Inspector Qualification

Electrical - General (was 12)

1. Regarding safety, what would you consider the most important rules to observe when inspecting electrical equipment?

Answer: During testing remain in the designated safe areas.

Do not touch anything until you are certain it is de-energized and grounded.

b. Isolate power

a) Safety shoes and rubber gloves, b) Observing safety barriers, c) Notification of non-participating personnel in the shop of a
high voltage test in progress.

2. Have you had experience in the use of electrical standards such as NEC, NEMA, ANSI, etc?
 NEMA: National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
 IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
 IEC : International Electro-technical Commission.
 ANSI: American National Standards Institute
 API: American Petroleum Institute
 NFPA: National Fire Protection Association.

3. What are some of the instances when you may have used these standards?
At electrical testing and mechanical inspection of electrical equipment.

4. Are you familiar with the NEMA classes of insulation for motors and ANSI for transformers?

Motor classes of insulation

Standards established by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) to meet motor temperature requirements
found in different operating environments.
The combination of an ambient temperature of 40°C and allowed temperature rise equals the maximum winding temperature
of a motor.
A margin is also allowed to provide for a point at the center of the motor’s windings where the temperature is higher.

Transformers classes of insulation

There are classes of insulation systems for different temperatures as defined by NEMA and ANSI.
Insulation classes are rated in °C rise above a specific ambient of 40°C maximum.
A transformer having a specific class of insulation, for example Class 220, can have an average winding temperature rise of 150°C with a
maximum hot spot temperature rise of 180°C.
If the room ambient temperature is 40°C, then the total temperature of the hottest spot would be 220°C.

Transformer and Insulation Systems Ratings

Insulation Rating Transformer Rating Max. Ambient Temperature Hot Spot Allowance
Class 105 55°C Rise 40°C 10°C
Class 150 80°C Rise 40°C 30°C
Class 180 115°C Rise 40°C 30°C
Class 220 150°C Rise 40°C 30°C
OR
Motor / resin Transformers: class A, B, F, H,
Oil Transformers: class 105, 150, 180, 220.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/nema-insulation-classes-d_734.html
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Electrical insulation systems are rated by standard NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) classifications according to
maximum allowable operating temperature:

Temperature Maximum Operation  Allowable Allowable

Tolerance Temperature Allowed Temperature Temperature
Class Rise at full load Rise
1.0 service 1.15 service
factor motor 1) factor motor 1)

o
C o
F o
C o
C

A 105 221 60 70

B 130 266 80 90

F 155 311 105 115

H 180 356 125 -

 T(oF) = [T(oC)](9/5) + 32
Re: Transformer insulation class

http://www.electricalengineeringtoolbox.com/2014/08/nema-insulation-classes-for-transformers.html
the class number  = the maximum °C of the transformer insulation
NEMA (National Manufacturer’s Association) has the following thermal or insulation classification as regards transformers (dry type):

Maximum Allowable Operating

NEMA Insulation NEMA Letter Ambient Maximum Allowable Temperature Rise
Temperature
Class Designation Temperature
°C  °F °C  °F
105 A 50 122 105 221
130 B 80 176 130 226
155 F 40°C  105 221 155 311
180 H 125 257 180 356
220 R 150 302 220 428

65C is not a common temperature rise for dry type transformers.

Typical temperature rises are:
55 or 65 C for liquid filled and 80, 115, or 150 C for dry type.
Temperature rise by itself is not an indication of how much heat is generated by a transformer (that depends on losses) but rather it is how
hot the insulation gets (heat causes insulation to age faster).
To get a low temperature rise all you need is better heat transfer (either more surface area or a better cooling medium).

Dry type transformer temperature rise is a specification for how hot the windings of a transformer will get when at full load.
This is the rise above a 40C ambient and with an additional allowance for an internal hot spot of 30C. 

The insulation class is the actual temperature rating of the winding insulation.
The combination of the ambient + hot spot + rise should not exceed the insulation class.

Using the standard dry type temperature rises and maximum temperature per insulation class:
Class B insulation = 150C-(40C+30C)= 80C rise
Class F insulation = 185C-(40C+30C)= 115C rise
Class H insulation = 220C-(40C+30C)= 150C rise

It is very common to find a transformer built with a high insulation class and still be designed for a low temperature rise.
For example an H-80 transformer would have class H insulation but still be designed with an 80C rise, which is commonly achieved by
designing the transformer to have fewer losses and therefore less heat generation.

