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I am always baffled when organizations question the need to invest in maintenance and services for their electrical equipment and systems. Regularly scheduled maintenance has been proven to extend the life of installed switchgear.
Be smart. Assess your switchgear now before an unexpected event mandates it. Switchgear modernization solutions are a viable option for aging switchgear. Consider these five factors in your assessment:
1) Age of switchgear: If your switchgear is recently purchased and in great working condition, it will be highly beneficial to invest in service and maintenance as it will provide longer life, better performance and economical viability. On the other hand, if the switchgear is too old and giving poor performance, it might be a better idea to invest in newer technology.
2) Type of switchgear: Maintenance and service of different types of switchgear are very different in procedures as well as economics.
3) Application: The type of application for which the switchgear is used determines the frequency of maintenance required. For example, switchgear installed in a mining operation will have to be serviced more frequently as compared to the one installed in a commercial complex. Accordingly, one can choose the different service and maintenance options that are available.
4) Environment: The physical environment like temperature, humidity, pollution, dust etc. where the switchgear is in operation also has a significant impact on the type of services to be considered. Apart from these, altitude and seismic tolerance are also major factors in the environment.
5) Electrical conditions: Finally, take into account the voltage level and quality of power that is in operation. One needs to factor in the duration of operation of switchgear, peak load and off-peak load conditions, fluctuations and their frequency etc.
Based upon these factors, a suitable choice on the type, frequency and procedure of service and maintenance can be made. Other factors that should to be considered are the qualifications of the service vendor, type of transaction and of course, the finances.
Conversation
Sherry Rollins
8 years ago
This is a good article that I think many customers should consider. I use to work in the private/ government sector before Schneider as an end-user of Square D switchgear. What I noticed was that while we kept it functional from regular maintenance, the equipment was over 60 years old in some instances. The issue of parts not being available was a problem and substitution parts were not always identified.