When Ystad Energi recently received repeated high ohmic earth-faults warnings from dLab’s Intelligent Platform, they were able to quickly pinpoint and address the issue. The automated report from the dAnalyzer application identified a specific feeder in the grid, enabling a swift reconfiguration to minimize customer impact. In the first instance, the number of affected customers was reduced from a potential 314 to just 80.

After the initial action, a more extensive troubleshooting process began. Through insulation testing of cables and disconnectors, they determined that the fault was not in the cables but rather in the disconnector’s insulators. Despite replacing one disconnector, dAnalyzer continued to warn of recurring high ohmic earth-faults.

To get to the root of the issue, Ystad Energi sent a technician to the substations where maintenance had been performed earlier in the year. During the inspection, a “buzzing” sound from electrical discharges was noted in some insulators in two recently maintained disconnectors, indicating that these insulators were also in poor condition. After a planned shutdown, it was confirmed that the insulators in these disconnectors were damaged.

The conclusion was that an incorrect cleaning detergent had been used during previous maintenance, negatively affecting the insulators’ functionality. With dAnalyzer’s early and ongoing warnings, Ystad Energi was able not only to locate the issue and reduce interruptions but also to identify an underlying cause, providing valuable insights for future maintenance and troubleshooting efforts.

Watch the video below for a closer look at how dAnalyzer presents information in an easy-to-understand way for proactive decision-making.