This is the first product in a new generation of Fault Indicators that can become an intelligent part of an evolving SCADA system.

Up to this time Fault Indicators have not been able to distinguish current direction at the time of fault. With more utilities being able to automatically sectionalize power can be fed from many directions. Using existing technology Linemen have to spend time understanding what switches were closed at the time of fault to determine the direction to fault. Well with this device the Linemen only have to follow the direction which is either up the pole route or down the pole route!

The product is designed to provide directional information to a line to ground fault on ungrounded, Peterson coil grounded, or resistance grounded systems. On hard grounded systems there has to be in excess of 10 ohns of ground resistance inn the circuit for the unit to stand a chance of gathering the directional information from the fault condition.

On lines where the current reverses direction then the unit will require 5 seconds of steady current to re-establish its memory of current direction. If a fault shoud happen during this 5 seconds the unit may not be able to correctly diagnose direction.

The unit is immune to capacitance discharge effects, again a growing problem with capacitor banks on line and more underground cable.

The unit has the ability to understand whether the fault was intermittent or permanent, and whether voltage has been reestablished. Knowing whether voltage is back on the line when maybe it should not be is a safety feature in giving the Linemen advance warning of the possible failure of a switch, recloser or other protection device.

Type 3500

A picture of the SCADA ready Type 3500 is shown above.

Records of faults can be stored and downloaded to a hand held terminal. This terminal can be used to program the device to suit the operational requirements of the user and his system.

The unit can be supplied with Lithium battery technology, where up to 15 years of normal monitoring can be expected. Options exist for solar panel recharging for rechargeable batteries.

Options also exist to have an integrated RTU and radio to simplify installation at pole sites.

Without the SCADA connectivity direction to fault is effected by means of "red" and "green" LEDs. One giving direction up the pole route, the other down the pole route. A xenon flash tube is an optional extra.

With SCADA connectivity local indication is of less importance. An option is available for SCADA power to be used to power the unit and relays to provide the interface to SCADA.

At the moment the software has only been refined to accurately report direction on resistance, Peterson coil, and ungrounded systems. At the moment for hard grounded systems none directional fault reporting only is available.

1  -  DATA SHEET.
This contains the broad operating parameters that the unit will reliably find faults, and the switch setting options that are available.

2  -  USER MANUAL.
This contains detailed information on how to install the device, and set the switches for the type of fault finding you intend. These settings can of course be changed at any time should your fault finding needs change.