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9. Maintenance
Before Energizing
A periodic maintenance schedule must be established to
obtain the best service from the switchgear. At minimum,
you must perform an annual check of the switchgear devices
and all connections. Equipment subject to highly repetitive
operation may require more frequent maintenance.
Keep a permanent record of all maintenance work, including
• A list of periodic checks and tests made, along with the date
• The condition of the equipment
• Any repairs or adjustments
Maintenance employees must follow all recognized
safety practices, such as those contained in NFPA
70B: Electrical Equipment Maintenance, and NFPA
70E: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
and in company or other safety regulations.
WARNING
!
Solid insulation surrounding an energized conductor and
power apparatus must never be relied upon to provide
protection to personnel.
For specific information regarding the maintenance of
devices such as circuit breakers, relays, and meters, refer
to the manual provided with each device, or download
the instructions from the manufacturer's website.
Circuit Breaker And Instrument Compartments
A circuit breaker inspection is recommended at least once
a year. More frequent inspections are recommended where
severe load conditions, dust, moisture, or other unfavorable
conditions exist, or if the vital nature of the load warrants it.
Always inspect the circuit breaker after a short-circuit current
has been interrupted.
Circuit Breaker Test for Proper Operation
Test and inspect all circuit breakers for proper operation
as follows:
1. Operate each circuit breaker while in the TEST position and
check all functions. This is particularly important for circuit
breakers that normally remain in either the opened or closed
positions for long periods of time.
WARNING
!
Primary equipment must be completely de-energized
while conducting tests of control circuits. Be sure to
disconnect all areas of backfeed from secondary circuits,
as well as external sources.
2. Remove the circuit breakers from their compartments to a
clean maintenance area.
Checks After the Circuit Breaker Is De-energized
WARNING
!
De-energize equipment completely before doing
maintenance work on any devices, connections, bus
work, circuit breaker, or feeder cable compartments.
This includes de-energizing any connections to outside
primary or secondary sources, such as transformers, tie
lines, etc.
At the time of inspection after de-energizing the
circuit breaker check each of the following items:
1. Manually operate the circuit breaker several times, checking
for obstructions or excessive friction. Manual closing of an
electrically operated circuit breaker may be performed by
the following two steps:
a. To charge the mechanism springs, pull the operating
handle down until it stops (about 90°) ten times. The charge
indicator will show CHARGED on a yellow background.
b. Depress the CLOSE button on the front of the circuit
breaker. The springs should discharge and, if the latch is
properly reset, the circuit breaker will close.
c. Depress the OPEN button on the front of the
circuit breaker.
SecoGear – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 46 of 56
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