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edit: corrected formulas

5. How would you describe the functions of a generator, and a motor?

Answer: A generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

A motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.

6. What is a hi—pot test and what are you trying to prove with this test?

Answer: A high voltage (potential) or high pressure test.

Checking the insulation integrity of the system or equipment .

7. What is a megger test?

Answer: A check of insulation resistance.

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ELECTRICAL - CABLE
1. What would you consider to be the basic purchase order information you would need to proceed with a cable
inspection assignment?
Answer: a) Size of the cable
b) Voltage rating
c) Quantity

Others: Type of insulation, number of conductors, applicable standards, ultimate service.

 Technical Characteristics, Drawing & quantity
 Ref. Standards
 Insulation class
 Construction properties
 Ref code and material of insulation
 Nominal insulation voltage
 Quantity
 Construction characteristics (number & size of conductors, thickness of insulation and jacket, presence of shield, armor).
 Type, size, voltage rating, quantity, type of insulation, number of conductor, test required, applicable standards.

2. When the quantity being purchased is not sufficient, according to the standards, to require complete testing, what
should the Inspector do?
Answer:
Witness the tests which are being conducted on this order and examine the vendors records of the latest complete tests
performed on this type cable.

Issuing of the NCR concerning the not executed tests.

open NCR (non-conformity report or anomaly report)

3. What is some of the information the Inspector can find in the appropriate standards?
Answer: a) Conductor diameters, areas, resistance, stranding
Dimensional properties of conductors, insulations, sheath
b) Insulation thickness
c) Shielding, jacketing
d) Length of test samples
e) Electrical, Physical and aging requirements

4. What is a Mechanical Integrity Diagnosis?

Answer: A destructive type examination to check diameters, thickness of insulation, jackets, sheaths, conductors, etc.
against the specification requirements.
Electrical continuity on conductive components (conductors, drain wire, shield, armor etc.)

5. Why is the Conductor Resistance test made?

Answer: To establish that the proper amount of specified conductor material is being supplied.
To check the conductors characteristics is in accordance to standards requirements.
To check the quality of material of conductor cable according to referenced standard.

ELECTRICAL — CONTROL CENTERS — SWITCH GEAR

1. For control center or switchgear assemblies, what documents would you consider necessary in order to conduct a
satisfactory inspection?
Answer:
Purchase Order, purchasers one—line diagram,
Manufacturer’s equipment layout drawings, manufacturer’s schematic and wiring diagrams.
PO, standard references, approved drawing
(possibile integrazione con altri items-Possible integration with other items)

2. What are the functions of the main and the auxiliary busses?
Answer: The main bus carries the load or primary power.
The auxiliary bus furnishes control power.

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3. What checks and tests would an Inspector make or witness?

Answer:
Visual and dimensional check.
Check mechanical operation of equipment.
Witness electrical tests

4. Name some of the components you would expect to find in a switchgear assembly.
Answer: Circuit breakers, starters, meters, relays, busses, terminal blocks, heaters.
A switchgear has two types of components:
 Power conducting components, such as switches, circuit breakers, fuses, and lightning arrestors, that conduct or
interrupt the flow of electrical power
 Control systems  such as control panels, current transformers, potential transformers, protective relays, and
associated circuitry, that monitor, control, and protect the power conducting components
Switchgear From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

High voltage switchgear - A section of a large switchgear panel, in this case, used to control on-board casino boat power generation. –
Tram switchgear … This circuit breaker uses both SF6 and air as insulation.
In an electric power system, switchgear is the combination of electrical disconnect switches, fuses or circuit breakers used to
control, protect and isolate electrical equipment.

Switchgears are used both to de-energize equipment to allow work to be done and to clear faults  downstream.

This type of equipment is directly linked to the reliability of the electricity supply.

5. Describe the standard method for hi—pot testing the primary bus in a three—phase switchgear assembly.
Answer:
Ground phases 1 and 3, then apply high potential to phase 2.
If successful, reverse the procedure.

