User's Manual

Date Code 20070301 RADIORANGER Instruction Manual
Section 1
Introduction and Specifications
Introduction
Locating faults in complex underground distribution systems has always proven
challenging for electrical utilities. Troubleshooting often requires the time consuming
and dangerous tasks of blocking traffic, opening, ventilating, draining, and accessing
subsurface vaults in search of the fault location. SEL’s R
ADIORANGER
™
Wireless
Fault Indication System allows utility personnel to have street-level access to the status
of faulted circuit indicators (FCIs) installed below grade. This system dramatically
reduces the need to access vaults during a patrol, which reduces fault-locating time and
improves personnel safety.
This section covers the following areas:
➤ Product Overview
➤ Connections and System Diagram
➤ Accessories
➤ General Safety Information
➤ Specifications
Product Overview
The RADIORANGER is a wireless fault indication system for locating underground
faults at street level, mitigating the need to access subsurface enclosures to retrieve FCI
status. The R
ADIORANGER system consists of the SEL-8300 Wireless Interface (a
subsurface radio), the SEL-8310 Remote Fault Reader (a handheld device), and SEL
FCIs that connect to the Wireless Interface to convey FCI status, see Figure 1.1.
A variety of SEL FCIs can be ordered with a magnetic probe output in place of a visual
display. The magnetic probe output connects to keyed ports on the SEL-8300 Wireless
Interface. The SEL-8300 accepts up to 12 FCI magnetic probes, allowing a user to
monitor up to four 3-phase circuits per installation. The SEL-8300 communicates via
the unlicensed 900 MHz band to a handheld SEL-8310 Remote Fault Reader using a
proprietary protocol. The design of the protocol makes communicating with or
interfering with other devices unlikely. Utility personnel use the SEL-8310 to
interrogate multiple Wireless Interface units to determine the status of FCIs installed in