Oil Filled Cables are traditionally in the Higher Voltages 33 – 132kV Range. If they are damaged the Oil Leaks into the ground which is an environmental problem. In the Past the only method was to keep Freezing the Cable. This could take many freezes to locate the leaking Section. Each Freeze is potentially damaging to the Leaking Cable and Adjacent Cables.

HVTEST introduced a unique method of locating these leaks using a manmade chemical called PFT (Perfluoromethylcyclohexane). Small amounts of PFT are introduced into the Cable Oil (as little as 40ppm). Where the Oil Leaks out, the PFT evolves into a Gas and seeps out into the Atmosphere. A Special Test Van detects this Gas and pinpointing is done by Bar holing.