Installation Lines Testing by Impulse Reflectometry Based Method

This article analyses the working principles and the possibility to applicate impulse reflectometry in finding defects and failures discontinuities of installation cables, as well as finding discontinuities in the lines. Based on the theory of wave travel, mentioned reflections of impulses are done by measuring instruments, whose purpose is to determine the discontinuity - change in impedance along the line. This physical property is used as the traveling waves behave specifically while crossing discontinuities. Waveforms that are presented in this paper can be also observed in practical applications and examples of those applications are also given in this paper. Based on the information provided by proposed method it is possible to determine the type of cable fault, intentional - for example, unauthorized consumption or unintentional - mistake due to a malfunction. In addition, if proposed method is properly employed, it is possible to locate the exact defect location in the conductor with high accuracy.