BEE/2021I

FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

ENGINEERING UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PAHANG
26600 PEKAN, PAHANG.

CABLE FAULT LOCATOR

LABORATORY

Title: Short Circuit Analysis

Introduction

Now the world is become digitalized, so the project is intended to detect the location of fault in
digital way. Damage to cables that causes resistance in the cable is referred to as a cable fault. If
allowed to continue, this can result in a voltage breakdown. To find a fault in a cable, it must first be
tested for flaws. As a result, cable testing is typically performed first in cable problem location. During
the cable test, flashovers are generated at the cable's weak places, which can subsequently be located.
One of the most prevalent methods is to use a time domain reflectometer that employs the pulse
reflection approach. However, there is an issue in gaining and practising this knowledge and abilities in
the context of teaching and learning. Due to the difficulties in teaching, it is critical to create effective
teaching aids that can demonstrate the operation of the cable fault locator based on the methods so that
students can gain the necessary knowledge and abilities to recognise and locate cable defects easily and
securely.

The objective of this CABLE FAULT LOCATOR is to determine the distance of cable fault
practically using an Arduino board. The underground cabling system is a common practice followed in
many urban areas. By developing effective teaching aids, students can acquire the necessary
knowledge and skills to detect, locate, and troubleshoot cable faults efficiently and safely.
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Equation

1. Short Circuit Fault: When two conductors of a multi core cable come in critical contact with each
other due to insulation failure, it is so called as short circuit fault. Megger can also be used to
check this fault [5]. The two terminals of a megger are connected to any two conductors. If the
megger gives a zero reading it indicates short-circuit fault between these conductors.
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S hort Circuit Analysis

Instruction

1. Enter the Rc value here: To begin entering Rc values, press the '#' key on the keypad.
The LCD screen should clear and display the instruction "Enter Rc:". (For this lab,
we'll be utilizing a 1.5mm cable with 50cm = 12.10 / 2 = 6.05 ohm/meter resistance.)
2. Fault Detection in Cables: Connect the positive probe to the first cable in your circuit.
Connect the negative side of the cable to another section of the cable. Set the short
circuit to a distance value (e.g., 0.2,0.3, etc.).
3. The location will be displayed on the LCD. Also, with the resistance of faulty cable.
4. Calculate the resistance faulty value based on the formula given and the distance of
short circuit fault happen.
5. Measure the value of the resistance faulty cable and the distance.
6. Calculate the percentage of the error/difference between the theoretical value and the
measured value of the Faulty Cable Resistance, Rm (Ω) and Cable Fault Distance, d (m).

7. Record all the values or results of into Table 1.

Table 1: 1.5mm Cable Single Core Cable

Cable Resistance, Rx Faulty Cable Resistance, Rm (Ω) Cable Fault Distance, d (m)
Rx
(Ω / m)

Theoretical Measured Fixed Measured

6.05 1.21 0.1

6.05 1.82    0.15

6.05 2.42   0.2

6.05 3.03 0.25

6.05 4.84  0.4

Calculation for Fault Cable Resistance, Rm:

Rm ꞊ (2 × Distance Fault, d) × Cable Resistance, Rx

a) 0.1m
Rm ꞊ (2× 0.1) × 6.05 Ω / m
꞊ 1.21 Ω

b) 0.15m
Rm ꞊ (2× 0.15) × 6.05 Ω / m
꞊ 1.82 Ω

c) 0.2m
Rm ꞊ (2× 0.2) × 6.05 Ω / m
꞊ 2.42 Ω

d) 0.25m
Rm ꞊ (2× 0.25) × 6.05 Ω / m
꞊ 3.03 Ω

e) 0.4m
Rm ꞊ (2× 0.4) × 6.05 Ω / m
꞊ 4.84 Ω

Percentage Error, %:

Theoritical Value−Measured Value

Error, % ꞊ × 100
Theoritical Value