Cable fault location meters , anyone used them before ?

[WPD Lad]

I'll have a Kelvatek Reflekt in around 3 weeks if you can wait, failing that I've got a boggo cat and genny

 

[Knobhead]

Nice bit of kit.

 

[JD6400]

Right then first off , thanks for all of the replies and apologies for not getting back until now ( just getting over a second bout of tonsillitis in the last two weeks, so had a lay in ).

Richard / UK Meter , this seems the way to go but from what you have mentioned it sounds a bit like rocket science ?

Heisenberg , as far as we are concerned it has nothing to do with us but the client also thinks the same for him self !
This is how it has developed so far - To save money we sourced and specked the cable from our usual wholesalers and the client payed for it direct , one of our apprentices then subbed direct to the client and hired a digger to lay the sub through the fields and borrowed one of our moles to go under the roads , this was direct to the client .
The client also employed the chap building one section of the complex to go through the yard at the top and back fill it ( which is where i think could be the problem ).
All we did was connect both ends , i know our man had gone direct but we still feel some responsibility .
It will be around a £20,000 hit if it all goes pair shaped ! ( job had already over ran the budget by £12,000-£13,000 and cost us several £0000 more than the original quote so not impressed at the moment !!!!!!!!!)

Tony , it was megged out and at the time all was good but it was very dry at that point and had been since it had gone in the hole .

WPD Lad , thanks for the offer maybe we could hire your service's if that would work as if we do not buy one then i would far more prefer to give the money to some one from the forum !

 

[Knobhead]

I’ve fallen for clear tests before, about a mile and a quarter of 70mm, so there were a couple off joints in it. Perfect readings. And then the rains came. Oh dear!
It took me weeks to find where one of our wonderful process guys had been cleaning up with the aid of a front-end loader.

It would be good if you can get WPD Lad on side.

 

[UKMeterman]

Hi,
A TDR for power cables can be hired here biotest T625 cable fault locator | hire | inlec They are quite easy to use, they just need connecting up and details of the type of cable in use.

 

[UKMeterman]

Next time you install a cable like this, don't use a standard megger use megger MIT520/2 5KV diagnostic insulation resistance tester | hire | inlec this can detect a whole host of insulation problems, before the insulation suffers total failure. A TDR can also spot some subtle changes as well so it may be an idea to do both.

 

[UKMeterman]

As regards faulty underground power cables and horses remind your customer about the newbury racecourse incident. Two horses were electrocuted...

 

[mogga]

google RADIO DETECTION their RD400 with a GENNY can be used for fault location practice with a dod laid on top of the ground get to know what to listen for then follow the cable sound along the route WATCH for inducted sound on any gas/water pipes tho If used correctly this could assist you

Vhttp://www.inlec.com/electrical-tes...etection-rd400pxl-cat-genny-cable-locator-p33

 

[mogga]

SRC training center use to have some crackin specialist fault locating kit and as Tony says clear cable can turn into down all over the place when the rain hits the ground as for crossing the yard we had this when they decided to lay tar on a yard and the pressure pushed a brick through a 75mm4 core that was my first big joint

 

[Engineer54]

None of these cable fault detectors are easy to use, ...well they are if you know how to interpret the signals the machine is showing you. I've seen experienced operators totally flummoxed at times!!

Your best bet is to get a recognised company in to find this fault, they will generally guarantee the location of the fault to within a metre of where they say it is. Other than that, you could end up digging down in umpteen locations if your not experienced in using these fault locators... lol!!

What the betting that either the floor of the trench wasn't cleared of sharp protruding stones and debris, or that this trench was backfilled without the correct sand bedding....

 

[JD6400]

Hi again ,

UKMeterman , It has megged out ok at 1000v on the blue and grey so is safe for the short term .
I have swapped out the incomer for a 30ma at the moment as well , the yard is TT anyway as we had existing barns already on site and it was going to be a absolute no no to get a tied grid in under the new indoor menage !

Engineer54 , i think this will be exactly the problem as to why we now have the damage but i had absolutely no jurisdiction on certain parts of the cable run and only limited on the other parts , and the part where i think the damage is was laid when we had not been on site for a fortnight .
I do think that getting in a specialist in is a sound idea , but we may yet get lumbered with the costs ? Added to this is the fact i personally have all the plant needed (apart from the fault finding gear ) for the job back at my home , so i have the ability of keeping nearly all the costs in house .

Mogga , we brought a RD2000+ and genny a couple of months ago , would this model do the same as i have not found any information yet saying it will ?

 

[Engineer54]

The specialised fault finding company would only be used for finding the location of the fault, the subsequent excavation and repair to the cable you can do in house, along with the back filling....

 

[JD6400]

I have to admit i think you are right and this may be the best option , i am just worried that after we have sorted one fault then there will be subsequent faults further along that may be missed while they are there .
But i think we will just have to risk it , unless they have the ability to pick up multiply faults in one pass ?

 

[Engineer54]

An experienced operator with the right equipment, can probably tell you if there are further weak spots in the cable run, or indeed if your going to be dealing with multiple breaks as it stands at the moment... Fingers crossed for you!! ...lol!!

 

[mogga]

As enginer says EXPERIENCED Operator is realy required to use the equipmwent as the readings are whats needed to interpret
havent used the rd200 the 400 we followed the cable till lost signal DIG there sorted 9 out of 10 times we got it spot on even depth
I have seen S.P. use a "Thumper" god thats a fantastic bit of kit One goy at cable end with thumper other guy walking down cable route listening for THUMP again normaly SPOT on with experienced guys using it

 

[Knobhead]

Give the RD2000 a go on the faulty cores.
I don’t know what model we had at work but it must be 30odd years old, got my arse out of the fire plenty of times. I used to set the geny up at one end and trace to where the signal vanished, then do the same from the other end.

 

[JD6400]

Hi Tony , I will give it a whirl , but i think we are looking at getting in the big guns .
The cable has not been sheared just compromised so i think the cat will just trace as normal , unless i am missing some other way of doing it ?
I think all in all it's a feeling of :frown2: at the moment !

 

[WPD Lad]

Where is the job?

Have the brown and black gone open circuit or phase to phase or phase to E?

Reflekt is here!

 

[JD6400]

South Warwickshire , brown is flat to earth and black is also flat to earth with the added bonus of water running out of the copper cores !
Never bothered to try phase to phase / brown to black as was feeling rather despondent by that point , but would say it will be flat to earth .

Where are you based ?

 

[Knobhead]

Hi Tony , I will give it a whirl , but i think we are looking at getting in the big guns .
The cable has not been sheared just compromised so i think the cat will just trace as normal , unless i am missing some other way of doing it ?
I think all in all it's a feeling of :frown2: at the moment !

Signal will end at the short.

But it look like WPD may come to your rescue