6. How is the control wiring insulation usually tested?

Answer: By either of two methods:
a) All circuits are tied together with base copper wire and the specified potential is applied to the entire system.
b) The spark method, where the test prob is applied momentarily to each stud on the terminal blocks.

Ikn..yukarıdaki yanıt daha doğrudur..nasıl yapıldığını anlatıyor..

Check integrity of cable insulation requires measuring its resistance to current flow across it

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ELECTRICAL — MOTORS
1. How is a synchronous motor different from a squirrel cage induction motor?
Answer: It has a wound rotor.

 Synchronous motor Rotor winding is fed with a DC supply with the help of slip rings.
In squirrel cage rotor, the rotor bars are permanently short-circuited with end rings.
In wound rotor, windings are also permanently short-circuited, hence no slip rings are required.
 Synchronous motors require additional starting mechanism to initially rotate the rotor near to the synchronous speed.
No starting mechanism is required in induction motors.
 The power factor of a synchronous motor can be adjusted to lagging, unity or leading by varying the excitation,
whereas, an induction motor always runs at lagging power factor.
 Synchronous motors are generally more efficient than induction motors.
 Synchronous motors are costlier.

2. How do they differ when in service?

Answer:
The synchronous motor operates at full synchronous speed,
the induction motor at less than synchronous speed.

3. What is meant by slip?

Answer:
Slip is the difference between synchronous rotation (RPM) and the actual operating rotation (RPM).
Example: If synchronous was 1800 and operating 1740, the slip would be 60.
S = (rpm-Nr) / rpm
Rpm = Synchronous speed
Nr = rotor speed
S can be from 1 (rotor stopped) to 0 (synchronous speed)

4. What determines the speed at which an A.C. motor will rotate?

Answer: The frequency of the electrical system and the manner in which the coils are connected.

Induction motors:
RPM = 60 x f / 2p; f = frequency in Hz; 2p = Double poles
Example: f = 50, 4 poles. RPM = 60 x 50 / 2 = 1500

5. Why is shaft current insulation required on large motors?

(ikn: E2-7 de soru devamı eksik…) and when should it be checked i.e before or after assembly?
Answer:
To eliminate the possibility of bearing damage caused by current circulating from the shaft through the bearing to the pedestal
and back to the other end of the shaft.
See E2-7
6. Name some of the information you would expect to find on a motor nameplate?
Answer:
manufacturer’s name
reference standard
frame size,
phases (single, three, D.C.)
insulation class
temperature class
type
power (HP or kW)
speed (RPM)
voltage (V)
amperage (full load motor current-A)
frequency (Hz)
7. Define endfloat. (in a motor)
Answer: The axial movement of a rotor in a sleeve bearing motor.
The quantity of the axial movement of the rotor’s shaft with specific axial load applied
(the axial movement of the shaft of the rotor in a sleeve bearing motor).
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8. Define magnetic center. (in a motor)

Answer:
The point where the magnetic pull on the rotor is the same in both axial directions.
The point where the magnetic pull on the rotor is the same in both directions

9. When visually inspecting a motor, what would you consider to be the most critical dimensions?
Answer:
Shaft diameter, extension and height, bolt hole locations, terminal box location.

10. When a hand cranked megger is used to check most three—phase induction motors, how many tests are required?
Why?
Answer:
One. The motor windings are connected internally so a test on one lead checks the entire winding.

11. Describe how the winding resistance would be checked on a three—phase motor.
Answer:
A resistance measurement would be taken between leads A and B, then B and C, then C and A.
The three readings should be identical.

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ELECTRICAL — TRANSFORMERS
1. What is the principal function of a power transformer?
Answer: Transform alternating current by induction from primary circuits to secondary circuits usually with changed values of
voltage and current.

2. What happens to the frequency in a transformer?

Answer: There is no change

3. What is a “step—down” transformer?

Answer: A unit where the primary voltage is higher than the secondary voltage.

4. Describe what is meant by primary coils and secondary coils in a transformer.

Answer: The primary coils carry the line voltage, which is being transformed.
The secondary coils carry the induced voltage.

5. Why are most power transformers equipped with tap changer mechanisms?
Answer: To cope with voltage drop in a distribution system by using the mechanism to change the turn ratio in the transformer.

