Avionics Tech Report: Ground Fault Protection
The wear and tear of wiring harnesses can create a safety issue in commercial aircraft, particularly in the aging ones. However, an approved, and proven, technology exists that can detect and isolate the electrical faults, which otherwise can escape the harnesses and create hazardous situations in the aircraft’s fuel tanks.
A major challenge confronting aircraft operators today is not new technology, but rather the aging of their fleets. As aircraft age, the complex wiring harnesses within them age, too. Harness deterioration can result in ground faults that could cause significant damage to wiring and equipment. One answer to this problem is ground sensing relays and contactors that can detect and isolate faults within fuel tanks.