Developments - Industry

Inspection &
Preventive maintenance
of breakers

DDI - Department - Name - Date 1

Developments - Industry

Why and what has to be maintained

on breakers ?
 Case

 Mechanism

 Arc chute

 Main contacts

 Control unit

 Connection systems

 Auxiliary Devices

 Communication system

DDI - Department - Name - Date 2

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of case

 Function of case :
 isolate the main contacts and protect from arcing effects
 support the mechanism, tripping device, auxiliary devices, terminals
 Must withstand the stresses during short circuit

 Damaged case is the consequence of :

 shocks,
 moisture,
 high short circuit,
 overheating ( loose connection)

 Preventive maintenance includes :

 visual inspection of dust, dirt, grease, moisture, cracks, soot,
 cleaning, ( dust, dirt, soot,) with dry cloth, brush or vacuum cleaner
 replacement in case of cracks

DDI - Department - Name - Date 3

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of the mechanism

 Breaker mechanism
 Spring energy on Masterpact
 Tumbler on Compact NS
 operate the contacts to establish and interrupt the circuit
 Chassis mechanism
 to rack in and out the breaker, test the breaker
 Jammed mechanism is the consequence of :
 dust :
 shocks : bending of mechanical part
 corrosive atmosphere : rust and corrosion of metallic part
 No operation for a long time
 Preventive maintenance includes :
 dust removal : vacuum cleaner recommended
 cleaning : dry cloth, brush, solvent prohibited
 greasing : only Schneider recommended greases, in small quantity
 operation of breaker / chassis : to give the spring charged energy
and the mechanism their original characteristics

DDI - Department - Name - Date 4

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of the arc chute (Power breaker only)

 Function of arc chute :

 splitters : extinguish the arc and absorb the energy under normal
condition and electric fault
 filter : blow the pressured gas out , cool down the gas
 Arc chute deteriorates
 under In : the insulation material of the arc chamber can perforate
 under Icc : the metal part is vaporised

 Arc chute in bad condition may result in a non interruption of the arc,
decrease of the isolating function and ultimately destruction in case of
high short circuit current.

 Filters : avoid compound (made of dust + grease) covering the filter

 Preventive maintenance includes :

 periodic inspection after a fault : splitters should not present holes
and be too thin, plastic part should not have holes ( decrease of
insulation level)
 replacement
 cleaning of filter

DDI - Department - Name - Date 5

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of main contacts (Power breaker only)

 Function of main contacts :

 To make or break the circuit under normal ( In) or fault conditions
(overload and Short-circuit )
 Contacts get worn during each mechanical and electrical open / close
operation and after short circuit ( maxi 2 cycles at Icu)
 Worn contacts will result in :
 over heating of the breaker ( increase of contact resistance)
 decrease of life expectancy
 Preventive maintenance includes :
 periodic visual check, control of the mechanical contact wear
indicator and electronic wear indicator on Micrologic P & H
 measurement of individual pole resistance
 replacement

DDI - Department - Name - Date 6

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of electronic control unit

 Function of control unit :

 permanently analyse the phase current compare it to the protection
set and in case of fault trips the breaker
 Control unit is sensitive to :
 environment : ambient temperature, humidity, corrosive
atmosphere,
 operating conditions : vibration, electro-magnetic field,
 A malfunctioning of the trip unit will result in :
 a non interruption of the fault current
 damage of equipment and breaker
 Preventive maintenance includes :
 periodic push to trip test or trip test
 control of the complete tripping channel
 curve adjustment
 saving of log event, settings ( Micrologic P & H)

DDI - Department - Name - Date 7

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of thermal-magnetic trip unit

 Function of thermal-magnetic trip unit :

 Connected permanently in series with the phase currents
 based on the bending of a bimetal for overload and the movement
of a magnet in a strong magnetic field

 Thermal -magnetic trip unit is sensitive to :

 ambient temperature, corrosive atmosphere

 A malfunctioning of the trip unit will result in :

 a non interruption of the fault current
 damage of equipment and breaker

 Preventive maintenance includes :

 primary injection test to trip the breaker

DDI - Department - Name - Date 8

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of connection systems

 Function of connection systems :

 Link together various types of devices by mean of electrical
distribution systems (bus bars, cables, auxiliary wires, ).
 Bad connection ( too tight or too loose) will result in :
 Thermal effect leading to destruction of devices
 short circuit or fire
 Preventive maintenance includes :
 For fixed connectors : No need of control if done with Schneider
recommendation . otherwise : check temperature rise, if loose,
dismantle and tighten with new screws, bolts & washers
 For sliding connectors : (mainly chassis)
– periodic cleaning and greasing with Schneider recommended
grease
– if corrosive atmosphere ( SO2 / H2S) : clean with special
solution ( Thiourée) and re grease
 Wires : check tightening and the insulation material

DDI - Department - Name - Date 9

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of auxiliary devices

 Function of auxiliary devices :

 Shunt trip release, under voltage release, OF contacts, SD/SDE
alarm contacts , electrical motor MCH
 Malfunctioning of the auxiliary device will result in a wrong operation of
the breaker

 the consequences can be :

 no safety operation ( emergency)
 wrong operation in the circuit

 Preventive maintenance includes :

 functional test of auxiliary device at nominal voltage
 replacement

DDI - Department - Name - Date 10

Developments - Industry

Maintenance of communication systems

 Function of communication systems :

 allow the dialogue with control unit ( read, write)
 allow the remote control of breaker ( open close)

 Bad communication will result in :

 loss of information (status, monitoring, maintenance, production)
 loss of control of breaker

 Preventive maintenance includes :

 testing of reading network parameters
 testing of reading setting and changing setting
 testing of remote control

DDI - Department - Name - Date 11