Early detection of defects on single-wire earth-return powerlines using a low-voltage sensing method

A system for locating defects on a single-wire earth-return (SWER) network comprising:

• a network;
• a sensor configured to measure broadband signals from a first location between a distribution transformer and a customer fuse box, wherein the signals originate from a defect along the SWER network or in low voltage wiring of a customer premises;
• a data collection unit positioned at a second location between the distribution transformer and the fuse box configured to:
• measure broadband signals originating from the defect;
• convert the measured broadband signals from the first and second location to digital signals;
• extract parameters from the digital signals;
• and
• transmit the extracted parameters over the network;
• and
• a server communicably coupled to the data collection unit via the network configured to:
• receive the extracted parameters from the data collection unit;
• and
• determine whether a location of the defect is supply-side or customer-side;
• wherein either the server or the data collection unit is configured to determine whether the location of the defect is supply-side or customer-side by comparing times of arrival from the digital signals to each of the first and second location.

A system for locating defects on a single-wire earth-return (SWER) network comprising:

• a network;
• a first data collection unit positioned between a distribution transformer and a customer fuse box and configured to:
• measure broadband signals from a first location originating from a defect along the SWER network or in low voltage wiring of a customer premises;
• convert the measured broadband signals from the first location to a first digital signal;
• extract first parameters from the first digital signal;
• and
• transmit the extracted first parameters over the network;
• a second data collection unit positioned on a customer side of the customer fuse box and configured to:
• measure broadband signals from a second location originating from the defect;
• convert the measured broadband signals from the second location to a second digital signal;
• extract second parameters from the second digital signal;
• and
• transmit the extracted second parameters over the network;
• and
• a server communicably coupled to the first and second data collection unit via the network configured to:
• receive the first and second extracted parameters from the first and second data collection units;
• and
• determine whether a location of the defect if supply-side or customer-side.