Circuit Breaker Testing and Maintenance
Circuit breaker testing and maintenance is a very important step in the health of your equipment. When a pole on a circuit breaker with SF6 gas fails to clear, the cause can be external, such as the spring assembly, insulation, or resistance. These issues can be found by a trained technician conducting a full visual inspection and further testing. However, the cause can also be internal. To assess the internal cause, SF6 Gas Analysis is done to look for signs of internal component failure. In order to view the full health makeup of a circuit breaker, an SF6 Gas analysis should be completed. This analysis paints a much clearer picture so the technician can fully assess and recommend what steps need to be taken next.
Testing your SF6 gas on a routine basis is part of NETA’s recommended maintenance standards. Similar to how doctors recommend yearly blood work in order to catch anything going on in the body early. Performing tests on your SF6 gas will help maintain the health of your equipment. Think of it as an early warning sign that helps set priorities for your equipment. Keeping up on routine maintenance can save you from downtime, costly repairs, and unnecessary emergencies. UIS Technicians are trained to collect the component and report on the gas condition and provide recommendations on how best to proceed.
Check out our post on circuit breaker longevity for more information.
