CONTROL-PROTECTION-SUPERVISION

Distribution Automation / Management System (DMS)

Fault identification
Prior to locating a fault, it is necessary to determine the nature of fault.
Isolate the faulty cable and test each core of the cable for earth fault.
Check the insulation resistance between the conductors.
Short and earth the three cores of cable at one end. Check the resistance between the cores and
earth, between individual cores (at the other end) to check open circuit fault.
In case there is any fault, the insulation test of individual cores with sheath or armour and
between the cores is essential. The test should also be done by reversing the polarity of the
insulation resistance tester (megger). In case of any difference in readings. The presence of
moisture in the cable insulation is confirmed. The moisture in the cable forms a voltage cell
between the lead sheath and conductor because of the difference in the conductivity of these
metals and the impregnating compound forms an organic acid when water enters it.
Testing of faulty cable
The cables are tested as per following test for finding fault.
1. Murray loop test
2. DC charge and discharge test for open circuit fault location
3. Phase to phase fault test for short circuit fault location
4. Fall of potential test for earth fault location
5. Capacity test
6. Induction test
7. Impulse wave echo test
8. Time domain reflectometry test
1. 1. Murray loop test

Murray Loop Bridge is a bridge circuit used for locating faults in underground or underwater
cables.
It has been used for more than 100 years. This method can be used for both low and high
resistance fault in circumstancesFault in one or two cores
When three cores are faulty, provided that an adjacent cable is used for measurement.
When three cores are faulted if the contact resistance differs from each other by a factor more
than 500.

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When contact resistance does not exceed 500ohms, if working with low voltage bridge and 1.5
Mega ohm if working with a high voltage bridge.
Murray loop test is the most common and accurate method for fault localization. In this test, the
principle of Wheatstone bridge is used to locate the ground fault. In ground fault, one or more
cables are earthed. if the fault current is more than 10 mA when battery voltage is 100V, the
fault resistance may be of the order of 10K . A high gain dc amplifier can be used for high
sensitivity.
Working: the faulty core is looped with sound core of the same cross sectional area and a slide
wire or resistance box with 02 sets of coils are connected across the open end of the loop. A
Galvanometer is also joined across the open end of the loop and a dc hand operated generator
supplies the current for the test. Balance is obtained by adjusting the slide or resistance. The fault
position is given by the formula;
d = a/(a+b)
Where

a = resistance connected to faulty cable

b = resistance connected to sound cable
Loop length = x + y i.e. 2 times the route length
2. DC charge and discharge test for open circuit fault location

This test is used to locate discontinuity in the core of cable, with high resistance to earth.
Preparing for the test , charge the cable with a battery for a very short time say for 15 sec and
then discharge it through a moving coil galvanometer. Test is repeated at the other end for the
similar reading. The distance of the faulty point from end A is given by

In this test it is necessary to earth all the broken cores at far end and also other cores except the
core to be tested to take correct readings.
In these days, electronic cable faults locators are available which give the reading directly on
scale. The principle used in such instruments is impressing voltage impulse on the cable under
test. These impulses get reflected from the fault location. Then reflections are projected on CRO
(cathode ray oscilloscope) in the image format. From image type and distance are determined.
3. Phase to phase fault test for short circuit fault location