Cable & Phase identification De-energized Cable ID Energized Cable ID Phasing Energized cable detection

De-Energized Cable and Phase Identification

Cable & Phase Identification With cable maintenance or installation work, identifying the correct cables or phases before cutting and splicing is important. Even when tagging is available, how can we be sure they are correct Working on de-energized circuits, with both ends grounded is a very safe and preferred environment

Cable Identification system: Challenges Positively identifying the correct cable in the field is challenging, many solutions offered in the market struggle with detection signals bleeding on adjacent circuits. Common technologies used today are based on inducing a signal over a cable, and detecting the portion of this signal that is coupled to the conductor and confirming the polarity of this signal.

Cable Identification system: Challenges These systems can use pulsing signal on the conductor and identification using a magnetic test coil, or talking over the conductors using a telephone headset or using a diode/LED. these techniques have put the operator at risk as the conductors were not at ground potential at both ends…if for any reason the conductors became energized, personal injury was inevitable.

Cable Identification system: Challenges The operator always need to know the geographic location of the transmitter in relation to the detector, to ensure the correct polarity deviation is detected. Transmitter Detector

Cable Identification system: Challenges In the field this is not always as simple as looking at a diagram, its common to have extra cable wrapping around the manhole or vault, and this can be confusing. The operator could think that cable is coming into the vault from the right, but it could be the other way

VCI-3, Voice Cable Identification system True 3 phase test system The system neutrals are not used to propagate the ID signals, and therefore no signal bleeding can occur.

De-energized Identification: VCI-3 Connection diagram Clamp injection method

VCI-3, Voice Cable Identification system System operation: At one end of the circuit or at the nearest grounding point, the VCI-3 transmitter is installed. This transmitter, induces very low voltages that forces small current to circulate in the conductor of the cable.

VCI-3, Voice Cable Identification system The transmitters multiple frequencies are picked up by the sensor to positively identify the cable without any concerns about the geographical location of the transmitter

VCI-3, Voice Cable Identification system The system can operate on circuits that are grounded at both ends, making it the safest method of identification on the market.

De-energized Identification: VCI-3 Connection diagram Direct injection method, where only 1 end of the cable is grounded

De-energized Identification: VCI-3 Detection signal will not bleed on parallel circuits as the loop signal system traps the signal within the cable system.

VCI-3: Added confidence to identification VCI-3 Transmitter uses voice recordings when injecting the identification signals. This improves the reliability of the identification Allows for identification of multiple circuits simultaneously using multiple transmitters and a single detector.

VCI-3: Simple interface VCI-3 Detector offers an intuitive display: Clear signal level and phase indication 2 Mode of operation: Cable ID or Cable & Phase ID The unit has multiple gain levels to tackle the most challenging applications Speaker Volume

VCI-3: Transmitter one time setup No need to move the transmitter from one phase to another. Simply set the transmitter at one end (on all 3 phases) and leave it there till the job is done! The 3 injection channels will set the phase identification through out the cable run. No need to set the transmitter to address the cable/circuit type, the automatic output gain adjustment does that for you

De-energized Identification: VCI-3 Once the sufficient signal level and the right tone combination has been detected… only then will the instrument identify the cable or the phase of that cable.

De-energized Identification: VCI-3 Neutrals/shields are not a concern for leaking identification signals, as the VCI-3 only uses the conductors or the temporary grounds to inject the detection signal

VCI-3: Ringing out the cables - PILC Tracking (“ringing” out) the phases where the cable has been cut is easy. leave the transmitter as is…cut the cable.. Then use the compass type probe and “ring” out the cables and their respective phases.

VCI-3: multiple grounds transmitter A B, grounded, 100% of the signal will pass through B C, keep isolated D, keep isolated

VCI-3: multiple grounds The VCI detector will pick up 50% signal strength if B-C length/resistance is Same as B-D length/resistance, when all ends ( A,C & D ) are grounded VCI Transmitter A B C D

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