Summary
The reasons behind cable pressurization are basically easy to understand. The primary goal of pressurization is to protect the cables from water damage and keep cable pressures above the minimum standards established for the various cable environments. When cable pressure is low, it's typically the result of low delivery pressure or actual cable leaks.

Monitoring devices in the central office and field help make it possible to identify both types of problems and determine the cause of low cable pressure. In the case of cable leaks, air flow analysis makes it possible to prioritize which leaks are doing the most damage to the system. With a knowledge of Optimum Air Usage, you can easily distinguish between a good flow and a bad flow. And once you know this, air flow leak locating techniques can be used to help locate the large, system-damaging leaks.

Air pressure design is an important factor in the success of an air pressure operation. Certain designs, such as dual feed, offer better cable protection than others. An air pipe system is one of the best means for providing dual feed protection to cables, but it is not cost effective for every type of air pressure operation. For this reason, there are alternative dual feed design systems available which provide many of the same protection and monitoring capabilities of the more expensive systems.

Improvements in air pressure monitoring have made it easier to analyze system conditions and perform important management and maintenance functions. These software programs offer greater tools and controls for today's cable pressurization managers and maintenance technicians. They emphasize a proactive approach to cable maintenance while, at the same time, providing superior alarming and dispatching capabilities.

Cable pressurization is an important part of today's telephone operations. The technology being used in this field has evolved rapidly in the past decade, and improvements are continually being made. For more information on basic cable pressurization, system design components, proactive maintenance and alarming, please contact System Studies Incorporated (email:sales@airtalk.com; phone: 800-247-8255 or 831-475-5777).