EA Technology CableData CDC3 User manual

CableData®Collector
Operating Manual
Model No: CDC3
Document Version: V01.01.00
Date: 8 July 2021

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical,
photocopied, recorded or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without the written permission of the copyright holder.
© EA Technology Ltd July 2021
EA Technology Limited, Capenhurst Technology Park, Capenhurst, Chester, CH1 6ES;
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
http://www.eatechnology.com
Registered in England number 2566313
Version History
Date
Version
Author(s)
Notes
10/06/2021
01.00.00
Sam Russell
Initial Release
08/07/2021
01.01.00
Sam Russell
Added link to Declarations of Conformity.

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page i
Safety Precautions and procedures
•The CableData®Collector (CDC) range is for use only with specified equipment and cables supplied by
EA Technology Ltd. Misuse of the equipment can result in injury or death.
•Ensure relevant safety notes and manuals from any auxiliary equipment and sensors such as that
from the HFCT are read in conjunction with this manual.
•The CDC can be used without de-energizing the local equipment, it must be considered under the
relevant risk assessment.
•The CDC is designed for use at ground potential only.
•When testing electrical plant ensure metalwork is earthed before observing measurements.
•Local safety procedures and guidelines (including the use of personal protective equipment) must be
followed during the installation and use.
•Maintain safety clearances between structures at high voltage and the instrument, its probes, and the
operator always.
•Do not make measurements with electrical storms in the vicinity.
•Do not make measurements immediately following the energization of a circuit.
•Do not disturb the plant during measurements either mechanically (e.g., shaking or striking it),
electrically (e.g., increasing the voltage) or physically (e.g., applying heat).
•Do not operate the CDC or any accessories in an explosive environment.
•Before installation and use, always check the condition of the connecting cables.
•If the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, any protection provided by
the equipment may be impaired.
•Modification of switchgear is outside the scope of this document. Adhere to all regulatory and
manufacturer standards when considering modifications. Ensure that any such modifications do not
reduce structural integrity or arc flash withstand of the switchgear.
•Do not use the SD card slot or the Ethernet port, these ports are currently not supported.
•For application information email [email protected]om.

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page ii
Contents
1. Non-Intrusive Detection of Partial Discharge Activity .........................................................................................1
2. CableData®Collector (CDC) Hardware...................................................................................................................2
2.1 Kit Contents...................................................................................................................................................2
2.2 General ...........................................................................................................................................................2
2.3 Status LED Definition...................................................................................................................................3
2.4 Phase Reference...........................................................................................................................................3
2.5 Transformer Reference...............................................................................................................................3
2.6 HFCT Reference ...........................................................................................................................................4
2.7 Taking PD Measurements using a HFCT ................................................................................................4
2.8 Calibration......................................................................................................................................................4
3. CDC Software Installation & Setup..........................................................................................................................6
3.1 Software Installation....................................................................................................................................6
3.2 Connecting the CDC.....................................................................................................................................8
3.3 Settings Setup...............................................................................................................................................9
4. Using the CDC Software......................................................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Software Initialisation............................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Main Screen................................................................................................................................................ 11
4.3 Main Screen Data Entry Requirements................................................................................................. 12
4.4 Data Capture .............................................................................................................................................. 19
4.5 Capture Data & Reports ........................................................................................................................... 23
4.6 Restoring Software Default Options...................................................................................................... 25
4.7 Uninstalling the CDC Data Acquisition Software ................................................................................ 26
4.8 Updating Software .................................................................................................................................... 26
5. Specification............................................................................................................................................................. 27
6. Declaration of Conformity...................................................................................................................................... 28
7. Maintenance............................................................................................................................................................. 29
8. Sales and Service .................................................................................................................................................... 30

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page 1 of 30
1. Non-Intrusive Detection of Partial Discharge Activity
Partial discharges are electric discharges that do not completely bridge the electrodes. The magnitude of such
discharges is usually small; however, they do cause progressive deterioration of insulation that may lead to
eventual failure(s).
Non-intrusive partial discharge detection provides a means for identifying these potential sources of insulation
failure that result not only in loss of supply to customers but can also endanger staff.
A partial discharge emits energy in the following ways:
Electromagnetic:
•Radio
•Light
•Heat
Acoustic:
•Audio
•Ultrasonic
Gases:
•Ozone
•Nitrous Oxides
When the partial discharge event occurs in a cable, there will be a resulting voltage pulse coupled to the
earth sheath of the cable. These pulses will propagate away from the PD side in both directions. Once the
pulse reaches a change in impedance, this will cause a partial reflection. This results in the pulses travelling
back down the cable several times (dependent upon cable length) as they decay away.
Measurement is taken using the High-Frequency Current Transformer (HFCT) at one end of the cable. This will
reveal a pattern of pulses, where the first pulse is the direct pulse from the PD event. The second pulse is the
reflected pulse from the far end. If the PD site is at the far end of the cable, then the direct pulse and the
reflection will be very close to each other, or perhaps superimposed on each other. Conversely, if the PD site is
at the near end of the cable, the direct pulse will be received first, and then there will be a longer gap as the
pulse travelling away will have to travel nearly twice the length of the cable until it is detected.

