Ground Fault Monitoring
Delivering intelligent monitoring and protection for rail power networks.
Detect, Diagnose & Prevent Electrical Ground Faults
Protecting safety and reliability across the railway network.
Ground faults are one of the leading causes of electrical disruptions across the railway power network. Traditional detection methods rely on manual testing and reactive maintenance, which can delay response times and increase operational risk.
Viper Innovations’ advanced monitoring solutions including CableGuardian, V-LIM, and SSTDR technologies provide continuous visibility of insulation resistance, leakage currents, and fault location, enabling operators to detect, locate, and address issues before they escalate.
With live data, predictive insights, and automated alerts, Viper’s systems help maintain safe, reliable power delivery across signalling, traction, and auxiliary networks.
Keeping the Trains Running on Time.
Key benefits
CableGuardian is a collaborative innovation developed with Network Rail to improve the reliability, safety, and maintainability of signalling power systems. It provides continuous, real-time cable condition monitoring and fault location, enabling predictive maintenance, reducing on-track testing, and improving the operational performance of the railway.
Cross-Industry Technologies
How Viper supports ground fault monitoring
Viper’s integrated suite of technologies delivers complete control and insight across all electrical systems:
- CableGuardian provides live insulation resistance and fault detection, continuously monitoring power feeders and cable sections to identify leakage currents and emerging faults.
- V-LIM (Line Insulation Monitor) adds continuous electrical integrity monitoring for both energised and de-energised systems, ensuring safe operation at all times.
- SSTDR (Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry) enables rapid, precise fault location across complex networks, pinpointing resistive or intermittent faults in live systems without disruption.
- PlatformVi and the CableGuardian Web Portal centralise analytics and reporting, providing visual diagnostics, historic trends, and maintenance recommendations for proactive asset management.
Together, these technologies replace manual testing with connected, intelligent systems that deliver immediate fault visibility and faster recovery — reducing delay-per-incident and improving operational efficiency.
Visibility of System Health
Maximise system life with integrated integrity solutions
Detect Early. Protect the Network. Prevent Disruption.
Partner with Viper Innovations to modernise rail ground fault monitoring through intelligent, connected systems that keep the network running safely and efficiently
Integration with CableGuardian
Ground fault monitoring forms a key part of Viper’s CableGuardian ecosystem. Developed with Network Rail, CableGuardian is the only approved system that provides real-time electrical condition monitoring and fault detection for signalling power networks.
By integrating ground fault monitoring within this platform, operators gain a single source of truth for electrical integrity across the network — from feeders to final circuits.
Applications
Power signalling systems
Trackside distribution and feeder circuits
Relay rooms and location cases
Auxiliary power systems
Electrified line infrastructure
Case Study
Enhanced Signalling Power System Monitoring
Network Rail Wales & Western Region partnered with Viper Innovations to address persistent low insulation resistance issues on an ageing Signalling Power System. By deploying CableGuardian in a Tier 2 configuration, the project transformed asset visibility, moving from a single network-wide value to precise, feeder-level insulation monitoring. The result was clearer fault identification, improved decision-making, and a safer, more efficient approach to signalling power system asset management.
