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I have a ground fault in my EST3 network, it comes/goes every five minutes! and made the client angry!
Whould you kindly explain me step by step how I can find and fix it?
Thanks,
Reza

Is the ground fault on a SSDC card?
Left the wires and put a meter on it.
connect to the map ->signature series status -> diagnostics, it may show you which device is grounded
Use the map to help broke the loop.

Thanks Leo,
Yes, it is on SSDC.
I am a beginner, would you please explain more?
- I will connect to the map ->signature series status -> diagnostics but in which Tab I should find the ground fault? (Status log, device troubles, ...)?
- How can I use the ohm meter to find the ground fault? is there any special technique?

Thanks,
Reza

device 677 is loop1 - TOP
device 687 is loop2 - BOTTOM

connect to the map ->signature series status -> diagnostics -> trouble tables (bottom right new data from loop controller)
If you are lucky the device will have a Ground Fault.
The system only has the ability to find grounds that are on the Positive leg of the signature device/module.


to use meter:
Lift the SSDC card wires put your meter on the 100k ohm scale, put one lead of your meter to ground the other to each wire.
If you are lucky you will see something, then you can start breaking the loop to find the ground.



http://houstonfiresafety.net/2008/08/03 ... -easy-fix/

How to Troubleshoot Ground Faults
A ground fault detected on a fire panel means that there is another reference to ground coming into the system other than the system ground. This is usually caused by a wire making electrical contact with something it shouldn't (such as conduit).

The best way to troubleshoot a ground fault would be to remove all field wiring from the panel, along with any option modules, phone lines and batteries, leaving only AC connected to the panel. The ground fault detection on the panel is immediate, so any ground coming in from the bell circuits, zone wiring, annunciators, or communicators will disappear once the wiring is disconnected. That will allow you to track the circuit bringing in the ground fault. Then you can check that particular circuit to see where the fault is coming from. If everything is off the panel except AC, and the ground fault is still present, the panel is possibly damaged.

Ground faults are very often caused by pulling wiring through conduit during installation, which can strip off the insulation and cause the bare wire to come in contact with the grounded conduit.

Examples of what can cause a ground fault:
. Wire "grounding out" to conduit.
. Moisture or water in a back box
. Water in an underground conduit
. Ground on a phone line.

Leo,
Thanks for great explanation!
I will do as your instruction and will let you know the result.
Reza

Most of it I copy/pasted from other sites.
let me know how it works out

Hi Leo,
I tried to find the ground fault address from SDU as per your instruction, but I was not lucky and it was now shown!
However I was too lucky and found the ground fault in a very simple site visit, there was a conduit that was filled with water after the heavy rain! Now the panel in normal!
Thanks,
Reza

Hello Leo,

I have found that the LED of ground fault is lighted up on an EST3 panel, and also some troubles was displayed except of ground fault label message.

I thought that there is a commande that can disable the ground fault event to be displayed on the LCD, Please can you confirm this.

Best regards.