Support structure for cable and cable accessory condition monitoring devices

A method of installing a support structure of an electrical cable monitoring system, the method comprising:

• aligning an interior surface of an elongate body of the support structure concentric to an electrical cable defining an axis, wherein the electrical cable includes a central conductor, an insulating layer concentric to the central conductor, and a shielding layer concentric to the insulating layer;
• engaging a cable accessory with a first electrode attached to the interior surface;
• engaging the shielding layer with a second electrode attached to the body;
• and
• operatively coupling a monitoring device to the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the monitoring device is configured to monitor one or more conditions of the electrical cable or the cable accessory,
• wherein the cable accessory comprises a low side electrode, wherein engaging the cable accessory comprises electrically coupling the first electrode to the low side electrode, and wherein engaging the shielding layer comprises electrically coupling a conductive ground layer to the shielding layer and electrically coupling the second electrode to the conductive ground layer.

A system comprising:

• an electrical cable that includes a central conductor, an insulating layer concentric to the central conductor, and a shielding layer concentric to the insulating layer;
• a cable accessory disposed on the electrical cable;
• a support structure of an electrical cable monitoring system, the support structure comprising:
• an elongate body configured to extend along an axis defined by the electrical cable, wherein the body comprises an interior surface concentric to the axis and configured to engage the cable accessory;
• a first electrode attached to the interior surface of the body and configured to operatively couple to the cable accessory;
• and
• a second electrode attached to the body and configured to operatively couple to the shielding layer;
• and
• a monitoring device attached to the interior surface and operatively coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the monitoring device is configured to monitor one or more conditions of the electrical cable or the cable accessory,
• wherein the cable accessory comprises a low side electrode, wherein the first electrode is configured to electrically couple with the low side electrode, wherein the electrical cable monitoring system further comprises a conductive ground layer configured to electrically couple the shielding layer to the second electrode.