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At Safearth, we don’t buy off the shelf instruments to use in the field, we create our own!

We were struggling to find the right high-quality products to carry out our earthing testing and measurement work effectively and this led us to set up our own very own workshop/factory in Warners Bay, NSW. Now all our instruments are manufactured and assembled on site, and we hire local staff to do the work. We are proud that we are contributing to advanced manufacturing in the region and pleased that our products are Australian made.

But we are more than just products. Our team of 30+ professional engineers research, design, develop and manufacture our suite of earthing system test instruments. Our instruments were originally customised for our needs but they are also the most advanced options on the market and now we want to share them with industry so everyone can manage their high voltage assets more safely and effectively.

Meet some of our workshop team:

Chris O’Gara – Senior Technician

Chris came to work at Safearth after many years employed as a welder working in places like South America and the US. Originally from California, he now manufactures instruments, cables, winders, and accessories for the business. Through Safearth, he was recently involved in the production of an emergency ICU ventilator for the NSW government in response to the COVID pandemic.

 

 

 

 

Bachar Bani Marjeh – Technician

Bachar is originally from Syria and came to Australia as a refugee. Seeking employment in the Newcastle area, he began at Safearth in 2017 by helping in the workshop. He is now a fully-fledged technician trained through Hunter Tafe and is an asset to the business.

 

 

 

 

Since Safearth was established more than 30 years ago, we’ve designed and tested hundreds of earthing systems for high voltage installations, power utilities, mines, oil, and gas sites, as well as other industries. We’re committed to providing valuable solutions to meaningful problems, which has led to the development of advanced testing methods, instruments, and analysis techniques.

We know which factors are important in quality instruments and have thoroughly field-tested every device. Our instruments are not products of ‘spec sheet’ engineering — they’re based on real world experience. We use them ourselves every day!

We understand the gap between prototype devices and commercial products. Our instruments only become approved products when they’re ready, tested and reliable. Safearth has a strong focus on iterative development and prototyping, because rapid prototyping and early field testing leads to better, more robust, products.

Why choose Safearth instruments?

  • We invented the earthing test methods commonly used by the industry and developed our equipment to suit our needs.

The two most common and most effective tests on earthing and grounding systems are:

1) The low-current off-power-system-frequency current injection test (CIT), used to simulate an actual earth fault and measure touch and step voltages – developed by Safearth in the early 1990s, including the development of the first purpose-built commercial test equipment; and

2) The ground-referenced, switched DC, low current, 4-wire continuity testing method for testing the integrity of in-service earthing and grounding systems was first made possible with Safearth’s development of purpose-built continuity meters in 1992.

  • Our consultants use and rely on our equipment in the field every day.
  • We’re not just an instrument shop or another instrument supplier. Building a relationship with you is important to us.
  • We can develop bespoke, customised instruments to meet your own needs. Just tell us what the problem is and we will put our heads together to find a solution.
  • We sell direct to users, and because we are local, we can offer technical support and training so you get the most from you purchase.

Below is a list of all the instruments, parts, cables, and accessories available at our online store:

Our flagship products are our instruments including our:

AX1 Injection Source

AX1 Injection Source

The AX1 provides highly stable frequency-tunable current for testing GPR, touch/step voltages, grid resistance and fault current distribution.

Testing earthing system performance, including touch, step and transferred voltages, has never been more effective. This high power, frequency-selectable injection unit is unmatched in its ability to enable testing of live, energized stations under the most arduous conditions, without having to remove any earthing interconnections.

CS3 Site Continuity Meter

CS3 Site Continuity Meter

If you want to verify the integrity of electrical connections across a large distance, or in a noisy environment such as a live substation, this instrument is for you. It is ideal for routine testing and maintenance, and can identify defects before they fail under fault conditions.

The CS3 is a milli-ohmmeter, but with a number of advanced additional features that have been developed especially for the particular requirements of earthing system integrity testing. It gives you previously unachievable insight into the condition of your assets, and you can test without needing to take assets out of service.

MI3 Injection Meter

MI3 Injection Meter - hand holding CS3 probe

Measuring touch, step and transfer voltages of substation earthing systems as part of a current injection test is a key indicator of the hazard level of an installation. And measuring current distribution is critical to gain insight into system performance. The MI3 provides fast and accurate voltage and current measurement.

The MI3 provides fast and accurate voltage and current measurement during injection testing.

Safearth has also developed a range of equipment to support the testing, including cable deployment solutions, connection kits, remote electrodes, interfaces and protection devices.

  • Spare Parts – Cage Bolt for Cable Winder, Calibration Check Board for CS3, CS3 charger universal, Charger for CS3, Charger for MI3, CS3 Manual (Hardcopy), Handle for Cable Winder, Intermediate Lead for CS3, Probe for CS3, Probes for MI3, Reference Clamp for CS3, Replacement 12V Cable for AX1
  • Cables and Accessories – 180m/600′ Integrity Testing Extension Lead for CS3, 180m/600′ Integrity Testing Extension Lead for CS3, complete with Geared Winder, 20m/60′ Integrity Testing Extension Lead for CS3, 3×100m Injection Testing Lead, 300m Injection Testing Lead, 800m injection testing measurement cable, 800m Injection Testing Measurement Cable, 80m/250′ Integrity Testing Extension Lead for CS3, Cable Spool (Empty), electrodes medium, Electrodes, Set of 6 in Case, Geared Cable Winder, Hand Reel, 15″, Hand Reel, 8″, Injection Testing Clips, set of 6, Lab Interface Cables (Pair) for CS3, Probes for MI3

For more information on our instruments and supporting equipment please visit our webstore: store.safearth.com/