IOT – Powered Underground Cable Fault Detection and Monitoring System

In urban areas, electrical cables are installed underground to avoid weather-related issues such as heavy rainfall, snow, and thunderstorms. However, pinpointing faults in these underground cables can be challenging for repair purposes. A new device has been proposed to precisely locate these faults using the basic principles of the Ohm’s law. The system applies a smaller amount of DC voltage through feeder lines connected via resistors (cable segments). The current varies. Depending on where the error is located, such as a short circuit within the cable, the fundamental components of this detection system are a rectified power supply and an Arduino microcontroller. A current detection circuit, in conjunction with the resistors, interfaces with the microcontroller through an ADC device to measure cable length in kilometers. Fault notifications are generated using switches for error indication. Relay control is managed by a relay driver IC to check cable integrity. A 16x2 LCD displays pertinent information. Notably, the system incorporates GSM technology to transmit fault details— such as locating, detecting, and measuring the distance in kilometers from the base station locating, detecting, and measuring the distance in kilometers from the base station to designated personnel. An alarm alerts field workers immediately upon fault detection, facilitating prompt corrective action.