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page 2 of 30
2. CableData®Collector (CDC) Hardware
2.1 Kit Contents
1 x CDC Main Unit
3 x HFCTs
4 x 5m BNC Leads
1 x USB Data & Power Cable
1 x Phase Reference Transformer (CDC2-PRT)
1 x Carry Case
1 x Software USB drive
Operating Manuals
2.2 General
The front panel offers 4x BNC connectors. 3x BNC connectors (1,2,3) are for use with the supplied HFCTs for
data acquisition. The fourth connector (~) is the Auxiliary input, where the phase reference transformer is
connected. Only the supplied phase reference transformer specifically designed for the CDC should be used
on this input. Each channel can be identified from the top enclosure label.
Figure 1 CDC Top View
The rear of the CDC contains the following connectors:
SD card slot:
Currently unsupported/functional.
Do not insert an SD card into this slot.
Three status LEDs
Further information on the LEDs in section 2.3.
Mini USB Connector
Used for instrument power and communication. The CDC is supplied with a
split USB Cable allowing more power to be drawn from additional USB source
if required.
Ethernet Socket
Currently unsupported/functional.
Do not insert network cables into this socket.

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page 3 of 30
Figure 2 CDC Rear View
2.3 Status LED Definition
The outermost two status LEDs indicate the status of the firmware. When the CDC is powered up but not
collecting data, they should remain solid green. When collecting data, the left (outermost) LED should briefly
flash whilst collecting event data. The centre LED will flicker when collecting waveform data. As the waveform
collection is a slower process, this will flash for a longer period.
The innermost LED is the phase reference indicator. When a phase reference is present, the LED should remain
solid green. In the event the phase reference is lost, the LED will turn orange.
In the event any of the Status LEDs turn red, try power cycling the CDC to see if this alleviates the problem. If
the red status light remains illuminated, this may indicate a possible hardware issue. If this occurs, then please
contact EA Technology Product Support Team for further instructions.
2.4 Phase Reference
A phase reference is required by the CDC to improve the data analysis allowing classification of events based
on phase position. There are two supported methods for this.
1) Recommended Method: Connecting a phase reference transformer to the Auxiliary channel.
2) Using a HFCT connected one of the CPD measurement channels (1,2 or 3).
2.5 Transformer Reference
The preferred (supplied) phase reference transformer provides more accurate results compared to the
HFCT’s. Because of this, it should be used wherever possible. Using the Transformer as a reference; plug the
BNC connector from the end of the transformer cable to the Aux input (~).
Where the supplied cable is too short, a longer BNC cable from the phase reference transformer to the
instrument can be supplied by EA or a mains extensions lead can be used.
The phase reference transformer input is in the form of an IEC320-C7 power cable, which can be replaced for
an off the shelf version with a localised plug. If this is not possible, the transformer will work with basic travel
adapters.
The more complex travel adapters that also convert the voltage may not work and should be avoided. The
transformer is designed to work with an input voltage between 100V →240Vac.

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page 4 of 30
2.6 HFCT Reference
The CDC will attempt to obtain a phase reference from flowing current through the HFCTs sheath. This 50Hz
or 60Hz current is due to the cable capacitance, or in some circumstances may be down to induction from the
phase conductors.
A current of approx. 10A is required to give a reliable reference - if lower, the reference may become intermittent
and/or unreliable. The phase reference LED may also occasionally change between green and orange. In this
event it is recommended to replace with the phase reference transformer.
If the instrument is being used in Single Phase (1P) mode it will only attempt to detect the phase reference on
channel 1, however, if being used in three-phase (3P) mode all three input channels (1,2,3) will be attempted.
This information is logged in the capture reports which can be viewed at the end of the data capture process.
2.7 Taking PD Measurements using a HFCT
Using the CDC with a HFCT for detection of Partial Discharge (PD) on single or three-phase cables can be done
non-intrusively using multiple configurations. The configuration of the test setup is highly dependent on the
accessibility and layout of the location of the test. For more information on configuring a test using HFCT
consult the HFCT manual and if further assistance is required contact EA technology.
Figure 3 Image of a HFCT1-F50
2.8 Calibration
It is recommended that the CDC is calibrated annually. Information on the calibration date and due date can
be found by navigating to “About” in the CableData®Collector software (shown in figure 4).
Figure 4 About button in CDC Software

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page 5 of 30
Clicking the About button will display the instrument information window shown in Figure 5. Calibration Due
Date will give information of the remaining time until the recommended calibration date expires.
Figure 5 About Window
If the CDC calibration has expired, a warning will be displayed during start up (shown in Figure 6). Clicking OK
will allow the software to continue collecting data (not recommended).
Figure 6 Warning about calibration expiry

3660-MANUL-V01.01.00-CDC3 Operating Manual
Page 6 of 30
3. CDC Software Installation & Setup
3.1 Software Installation
The CDC software requires Microsoft’s .Net 3.5 framework to be installed, a separate installer is included with
the setup files. If you are unsure, whether you have this installed then it is advisable to run and install this before
starting with the installation of the CDC.
To start the installation, locate the install files supplied. Run the .exe file to start the installation process.
Windows administrator privileges are required to install the CDC software.
Running CableDataCollector_Setup.exe file requires confirmation for installation progress (Figure Figure 7). To
start the installation, click Yes and this will start the preparation process for the required virtual COM port
drivers, which are necessary to communicate with the CDC.
Figure 7 Install Confirmation
Upon preparation completion, the installer will wait to start, Figure 8. Click Next to start driver install.
Figure 8 Virtual COM Port Driver start of installation
Upon completion, Windows Device Driver Installation Wizard will run. Click Next to install the driver.
Figure 9 Windows device driver installation wizard