Design and Implementation of Wireless Live Wire Fault Detector and Protection in Remote Areas

remote and hilly areas, the faults in the live wires are difficult to analyse. The faults in the wire may be due to breakage in the wire, breakage due to heavy rain, snowfall and land slide, human and animal contact or lightening strike. In an electric power system fault is any abnormal electric current. RF Transreceivers have been proposed for detection of faults in the live wire. This technique can detect the faults in the wires, unapproachable by humans. RF Transmitter units are fixed along the length of wire at regular intervals, the RF receiver unit is placed at approachable area. Signal communication occurs between the transmitter and receiver unit. The transmitter units designed consists of a RF transmitter module which transmits the signal as long as it receives the power. The microcontroller receives the signal through the relay. The voltage fluctuation circuit constantly monitors the voltage level in the wire,and auto cuts-off power in case of voltage fluctuations. The transmitter unit which doesnot transmit the signal, indicates the area of fault in the wire. The receiver unit comprising of the RF receiver module,receives all the signals from the transmitter units accordingly. If all the transmitters' signals are received,this indicates that there is no fault in the wire. The transmitter unit from which the signal is not received,indicates the portion or area of the fault in the wire. The relay circuit in the transmitter unit auto cuts-off power in case of the fault detected. The decoder circuit connected to the RF receiver passes the signal to the microcontroller which is displayed. These messages can be transferred to any desired location through the GSM module present on the receiver unit. Hence the fault location can be detected and the circuit is protected in case of fault and voltage fluctuations in the wire. KeywordsLCD,GSM, TDR.