Abstract: A method is specified for detecting ground faults on the conductors of an electrical machine, in which method the conductors of the machine are biased with respect to ground by means of an injection voltage (Ui). An optimum utilization of the injection transformer (5) is achieved when the injection signal (Ui) comprises in the transmission period (S) a square-wave signal which switched over periodically between a positive and a negative maximum and has at the start and at the end of the transmission period (S) a quarter-period either of the positive or of the negative maximum.

Abstract: A method is specified for detecting ground faults on the conductors of electrical machines, in which method the fault resistance (Rf) is directly calculated in a numerical evaluation unit (7) from the injected (Ui) and the measured (URE) voltages. Since the fault resistance is explicitly calculated and displayed, it is independent of influences from the ground reactance. Moreover, there is no need to, for each machine, characteristics for drawing conclusions on the fault resistance. Moreover, the influence of ageing, temperature fluctuations, injection level fluctuations etc. is eliminated due to the numerical calculation. (FIG.