IoT Underground Cable Fault Detector Project

This guide will help you create an IoT-Based Underground Cable Fault Detector using Raspberry Pi. The system will detect faults in underground cables and provide real-time alerts for maintenance and repair.

Components Required

• Raspberry Pi (Model 3 or later)
• Fault detection sensors (e.g., resistance measurement sensors)
• Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) (if sensors provide analog signals)
• Relay module (for triggering alarms or notifications)
• Connecting wires and breadboard
• Power supply (for Raspberry Pi and components)
• Cloud service account (e.g., AWS IoT, Google Cloud IoT)
• Optional: LCD or LED display for local status

Setting Up the Hardware

Follow these steps to set up the hardware:

1. Connect the Fault Detection Sensors

   Install the fault detection sensors at the points where the underground cables are to be monitored. Connect the sensors to the Raspberry Pi using GPIO pins or through an ADC if the sensors provide analog signals.

2. Integrate the Relay Module

   Connect the relay module to the Raspberry Pi. The relay can be used to trigger an alarm or notification if a fault is detected in the cable.

3. Power the System

   Ensure the Raspberry Pi and all connected components are properly powered using the appropriate power supplies. Check all connections before powering on the system.

Programming the Raspberry Pi

Write the code to read data from the fault detection sensors and send alerts in case of faults. Below is a basic example using Python:

                import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
                import time
                import requests

                # Configuration
                SENSOR_PIN = 18
                RELAY_PIN = 23
                CLOUD_URL = "https://api.example.com/update?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

                # Setup
                GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
                GPIO.setup(SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN)
                GPIO.setup(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.OUT)

                def send_alert():
                    response = requests.get(CLOUD_URL + "&fault_detected=1")
                    print(f"Alert sent to cloud: {response.status_code}")

                try:
                    while True:
                        if GPIO.input(SENSOR_PIN):  # Replace with actual sensor reading logic
                            print("Fault detected!")
                            GPIO.output(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.HIGH)
                            send_alert()
                            time.sleep(10)  # Wait before next check
                        else:
                            GPIO.output(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.LOW)
                        time.sleep(0.1)  # Adjust as necessary for your application

                except KeyboardInterrupt:
                    GPIO.cleanup()
            

This code monitors the fault detection sensor. If a fault is detected, it triggers the relay and sends an alert to the cloud service.

Setting Up Cloud Integration

To monitor and receive alerts for cable faults, integrate your system with a cloud service. Configure your cloud service to receive data from the Raspberry Pi and set up dashboards or alerts based on the data received.

Testing and Calibration

Test the system by simulating faults and verifying that the alerts are correctly sent to the cloud and that the relay triggers as expected. Adjust sensor calibration and code parameters as needed for accurate fault detection.