What causes Insulation Resistance and Excitation Tests failures in our DTs?

The causes of DT failures can be reduced to the following:

1. Electrical Causes (such as line disturbances, over-voltages and over-currents)

2. Mechanical Causes
3. Thermal/Ambient Causes

Please note that fault reports sent in by BUs/UTs only show one dimension of the problem– the
number of faults, but the RISK OF FAILURE is actually two-dimensional: the frequency and the
severity of fault.

Although the actual failure of a transformer may be detected by electrical tests, the cause of failure
may be either electrical, mechanical or ambient/thermal. A transformer failure may also have more
than one causal factor.

Summarised below are the causes of DT failure, effects and possible remedies.

S/N ELECTRICAL CAUSES EFFECTS ON TRANSFORMER RECOMMENDATION/REMEDY

1 OVERVOLTAGES  Overstressing of insulation Installation of appropriate
(TRANSIENT, SEMI-  Overheating of the core; Surge/Lightning Arresters
TRANSIENT OR
SUSTAINED)
2 OVER LOAD  Winding degradation and inter- Relief of overloaded DTs
CONDITIONS turn faults Load shedding programme where relief
 Insulation breakdown due to high is not forthcoming
winding temperatures
 Dielectric breakdown of oil
3 LINE AND CABLE  High fault currents flow through Use of appropriate CBs, fuses on feeder
FAULTS (SHORT the windings of the transformer pillar, connection of uprisers to the LV
CIRCUITS) reticulation using Line Taps,
procurement and deployment of
standard size/gauge conductors and
overhead accessories.

S/N THERMAL CAUSES EFFECTS ON TRANSFORMER RECOMMENDATION/REMEDY

1 OPERATION IN HOT 
WEATHER CONDITION
Degradation of the insulation
system is expected over time and
the process is quickened in hot
climates
Loading of Transformers with
appropriate allowance made for
temperature rise because Transformer
Capacity is directly related to
temperature rise.

S/N MECHANICAL CAUSES EFFECTS ON TRANSFORMER RECOMMENDATION/REMEDY

1 HAULAGE DAMAGE  Displacement of incoming /
outgoing leads. The degree of
damage will determine whether or
not a transformer failure will occur
immediately.
2 DAMAGE DUE TO  Failure of coil clamping system,
ELECTROMECHANICAL this may be caused by magnetic
FORCES inrush or sudden overloading
when faults occur, or when heavy
welding machines are used.
Internal bracing of transformer during
haulage to withstand undesirable
internal movements.
Advise customers such as welders to
acquire their own DTs. Reinforce LV
reticulations to prevent mainline,
jumper and upriser faults. Provide LV
side protection for DTs.