Options for Switch Gear Maintenance

Switchgear is crucial to the protection of your equipment and your building against faults that could lead to equipment damage and building fires. But unless you keep it properly serviced, the chance of both of these tragedies increases. Because of its infrequent use, switchgear is some of the least maintained equipment in buildings today, a tragic mistake for the reasons mentioned above. Yet, in many cases, preventing proper servicing is cost cutting, which considers cuts' effect on a company's bottom line more than their effect on what they supported.

Today, companies who know the value of maintaining their switchgear, and the value of a dollar as well, recognize six levels of switch gear maintenance, each having its benefits and drawbacks: onsite maintenance, reconditioning, conversion, replacement, and retrofitting. Below, we look at each option in terms of its advantages and disadvantages, both financially and in terms of switchgear support.

1. Onsite Maintenance

Onsite maintenance involves cleaning and using new parts to replace existing parts in poor condition, and is performed by an in house technician, or an outside switchgear service, such as a generator services company. The advantage of onsite maintenance, especially when outsourced, is its low overall cost. Its potential disadvantage is that, at companies where cost cutting is stringent, it can perpetuate the presence of gear that ideally needs to be reconditioned or replaced.

2. Reconditioning

Reconditioning involves removing gear and sending it to a shop to be tested, disassembled, and cleaned. Before reassembly, broken and worn parts are restored and replaced. After assembly, the gear is tested again. The advantage of reconditioning is low parts cost compared to other options. Its disadvantage is its usually higher labor cost than onsite maintenance.

3. Conversion

Often performed during the reconditioning process, conversion involves converting a circuit breaker's old insulation design to a newer one, such as from air to SF6. The advantage of conversion is the added efficiency it typically brings to the breaking process. Its disadvantage is its markedly higher cost in parts compared to normal reconditioning and onsite maintenance.

4. Replacement

In a replacement, the existing unit, truck and carriage assembly are removed and replaced, while existing cell interlocks, racking equipment, and gear structure are unaltered. Here the advantage is the gear becomes more like new, minus the new price. The disadvantage is the price exceeds that of conversion, although not by much.

5. Retrofitting

In retrofitting, the following parts are removed and replaced with new parts inside the existing cell: racking equipment, cell interlocks, truck, and breaker. Here the advantage is the breaker becomes like new in terms of its lifespan for a far lower price than new equipment. The potential disadvantage, depending on the technology in place, is that the gear's technology may not be like new.