I have recently been asked whether I can assist in trying to track down a break in a buried cable which feeds 2 lamp posts in the grounds of a building. I have not visited the site yet but understand that the cable run is approximately 100 metres and there are posts at approximately 50 and 100 metres. Although my first action will be to go on site and carry out some IR tests to determine the extent of the damage and which section it is in, (Not sure whether the problem is a short circuit or open circuit), the customer is keen to know whether we can determine the position of the damage so we know where to dig to expose the damaged section. I believe there is equipment which can fairly accurately determine how far down the conductor the break is, but there would be the added problem of tracking the course of the cable and accurately measuring when you were the right distance along the cable! If anyone has any information on where this equipment can be hired and just how accurate it is, I would be very glad to hear from you. Thanks
This will find you the fault http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/tdr-cable-fault-locators/2671862/ This will trace the exact route of the cable run. http://allpipe.co.uk/products/list/cable-avoidance-tools?gclid=CJbqqN62jLgCFQbJtAodun8Acw
What if the break is in the return? Dunno of any tracker that could accurately find the break in the return . You could bell out the cables and find if the break is in the first or second section and replace whatever section is broken. Without seeing the job, it could just be a loose connection at one of the posts.
Well obviously, the electrickery has to get to the lamp posts, then has to return to the CU (or wherever it's supplied from. Us joiners usually call it the neutral (or blue/black wire, depending on how old the installation is) . Dunno anyway of wiring summat up without the neutral wire Sine (unless you have a cunning plan). I mean, if your using something to detect the electricity in summat like twin and earth cable, then I assume it would detect the electricity in the positive (supply side) and also in the negative (return side) How does it then differentiate between the two?. PS that bit of kit you linked to is well expensive. I'd expect it to make tea and answer the door at that price.
Don't matter where the break is, it can be reliably located. OP, try these guys. http://www.spec-ltd.com/services/maintenance-detail/cable_fault_location/index.html
Pray tell Sine, how these instruments work. Do they employ some sort of radio frequency transmitted along the cable to locat the break ?
"Pray tell Sine, how these instruments work. Do they employ some sort of radio frequency transmitted along the cable to locat the break ?" 'Dont tell him Pike !' RS
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