Sparks Electrical News April 2018

CABLES AND CABLE ACCESSORIES

11

RESPOND TO FAULTS FASTER IN MEDIUM AND LOW VOLTAGE CABLES

W hen there is a cable fault, it is a race against time to get to the fault site. The fault needs be found as soon as possi- ble to keep customer outage times at a minimum and reduce the risk of Utilities being penalised. But this is not always possible when relying on availabil- ity of larger, more expensive equipment such as fault location test vans. Megger’s EZ Thump series is truly portable, as its lightweight design gives it the ability to be transport- ed in the trunk of a car, so you can get to the fault site immediately with no need for a special vehicle to get it to where it needs to be. But what makes it really special is that it is a smart system. The EZ Thump interface will guide you

If it can be found quickly, the fault can be rectified and the power turned back on again with minimal expense and disruption to the customer. This time saving alone will effectively pay for the unit within a few uses. Key benefits: • Easiest, fully automatic operation • All in one small and portable unit • ARM Relocation • Pinpointing with 500 J • Available as dual voltage 1.5/3 kV, 4 or 12 kV • Bright, brilliant colour display • Battery operation • Enquiries: www.megger.com

through the entire testing process, with each step pre- programmed so you do not need to know the testing sequence to quickly and easily carry out a test. It is a cost-effective solution. With its potential to substantially reduce outage times combined with significantly lower capital expenditure over truck mounted or transportable systems, the EZ Thump series is a worthwhile investment. The EZ Thump 12 kV is an easy and relatively low cost first response to a power cable fault. Its appli- cation can be beneficial as part of a ‘satellite’ fault locating concept for remote areas that may have less frequent faults, or when ease of operation and portability is important, such as in hard to access in- ner city locations.

NEXT GENERATION WIFI FIBRE OPTIC CONNECTOR INSPECTION SYSTEM

COMTEST’S latest offering from AFL is the aeR- os® connected focis WiFi2, the next generation fi- bre optic connector inspection system that uses an Android or iOS wireless connection for live image video streaming, auto-focus and more. The Focis WiFi2 probe is ergonomic and lightweight, fitting perfectly and balancing naturally in the hand. The probe hardware has a single multipurpose button, a single multi-colour functional status LED, and a battery charging port for all day mobility. The sta- tus LED enhances workflow productivity by allow- ing rapid operator assessment of the cleanliness of the fibre endface – either passing or failing standard rules – as well as “fibre not found” error notification. “According to industry studies, contaminated fi- bre endfaces typically account for 85 percent of optical network failures,” explained Maury Wood, product line manager for AFL’s Test & Inspection division. “With the advent of broadband and enter- prise data centre links at 100 Gbps and higher, the universal adherence to best practice fibre cleaning and inspection methods is an operational impera- tive. AFL is the leader in the Internet of Test, and the Focis WiFi2 is clear evidence of this leadership.” The Focis WiFi2 uses AFL’s large portfolio of in- spection adapter tips for connectors and bulkhead sleeves, including all 2.5 mm (SC, FC, ST) and 1.25 mm (LC) ferrules, as well as multi-fibre connectors and bulkhead sleeves (MPO/MTP/MPO16). AFL offers an adapter tip for high density LC PC/UPC optical distribution frames as well. The free Focis WiFi2 app (both Android and iOS) supports live image video streaming, auto- focus, IEC/IPC standard and user-customised pass/fail auto-analysis, pinch-to-zoom on end- face images, report generation, multi-language GUI support and day/time stamped job saving. Focis WiFi2 is the latest addition to AFL’s ex- tensive inspection and cleaning product portfolio, which includes the OFS300 optical and VS300 video microscopes, the DFS1 digital microscope, the focis WiFi PRO wireless fibrescope and the focis Flex handheld Bluetooth® inspection probe with integrated screen. The One-Click® and Cletop® cleaners, the FCC2 cleaning fluid and the FibreWipes complete the product portfolio of fi- bre endface cleaning products.

Enquiries: +27 (0) 10 595 1821

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

APRIL 2018