
this can prompt a voltage breakdown. There are diverse sorts of cable deficiencies, which should initially be arranged
before they can be found. The protection of the cable assumes a noteworthy job in this. While paper-impregnated
cables are especially powerless to outer substance and warm impacts, in high-voltage PE or XLPE cable the polyethylene
protection of the conductor is influenced, prompting halfway breakdowns and splits that "destroy" the protection.

Types of Electrical Cable Faults found:

1. Screening faults: A contact between conductor and screen generates a varying resistance.

2. Phase faults: The contact between multiple conductors generates a varying resistance.

3. Sheath faults: Sheath faults are damage of the cable sheath that allows the surroundings contact with cable
screen

4. Faults due to moisture: Water enters into the cable sheath and contacts the conductors. Impedance changes at fault
location make estimating progressively troublesome. The obstruction more often than not lies in the high-ohmic range.

5. Cable testing: To locate a fault in the cable, the cable must first be tested for faults. Cable testing is therefore usually
performed first in cable fault location. During the cable test, flash-over are generated at the weak points in the cable,
which can then be localised.

Cable Fault Location Techniques:

1. Safely isolating the cable in consideration.

2. Cable Identification: Identification of the cable in consideration for testing from multiple cables.

3. Tracing the Cable: It is done to find out, whether the underground laid cable is following the desired path i.e. following
the straight path or not.

4. Identification of the Fault: To identify whether the fault is of high or low resistance and its phase. If the fault in the
cable found out is below 100 Ohms, a time domain reflectometry (TDR) can be used for a low voltage pulse of around 40

5. When the fault is of higher resistance i.e. greater than 100 ohms, then we have to use bridge or impulse (Surge)
generator (Shock discharge).

6. Prelocation of the Fault: It can be used to find out the fault, at a lesser distance of the cable length. ARC Reflection
Filter Method (ARM) or Impulse Current Method can be used with Surge Generator. Also, a decay method can be used
with HV DC Tester Bridge.

7. Pinpointing the Fault: It will help us, to get to the nearest distance of the fault on the cable. Acoustic methods are used
for minimize the error in pinpointing the fault. Acoustic sensors, magnetic sensors and shock discharge generators are
used for pinpointing.
8. Cable Re-energization: After all the tests and repairs, the cable is used and reinstated again.