Patent attributes
The functional reliability of a cable shield system for a high voltage cable circuit is determined by electrically isolating a segment of the conductive shield from ground along the circuit length and supplying a test voltage of gradually increasing amplitude to the isolated shield segment. Current flows in the shield segment and a connected shield voltage limiter (SVL) in response to the supplied test voltage. The current through the SVL is monitored; and the operational integrity of the shield system is determined as a function of the voltage across and the monitored current through the SVL. Current flow is monitored by sensing the heat dissipated by the SVL included in the link box to which the shield segment is connected. Information representing the voltage across and monitored current through the SVL are transmitted to a remote location whereat the operational integrity of the SVL is determined.