UNDERGROUND CABLE FAULT DISTANCE LOCATOR USING GSM

Abstract

This paper presents an idea of fault locating method with highly computational method. The project also
presents some guidelines for design of fault location and remote indication, for reducing power outages and reducing heavy
loss of revenue. The paper proposes fault location model for underground power cable using microcontroller. The aim of
this paper is to determine the distance of underground cable fault from base station in meters. This paper uses the simple
concept of ohm’s law. When any fault like short circuit occurs, voltage drop will vary depending on the length of fault in a
cable, as the current varies. A set of resistors are therefore used to represent the cable and a dc voltage is fed at one end
and the fault is detected by detecting the change in voltage using a analog to digital converter and a microcontroller is used
to make the necessary calculations so that the fault distance is calculated and will be displayed in the LCD display. In
addition a message in the form of SMS about the fault location will be sent to the concern person mobile through the GSM
modem which is also interfaced to the controller.