The extra holes by the battery is the ICSP-pins for programming the microcontroller. Judging by the housing, a Microchip PIC. The 32K418A-component is a 32,768KHz crystal used to clock the microcontroller (super slow, energy saving)
What a shame! Would love to have lots of the good stuff they get rid of. I bet those weren't exactly cheap either! (Though I don't have any use for things like these - but other things, yes!)
The number 04 on the case is the year (2004) of manufacture. They probably threw it away because the 10 year battery life had expired, although the battery can be replaced.
that coil is not parallel to the conductor, it has a 90° angle to it, which makes sense because it maximizes the flux through the coil... having it parallel or perpendicular would minimize the flux.
They trigger on current flow, not on voltage. The current flow on these primary lines isn't all that high; I believe some of those cut-out fuses are rated as low as 6 amps. That being the case, I would expect that the fault current from a 240V or 120V mains short would be more than sufficient to trigger these. I would also be VERY surprised if a MOT could trigger them, given that a stock MOT with it's secondary shorted is probably putting out at most a couple of amps. One thing I think would be very likely to trigger them is a 150W soldering gun. The current flow through the tip of those is significant, although at a low voltage. Easy enough to test--put the tip next to the sensing coil and pull the trigger on the soldering gun. A tape bulk eraser might do it too. Anything that makes a strong magnetic field at 50 or 60Hz should do it.
The LFI's are not fitted on fused tap offs. they are on the feeder lines. Currents can vary between 100 and 400 Amps in urban areas and 5 and 60 Amps in rural areas.
Thanks for sharing this! I've seen these around here in Northwestern Pennsylvania. I knew they were Line Fault but never seen them flashing before or the insides of them
Thank you for this video. Perhaps you don't need to short a capacitor bank or such. I imagine the magnetic flux of a single line will be relatively low, even if it's at a voltage in the order of 10's of kV's... So this thing will be very sensitive, hence the coil/inductor has that many turns on it. You of all people must have a degaussing coil for CRT based screens/televisions, don't you? See if that triggers it! :) Just an idea.
These devices operate when there is a line fault. The fault will be beyond the flashing indicator. The recloser, if fitted, would have tripped and may be reclosed one or two times, to sectionalise part of the line. Then the line is relivened from the substation. If it holds, all is good, recloser closed, trip, then a line patrol has to be done.
does anyone know how to reset FLITE 116SA communicable , reset using the hot stick? I am told that for hooking it on overhead line one needs an attachment and for resetting it that same attachment should have a magnetic material strong enough to reset. Has anyone dveloped such accessory for hot stick? kindly provide some details
Greatly helpful. Cheers!
The extra holes by the battery is the ICSP-pins for programming the microcontroller. Judging by the housing, a Microchip PIC. The 32K418A-component is a 32,768KHz crystal used to clock the microcontroller (super slow, energy saving)
Why did they throw out ones that were new in the box? Were they past-dated?
Don't know, reshuffeling depots, lots of good stuff get chucked out, or people are just plain lazy.
douro20 Manual here www.schneider-electric.com.au/en/download/document/NT00034/. looks like its over its 10 year life span
RODALCO2007 laziness most likely, Meter guy tells me alot about corruption of the Utility companies
What a shame! Would love to have lots of the good stuff they get rid of. I bet those weren't exactly cheap either! (Though I don't have any use for things like these - but other things, yes!)
The number 04 on the case is the year (2004) of manufacture. They probably threw it away because the 10 year battery life had expired, although the battery can be replaced.
that coil is not parallel to the conductor, it has a 90° angle to it, which makes sense because it maximizes the flux through the coil... having it parallel or perpendicular would minimize the flux.
Thanks for clearing that up.
I'm pleased you put this video up as I was curiouse how they worked. I've never seen these in the UK maybe now they will start using them
I have noticed that many substations have aerials on them I should of realized they monitor all sorts
I'd love to get my hands on one of those Ray and see if a pair of MOTs in series can trigger them :)
I was planning to use 2 MOT's or my 11 kV supply and see what happens.
They trigger on current flow, not on voltage. The current flow on these primary lines isn't all that high; I believe some of those cut-out fuses are rated as low as 6 amps.
That being the case, I would expect that the fault current from a 240V or 120V mains short would be more than sufficient to trigger these.
I would also be VERY surprised if a MOT could trigger them, given that a stock MOT with it's secondary shorted is probably putting out at most a couple of amps.
One thing I think would be very likely to trigger them is a 150W soldering gun. The current flow through the tip of those is significant, although at a low voltage. Easy enough to test--put the tip next to the sensing coil and pull the trigger on the soldering gun.
A tape bulk eraser might do it too. Anything that makes a strong magnetic field at 50 or 60Hz should do it.
Brian Leeper
I agree, I would be very surprised if they triggered it. The MOT fault current just wouldn't be high enough.
The LFI's are not
fitted on fused tap offs. they are on the feeder lines. Currents can vary
between 100 and 400 Amps in urban areas and 5 and 60 Amps in rural areas.
Maybe when the wire is looped a couple of times. will look into that.
Thanks for uploading this, I wondered how they operate! :)
merlin gerin make the best gear. not cheap but bloody good quality! merry xmas mate
Thanks for sharing this! I've seen these around here in Northwestern Pennsylvania. I knew they were Line Fault but never seen them flashing before or the insides of them
Interesting, above all, it'll make a great star for the top of the Christmas tree! 😂
do they recharge the battery from the field around the conductor also?
No, they use a Lithium battery with a lifespan of 10 years.
I wonder if a piezo ignitor will trigger this...
Thank you for this video. Perhaps you don't need to short a capacitor bank or such. I imagine the magnetic flux of a single line will be relatively low, even if it's at a voltage in the order of 10's of kV's... So this thing will be very sensitive, hence the coil/inductor has that many turns on it. You of all people must have a degaussing coil for CRT based screens/televisions, don't you? See if that triggers it! :) Just an idea.
@ 5:25, do i see a loose wire sticking out on the coil?
Nice device, that would be awesome on christmas tree._
A friend of mine who is a lineman told me that these were to do with the switching of a recloser, is this correct?
These devices operate when there is a line fault. The fault will be beyond the flashing indicator. The recloser, if fitted, would have tripped and may be reclosed one or two times, to sectionalise part of the line. Then the line is relivened from the substation. If it holds, all is good, recloser closed, trip, then a line patrol has to be done.
OK that makes more sense to me. He was telling me they communicated with an automatic recloser by some means of signal injection.
There is a reed switch visible on top of the PCB
Raymond, do you still have any of these (or can you get one)? I would be interested in paying the post to get one to me here in the U.S.
Yes I still have one or two laying about.
@@RODALCO2007 Excellent, please contact me at the "Discussion" tab on my channel so I can get information to you.
does anyone know how to reset FLITE 116SA communicable , reset using the hot stick? I am told that for hooking it on overhead line one needs an attachment and for resetting it that same attachment should have a magnetic material strong enough to reset.
Has anyone dveloped such accessory for hot stick? kindly provide some details
2000