CDC Cable Data Collector

EA Technology CableData Collector (CDC) Portable PD Measurement

The EA Technology CableData® Collector (CDC) is a portable partial discharge data collector designed for cable asset managers, utilities, and HV / MV cable contractors who need accurate PD data from medium and high voltage cable networks without taking the cable out of service. Powerpoint Engineering supplies the CableData Collector to Irish utilities, DNOs, and renewable site operators running condition assessment programmes on ageing medium and high voltage cable assets, where partial discharge activity is the early warning of insulation failure.

Cable failure does not happen suddenly. It is preceded, often by months or years, by partial discharge activity at the same defect site. Catching that PD activity early, with an accurate, repeatable measurement that can be trended across return visits, is the basis of every credible cable asset reliability programme. The CDC is the portable instrument that captures that data on energised cable.

What the CableData Collector measures

• Partial discharge activity on energised MV and HV insulated cable types, captured online without isolating the cable from service.
• PD pulse magnitude and frequency: the data points cable asset managers use to grade severity and prioritise intervention.
• Trended PD over time: stable measurement chain enabling like-for-like comparison across visits, the basis of trending.
• Multiple cable types: paper-insulated, polymeric, and mixed-vintage cable populations on the same network.
• Distribution-network and primary-substation cable: typical applications across the medium and high voltage distribution range.

Why portable PD data matters in cable asset management

The case for trended PD data is straightforward. Replacing a cable on age alone is expensive and often premature. Replacing a cable after it fails is even more expensive, both in repair cost and in customer minutes lost. Trended PD data gives cable asset managers the third option: replace the specific section that is showing increasing PD activity, before it fails, on a planned outage rather than an emergency response. The reliability of these cable networks improves and the maintenance budget goes further.

For a portable measurement to deliver that economic case, the data has to be accurate and repeatable. The CDC is designed around that, with a stable measurement chain, on-board logging, and integration with EA Technology's wider cable asset management platform.

Specifications: what to confirm before you order

Target users and applications

• Utilities and DNOs running cable condition assessment programmes on the distribution network
• Cable asset managers responsible for prioritising replacement and refurbishment investment
• HV and MV cable contractors providing condition assessment services to asset owners
• Renewable site operators monitoring collector and export cable on wind and solar plant
• Industrial maintenance teams running condition-based maintenance on plant cable runs

Typical applications include online PD measurement on energised distribution cable, condition assessment surveys on ageing cable populations, post-installation acceptance PD measurement on new cable circuits, and trended PD monitoring as part of a wider reliability programme.

As authorised EA Technology distributor in Ireland, Powerpoint Engineering supplies the CableData Collector alongside the wider EA Technology partial discharge testing range, with in-house calibration and repair, sensor supply, and operator training in PD measurement and interpretation.

FAQs

Does the CDC require the cable to be de-energised?

No. The CableData Collector is designed for online PD measurement on energised cable, capturing PD activity without taking the cable out of service. That is one of the main practical advantages over offline PD methods that require an outage and a separate VLF or AC test source.

What cable types is the CDC suitable for?

The CDC supports both polymeric (XLPE and EPR) and paper-insulated cable populations, which makes it suitable for the mixed-vintage cable estates typical of Irish distribution networks. Confirm the specific cable types in your network against the EA Technology CDC specification.

Does the CableData Collector need calibration?

Yes. As a precision PD measurement instrument used for asset management decisions, the CDC should be recalibrated periodically. Powerpoint Engineering's calibration laboratory recalibrates EA Technology PD instruments and supplies a traceable certificate.

To match the right CableData Collector configuration to your cable network and reliability programme, request a quote or speak to our team for compatibility advice.