Causes of faults in underground cables most of the faults occur when moisture enters the insulation.
Underground power cable failure.
The use of underground cables is essential in power distribution networks as they mitigate the issues related to space availability and minimise line breakdown and increase system reliability.
A substantial percentage occurs at splices terminations and joints.
Heat shrink covers can be used to waterproof these junctions and improve reliability.
Not all underground cable system failures are due to cable insulation.
Other causes include mechanical injury during transportation laying process or due to various stresses encountered by the cable during its working life.
Dividing the cable into successively smaller sections will enable you to narrow down the search for a fault.
Sectionalizing this procedure as shown in fig.
Open circuits are usually the result of failed connectors or broken and or corroded conductors.
1 risks reducing cable reliability because it depends on physically cutting and splicing the cable.
Open circuits are more common in low voltage cables than at medium or high voltage.
Major causes are due to water ingress and poor workmanship.
There are two basic methods of locating an underground cable fault.
The paper insulation provided inside the cable is hygroscopic in nature.
The lead sheath is.
Final results of a failure a cable failure almost always exhibits itself as either an open circuit or a short circuit.