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Have you scheduled your Spring/Summer Preventative Maintenance?
 


Electrical Systems are comprised of three basic components:  isolation equipment, transformers, and distribution equipment.  We recommend that you schedule the following preventative maintenance procedures during the spring/summer time frame to ensure system reliability and reduce the probability of unplanned outages.

 
  • Isolation equipment including large circuit breakers and fused switches require cleaning and lubrication to operate properly.  Debris, dust and grit can filter into the equipment compartments causing the operating mechanism to bind.  Testing should also be performed to determine the overall condition of the device and to define any repair or replacement requirements.  Large breakers are dependent on relaying or trip units to sense overcurrent conditions.  These must be tested and calibrated to ensure that they are operating properly.
  • Transformers are the most expensive component of any electrical system.  Additionally, with the lead time for new transformers exceeding 26 weeks, it is critically important to properly maintain and maximize the life expectancy of your current equipment.
 
  • Dry type transformers should be cleaned, inspected and tested on a routine basis.  Dust and debris build up internally and on the surface of the core and coil assembly limiting heat transfer which in turn can cause overheating and damage to the insulation.
  • Fluid filled transformers should have oil samples taken on an annual basis. Oil testing identifies the moisture in the oil while indicating the dielectric strength and the overall condition of the oil.  Testing for dissolved combustible gases can indicate transformer overheating or can be used to diagnose internal problems including hot spots within the transformer.  The insulation power factor should also be measured on a regular basis.  This practice will determine the overall condition of the transformer insulation.  These tests are all used to assess the condition of the transformer and to establish any repair or replacement requirements.
  • Distribution equipment such as panelboards, load centers, and bus ducts should be inspected on an annual basis.  The most cost-effective method is performing a thermographic infrared inspection survey.  This particular survey does not require an outage which allows for greater flexibility in terms of scheduling.  A loose connection emits heat which can be detected by the infrared camera.  This is merely one example of a small issue that can be easily detected through an infrared inspection.   Once the survey has been completed, a full report will be compiled highlighting the hot spots and the recommended methods of repair.

A comprehensive preventative maintenance plan will assure that your equipment is functioning properly and will typically allow you to address any resulting repair or replacement requirements during a planned outage period versus an emergency outage. 

Contact HMT to learn more about our reliability based preventative maintenance plan.

 

What is the financial impact of an unplanned outage or failure? 
Has your preventative maintenance plan placed you at risk?
 


Commercial/Industrial Preventative Maintenance Case Study:

Situation:

Due to financial pressures, a Commercial/Industrial customer was forced to suspend their electrical preventative maintenance plan for a period of one year.  The annual cost associated with their preventative maintenance program was approximately $10,000.   The equipment performed without interruption during that year.  Although the financial pressures had eased in year two, the company elected to defer their preventive maintenance plan for a second year.  Fortunately, they did not encounter any issues or experience any unplanned outages within that year.    The Company had saved approximately $20,000 in maintenance costs and had not endured any negative impact.  With that information in mind, they made the decision to coast through a third year without any preventative maintenance plan.  Unfortunately, the negative consequences associated with this decision were staggering.

Failure:

Their decision to suspend their preventative maintenance plan for a three year period ultimately resulted in a catastrophic failure.  A fault did not clear causing their transformer, switchgear and primary circuit breaker to fail.  HMT was contacted and immediately dispatched personnel to the facility.  It was determined that the failure was a direct result of a fault that occurred in the switchgear bus. Although the relays detected the fault, the breaker did not trip because the main connection to the battery for the control power was disconnected.   When this occurs the breaker is rendered inoperable and is therefore incapable of clearing a fault.   

Result:

This failure was a result of a relatively small maintenance issue that went undetected due to their decision to place short term savings above system reliability.  This issue would have been addressed during a routine preventative maintenance visit and the entire situation could have been avoided.  The customer’s decision to suspend their preventative maintenance program yielded savings of approximately $30,000.  Correspondingly, that decision ultimately cost the Company in excess of $1.5mm to procure and install new equipment.  Additionally, the facility lost over 4 months in production time which compounded the financial impact.

Conclusion:

Preventative maintenance plays a critical role in ensuring system reliability.  Although the prospect of realizing short term savings is often appealing, neglecting your preventative maintenance requirements can negatively impact the productivity and profitability of your organization while threatening the overall safety of your facility.

 

 
   
 


… that HMT is a Fully Accredited Member of the InterNational Electrical Testing Association?
The InterNational Electrical Testing Association (NETA) is an accredited standards developer for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).  NETA is the leading source of specifications, procedures, testing and related requirements associated with the commissioning of new equipment as well as the reliability and performance testing of existing equipment. 

Why should I specify testing by a NETA Certified Technician?
NETA certifies both the Company as well as the technician.  That dual certification provides the assurance to the customer that a qualified Company and a highly skilled electrical testing technician are performing their service requirements.  All of the HMT technicians are certified in accordance with the ANSI/NETA ETT 2000 standard for Certification of Electrical Testing Technicians and therefore meet the rigorous educational, stringent professional and overall technical experience requirements of the InterNational Electrical Testing Association.


Checkout our website at www.hmt-electric.com to learn more about the InterNational Testing Association and HMT, Inc.

 

 

www.hmt-electric.com
6268 Route 31, Cicero, NY 13039 | Phone: (315) 699-5563 • Fax: (315) 699-5911