Preventive Maintenance Checklist for Electrical Distribution Systems in Commercial Buildings

Posted by E-I Engineering on Dec 12, 2016 3:12:00 PM

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A preventive maintenance checklist for electrical distribution systems in commercial buildings

Electrical distribution and control systems are the heart of any facility, yet it is often the most under-
appreciated utility. Without a reliable source of electrical power, operations of any facility would not be
possible. In spite of the critical nature of electrical equipment, regular scheduled maintenance is not
always a primary focus in some facilities. Do you have preventive maintenance in place?

Neglecting the maintenance of electrical equipment over a long period of time will inevitably lead to
costly emergency repairs and equipment failures in addition to elevated safety and property risks.

Be smart and use our preventive maintenance checklist to keep your electrical distribution system in
good working order.

Here are 4 reasons why your commercial building needs preventive maintenance:

77% of equipment breakdowns can be reduced by implementing a preventative maintenance program.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers report that the failure of electrical components is
three times higher for systems without preventative maintenance programs.

An effective electrical preventative maintenance program will help to avoid the extra expense that
disruptions and lost profit that can cause.

On average a small electrical failure could cause a minimum of six hours of interruption
With preventive maintenance, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach; programs must be custom
designed to fit the characteristics of the facility and vulnerability of the business. You therefore should
take the following considerations into account:

Type of business

Redundancy in production

Sensitivity to disruptions (customers)

Business interruption costs

Potential loss of good will

Spoilage of product (consequential)

Age of equipment

Changes in system loads over the years (design and expansion)

Type of loads (increasing digital loads)

Sensitivity to power quality

Geographical consideration (weather)

Environmental conditions in which your facility operates (moisture, dirt, dust)

Preventative Maintenance Checklist for Electrical Distribution Systems:

Intrusive LV Switchboards

❒ Check function of all power meters before shutdown.

❒ Check function of lamps and indicators.

❒ Inspect locking devices for signs damage or worn.

❒ Clean thoroughly, vacuum and full visual inspection of exterior and interior of all LV switchboards.

❒ Inspect control wiring, relays, power supply units, timers, etc. where applicable.

❒ Check electronic surge protection is intact where installed.

❒ Verify control circuit fuse rating and continuity.

❒ Check and torque test bolted electrical connections as necessary to specified levels.

❒ ACB maintenance withdrawable or fixed, check contacts, arc chutes secondary injection, etc.

❒ Visual inspection for signs of overheating or deterioration.

❒ Final visual inspection to insure all clear after work completed.

❒ Inspection of all panels for paint work damage and signs of corrosion.

❒ Check battery tripping packs, battery integrity, signs of defects, etc.

Non-Intrusive LV Switchboards

Note: These maintenance procedures require no shutdowns.

❒ Check function of all power meters before shutdown.

❒ Check function of lamps and indicators.

❒ Inspect locking devices for signs damage or worn.

❒ Clean thoroughly, vacuum and full visual inspection of exterior only.

❒ Visual inspections of control wiring, relays, power supply units, timers and fuse carriers.

❒ Check electronic surge protection is intact where installed.

❒ Visual inspection for signs of overheating or deterioration.

❒ Inspection of all panels for paint work damage and signs of corrosion.

❒ Check battery tripping, battery integrity, signs of defects.

ACB’s

❒ Check general condition of the device.

❒ Clean with diluents Henkel 273471, vacuum ACB.

❒ Check filters clean/vacuum arc-chutes.

❒ Visual check for contact wear.

❒ Check auxiliary wiring insulation.

❒ Check ACB locking devices.

❒ Open/close manually.

❒ Charge the device manually.

❒ Secondary injection with FFT Kit, produce trip curve report.

❒ Check earth fault protection/earth leakage protection.

❒ Grease disconnect contacts as necessary.

❒ MCCB trip test with report.

Busbar & Accessories

❒ Visual inspection all Power bar runs

❒ Check supports

❒ Check alignment, straight runs, joint packs and directional change pieces

❒ Check panel flanges, earth continuity etc.

❒ Thermal image survey of complete runs

Meters

❒ Voltage connections

❒ CT connections
❒ Modbus connections

MCCB checks

❒ Motor operator

❒ Under voltage release

❒ Power supply unit

❒ Control relays

❒ Fuse and fuse holders

PDU

❒ Clean thoroughly exterior and interior PDU switchboards

❒ Check function of all power meters

❒ Verify control circuit fuse rating and continuity

❒ Check function of lamps and indicators

❒ Check and torque test bolted electrical connections as necessary to specified levels

❒ Check all cable connections for tightness and torque terminals

❒ Visual inspection for signs of overheating or deterioration

❒ Inspection of all panels for paint work damage and signs of corrosion

❒ Inspection to insure all clear after work completed before fitting covers

❒ All labeled secure in place

Thermal Imaging Surveys

Thermal imaging is becoming more common within preventive maintenance programs to help detect
excess heat in electrical components. It can be carried out while the system is under a full load with no
impact to operations

Thermal imaging technology can detect loose connections, corroded elements, short circuits,
overloaded circuits and busway-joint analysis. This non-invasive technique also allows to gather data
from a remote location, away from potentially dangerous situations.