Electricity Transmission Line Earth Resistance Pylon Tower Tester

The measurement of the earth resistance of transmission line pylons and the earth resistance of the pylon tower footings can be easily performed by using Pylon Tower Test Kits with the Sonel ERP-1 pylon tower testing adapter and either the Sonel MRU-120, Sonel MRU-120HD, Sonel MRU-200 or the Sonel MRU-200-GPS earth resistivity meters.

By using the adapter the earth resistance measurement of different types of pylon and tower, including Steel Lattice Construction, Steel Tube Construction, Prestressed Concrete and Reinforced Concrete is possible without disconnecting the equipotential bondings. This is particularly useful for lattice towers as there is no need to switch off the line or disconnect the control connections, ensuring the tests are both safe and easy to perform.

Tests of the earthing are performed by wrapping the flexible current sensor around each foot of the pylon. The flexible current sensor also makes it possible to achieve a more accurate result of the earth impedance by making more than one coil around the tower leg. The resistance measurements of each pylon foot can then be used to calculate the overall resistance of the pylon.

The Sonel MRU-200 and Sonel MRU-200-GPS have an additional proprietary algorithm which checks the direction of the current when making the measurements. The direction of the current can then help to identify if there is any damage involving a torn or totally corroded steel strip.

The Sonel MRU-200-GPS has an integrated GPS receiver to enable the precise location of the pylon tower under test to be stored along with the associated earth resistance measurements.

In addition, the Sonel MRU-200 and Sonel MRU-200-GPS have an automated procedure to calculate the earth resistance of a lattice pylon by converting the individual test measurement to obtain the resultant resistance of the tower.

These products are intended for the power utilities and companies providing services for the power industry.