FAQ

New construction or landscaping work may result in an underground cable being damaged. A previously repaired cable may have a splice that has failed. But many times the insulation can be the suspect. When cable insulation has deteriorated to a degree that a breakdown occurs, it will allow a surge of current to ground. The cable is then referred to as a faulted cable and where maximum leakage takes place, it may be considered a catastrophic insulation failure.

Since September of 1974, the ACVGD Ross Meter has been in the field and continues to claim a 98% capture rate on faults due to damaged sheathing. The Ross Meter is a passive device. Unlike other devices that locate faults, the Ross Meter does not require that the buried line be isolated in any form or fashion. The power to the line does not need to be turned off. The line itself does not need to be disconnected from the transformer pad nor the service panel. No additional devices are required to be attached to the line, such as a thumper or signal generator. And the operator does not even need to know the cable’s path. The operator of the Ross Meter simply walks where the cable might be, watches the meter reactions to the voltage patterns formed in the soil and locates the fault. This translates to shorter set-up times and shorter seek times.

The Ross Meter quickly, effectively and efficiently identifies direct buried secondary cable faults. Whether industrial, commercial, residential or with street light applications, the Ross Meter is the preferred device used to identify faults. The main attraction is the investment, as the Ross Meter costs thousands less than most devices used to locate faults and yet delivers much more than the other devices. A key feature of the Ross Meter is the speed in which the operator can use it to locate the fault when compared to using other devices that detect faults. Nothing on the job site needs to be disconnected. The operator only needs to plug the probes into the Ross Meter, turn it on, set the sensitivity to max and probe the route. Operators familiar with the use of the Ross Meter can and will typically locate the fault within 15 minutes or less after arrival time and work to repair the fault can begin immediately. That kind of performance can not be found with any other fault locator on the market today.

1. The Ross Meter is sensitive only to alternating current gradients. It is self-protected for 60HZ voltages up to 300 volts RMS.

2. The Ross Meter can take you directly to the fault. The operator need not know exactly where the service cable is buried. He or she can make an educated guess as to where the service cable runs between the transformer and the load and then choose a point somewhere in between to begin detection using the supplied probes.

3. Absolutely no connection of any equipment to the customer’s service or street light cable is necessary. The operator merely takes readings of the AC voltage gradient flowing in the soil due to the leakage from the damaged point of the cable.

4. The Ross Meter typically first detects the fault from a distance of 25 feet and often times up to 75 feet when the earth is damp.

5. The work required to locate the fault is a one man operation when using the Ross Meter.

6. The Ross Meter has a rugged design. The internal circuitry and careful wiring methods assure you years of safe and trouble free operation. The neck strap is comfortable and convenient for the operator. A tough military-grade carrying case is included to store and protect the meter.

7. Two 9 volt batteries are required to power the unit.

8. The probes are constructed to keep the operator safe at all times during operation.

9. We provide a 1 year Warranty on parts and labor except for breakage. The probes are warranted for a period of 90 days. Batteries are not covered by this warranty.

10. An investment in the Ross Meter is easily within reach when compared to the cost of other devices used to located faults.