Table of Contents:
Faulty Cables
Basic conditions, causes and types
A multitude of environmental factors has an impact on cable routes. A cable route can be made up of a variety of cable sections with different construction kinds. Cables with plastic insulation or mass-impregnated paper insulation are employed according to the voltage level, desired load capacity, and available accessory and installation technologies.
A variety of factors can cause cable damage. End-of-life and external effects, as well as faulty assembly, are the most typical causes of problems. When these cable problems develop, the problematic location must be identified as soon as possible, and the fault corrected, to keep the failure from lasting too long.
Common Cable Issues
- Short-circuit
At the fault location, damaged insulation causes a low-resistance connection of two or more conductors.
- Short-circuit to the ground
Low-resistive connections to the earth’s potential are known as earth faults or short-circuits. Another form of defect is the twin earth fault, which features two earth faults on different phases with independent bases.
- Faults in the cable sheath
Faults are not usually caused by damage to the outer cable sheath. It can, however, produce long-term cable failures as a result of moisture infiltration and insulation deterioration, among other things.
- Faults that come and go
Typically, problems do not occur regularly but rather on an intermittent basis, depending on the strain on the cable. Drying out oil-isolated cables with a low load could be one reason for this. Partial discharge can also occur as a result of aging or electrical trees in cables.
- The cable snaps
Individual or multiple conductors can be broken as a result of mechanical damage or ground vibrations
More for you:
6 Essential Steps For Locating And Correcting Electrical Faults
Here are 6 keys to successfully locating and correcting electrical faults:
- Collect evidence first
All evidence gathered must be pertinent to the issue at hand. If there is any doubt about whether anything is relevant, it should still be included. If it’s obvious that it’s irrelevant, reject it at the earliest opportunity. It doesn’t matter how much information is collected; what matters is that it’s all relevant information. If you think it’s safe, keep an eye on the system while it’s running. Make use of all of your senses: smell (burning), hearing (vibration), touch (temperature), and vision (for unusual conditions). Any relevant documents should be consulted.
- Examine the information
Consider all of the evidence you’ve gathered and, if possible, dismiss any that isn’t relevant after more thought. Examine the concrete evidence and, using rigorous, logical reasoning, diagnose the likely fault, or at the very least the location or region of the fault.
- Identify the fault
In some ways, this is a continuation of the ‘analysis’ process. The size of the areas or regions is gradually lowered until a specific location may be identified as defective. If a doorbell does not ring when it should, for example, it is only through a systematic technique that one may identify that the bell is malfunctioning.
- Identify and eliminate the source of the problem
Even after the fault has been corrected, if the cause of the fault is not addressed, it will return. A puncture in an inner tube, for example, could cause a flat bicycle tire. If the puncture is repaired (that is, the fault is removed), it will be of little service unless the cause of the puncture is identified and appropriate measures are performed. A nail that has pierced the outer cover could be the source of the puncture, and this must be done away with.
- Correct the error
This could be a simple task, as in the example above, or a much more complex one. Whatever the case may be, it is a specialized obligation based on previous discoveries.
- Examine the system
After the cause of the defect and the fault itself have been addressed, it is critical to check that the machine, equipment, or system is operating normally. In the instance of a puncture, it’s simple to establish that the source of the problem – as well as the problem itself – has been resolved successfully (presuming the tire is still inflated). It may be essential to “fine-tune” more sophisticated equipment or systems to return them to optimal working conditions.
For more information on cable fault locating and correcting in Abbotsford and surrounding areas, visit greggelectric.ca or call (604) 557-4734 today.
