How do reclosers protect overhead lines?

When a tree branch touches an overhead cable and causes a brief short, your lights may flicker. A device called a recloser ensures that the power to your home is not cut off for long periods of time.

To prevent arcing, distribution reclosers now shut down lines at the first sign of a power outage. There is a connection between extreme droughts, wildfires, and cyber threats. The more times a recloser operates, the greater the chance that an arc will cause a spark and potentially start a fire. However, if the protection settings are correctly configured, distribution reclosers can enhance reliability, reduce arcing, minimize fire risks, and protect overhead lines. Proper network protection is essential to achieve this.

Reclosers send electrical pulses into lines where service is briefly interrupted, helping to prevent power outages without causing damage to the line. Utilities use protective devices on their transmission and distribution lines to detect and respond to fault activity, isolating the faulted line to ensure system integrity.

Circuit breakers, reclosers, fuses, and sectionalizers are standard protective devices in utilities. Circuit breakers are commonly used on transmission lines to interrupt operation when a fault is detected. For distribution lines, reclosers, fuses, and sectionalizers are employed. Frequent recloser operations increase the risk of arcing and fire, but with correct protection settings, distribution reclosers can enhance reliability and reduce arcing, provided network protection is adequately addressed.

Advances in technology have led to the development of microprocessor-based distribution reclosers. These devices use PC-based interface software to configure control settings, record metering information, and establish communication parameters. However, they are vulnerable to cyber attacks, which can compromise reclosing settings.

Strong Power Electric, a leading manufacturer of reclosers, is dedicated to designing more reliable reclosers and providing customers with quality products and services.