Student Tribune
The Value of Preventative Maintenance
Last summer during a break period, we turned the campus power off to do
preventative maintenance on the electrical switch gear located to the north of
campus. Preventative maintenance involves cleaning all the components with
alcohol to remove dust, bugs, and spider webs. Then the moving parts are
lubricated and contacts are cleaned. This is done every five years to insure
reliable service from the electric grid.
During last summer's maintenance, four insulators were observed to have
cracks in them which could potentially allow electric leakage to ground.
Electric leakage to ground on 4,160 and 34,000 volt feeds is a serious problem
and potentially catastrophic. In light of these findings, four insulators were
immediately ordered and the next shut down was scheduled for December of 2019
to replace them. During this shutdown, all the insulators were inspected again
and eight more were found to be cracked. Once again another shutdown was
scheduled for July 3, 2020 to replace all 27 of the insulators. Instead of
porcelain insulators, the decision was made to replace them with a composite
material that is more durable to shock and movement. 27 insulators arrived and
they were installed during the July 3rd shutdown. When the 27 insulators were
removed, 24 were found to be cracked and degrading.
Had the insulators failed completely, which they were very close to, it
would have allowed 4,160 volt bus bars to fall into the cabinet below and short
out our entire campus electric system. "Preventative maintenance" found this
problem in time.
Our thanks go to the O'Connell Electric crews and our own Mark Lagana, who
oversaw the work over the July holiday.
Attached is a picture of a sample of the damaged insulators. There are
typically 4 vertical cracks wherever there was one. Horizontal cracks like the
one on the left are the most serious.
Attached Files:
Damaged Insulators.jpg
ATTSPD4L.jpg
Simmons, Hezekiah
Administrative Services
07/21/2020