Centrix Evolution Cable Fault Location System

This usually means one of the safety conditions has not been met. Centrix Evolution continuously monitors the earth loop, dangerous potential increases, rapid voltage rises, rear door status, safety key switches, emergency stop circuits and the external safety device. Check that the earth cable, F-U connection, HV return and any external safety device are connected correctly, and make sure no safety device has been bypassed or left open. 

Weak or difficult traces can be caused by long cables, high attenuation, unstable faults or poor fault ignition. In those cases, use the appropriate prelocation method for the fault type, and take advantage of ProRange, Multishot, Best Picture and, where fitted, ARM Conditioning or Decay Plus. These features are intended to improve fault visibility and stabilise difficult faults before interpretation. 

A failed sheath test only confirms that damage exists. The next step is sheath fault prelocation and then pinpointing using the voltage drop and step-voltage methods. Check the test connections carefully and make sure the correct sheath fault method is selected before proceeding. 

Testable load capacity depends on the selected package, voltage form and connected cable load. If the requested voltage or frequency cannot be applied, the system may need reduced settings or a different package configuration. Long cables and higher test voltages place greater demand on the source, so check whether the installed VLF package matches the application. 

Diagnostic results are influenced by cable condition, voltage form and selected test package. Tan Delta is used to assess dielectric losses, while PD diagnostics are intended to reveal defects and weak spots that may not show up in standard withstand testing. Recheck the selected method, the package installed, and the cable history before drawing conclusions from a single measurement. 

An unexpected shutdown is often a safety response. The system is designed to shut down if critical safety conditions are violated, including earth loop issues, dangerous touch-potential conditions, rear door opening or emergency stop activation. Inspect the safety chain and all earthing and return connections before restarting work.

The Teleflex® RDR is used for reflection measurement, differential measurement between phases and intermittent fault location. Strong, repeatable traces and a clear fault position support confident prelocation. ARM Best Picture Multishot captures 32 fault traces, helping the system present the clearest result, while ProRange improves visibility of distant faults, joints and cable ends on high-attenuation cables.

Insulation resistance and capacitance readings help identify whether a cable is healthy enough to proceed, while automatic breakdown detection helps confirm the presence of an operationally hazardous fault. If breakdown occurs during testing, the result should be treated as confirmation that the cable or accessory requires corrective action before return to service.

A failed sheath test indicates damage to the outer jacket. The universal basic system supports sheath testing up to 20 kV and pulsed DC step-voltage pinpointing to help locate the defect position in the field. If sheath fault prelocation is required before pinpointing, this is available as an optional addition with MFM 10 / HVB 10.

Interpretation depends on the selected package. VLF cosine-rectangular testing is positioned for standard-compliant withstand testing, including long cables, while VLF sine is used where Tan Delta measurement and monitored testing are required. DAC is used for partial discharge diagnostics where the goal is to detect defects with minimal stress on aged cable sections.

Rising dielectric loss values in Tan Delta testing indicate greater insulation losses and may point to ageing, moisture ingress or deterioration. Detected PD activity indicates weak spots or defects in insulation or accessories that may not fail immediately but can develop into future outages. In practice, these diagnostic results are most useful when combined with cable history, installation quality, fault history and the chosen test method.

Centrix Evolution also stores and logs measurements through its integrated software and database, so results can be reviewed, documented and reported immediately after testing.