6. Describe the function of a current limiting reactor.

Answer:
A device used to limit the current flow in a line during short circuit or heavy load operating conditions.
The current limiting reactor is an inductive coil having a large inductive reactances in comparison to their resistance and is used for limiting
short circuit currents during fault conditions.

Current-voltage reactors also reduced the voltage disturbances on the rest of the system.
It is installed in feeders and ties, in generators leads, and between bus sections, for reducing the magnitude of short circuit currents and the
effect of the respective voltage disturbance

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INSPECTOR (QUALIFICATION)
1. What would you Consider to be the basic parts of a high voltage power cable?

Insulation properties.

2. What descriptive information does the NEC require to be marked on all conductors and cable?
a) Rating voltage
b) Manufacture name
c) AWG size
IN ALTRO - IN OTHER
a) N° of conductors
b) Rating Voltage
c) Length ikn???
CHECK

3. The direct-current voltage test will be applied for how many minutes for shielded cable?
Answer:
a) 5 minutes
b) 10 minutes
c) 15 minutes
d) 20 minutes

a) 5 min
b) (controllare se 10 min) – SU ALTRO 10min – CHECK
B) (check if 10 min) - ON OVER 10min - CHECK
I TEST CHE IO HO ESEGUITO SUI CAVI SECONDO IEC RICIEDEVANO UN TEMPO DI 5 MINUTI. RITENGO QUINDI CHE a) SIA PIU’ USATO.
PERO’ IN ALCUNI CASI DURA ANCHE 10 min. DIPENDE DAL TEST
THE TESTS I TAKEN ON THE CABLES UNDER IEC RECEIVED A TIME OF 5 MINUTES. HOWEVER THAT (a) IS MORE USED.
PERO 'IN EVERY CASE DURING EVEN 10 min. DEFECTS FROM TEST

4. The alternating-current voltage test will be applied for how many minutes? (For shielded cable?)?
Answer: a) 5 minutes
b) 10 minutes
c) 15 minutes
d) 20 minutes

a) 5 min
MA ANCHE 10
BUT ALSO 10
a) 5 minutes
O anche 10, dipende dal test
Or even 10, it depends on the test

5,10 DEPENDING BY SPECIFIC TEST AND CABLE

VERIFICARE CORRETTEZZA RISPOSTA… VERIFY CORRESPONDENCE ANSWER
CORRETTO, DIPENDE DAL TEST - CORRECT, DEPENDING FROM THE TEST

5. TRUE OR FALSE:
The direct-current spark test is applicable to single-conductor cable and assemblies of insulated single-conductor cables
without insulation shield, metallic sheath, or metallic armour.?
FALSE (True-ikn)
Will be performed to test the insulation continuity
NOTA: QUESTA DOMANDA E LA NR. 77) DICONO ESATTAMENTE UNA IL CONTRARIO DELL’ALTRA. LA RISPOSTA CORRETTA È TRUE
NOTE: THIS QUESTION AND NO. 77) EXACTLY SEND A CONTRARY OF THE OTHER. THE CORRECT RESULT IS TRUE
FALSE,,ikn??, it is applicable on insulated single conductor to check the continuity insulation.
Risposta corretta TRUE - TRUE correct answer
IN ALTRO - IN OTHER
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TRUE, it is applicable on insulated single conductor to check the continuity insulation.

CHECK
6. TRUE OR FALSE: The insulation resistance test shall be measured before the alternating-Current Voltage test and after
any direct-Current voltage tests.?
TRUE
Recommendation is before and after any dielectric test
TRUE E’ CORRETTO - TRUE IS CORRECT
IN ALTRO – FALSE after only – CHECK - IN OTHER – FALSE after only – CHECK

7. In accordance with the NEC, conductors and cables shall be durably marked on the surface at intervals not exceeding how
many inches?
Answer: a) 18 inches
b) 24 inches
c) 36 inches
d) 48 inches
24 inches
SU ALTRO 36 E U ALTRO ANCORA 48- check ALWAYS MORE THAN 36 AND ALWAYS 48- CHECK
NON HO TROVATO NULLA SU QUESTO  I did not find any one on this
Levent Gökay-Prysmian: İsmail Bey sayfa 70-136 madde B de belirtiliyor. Ama şıklarda yer almıyor. Kuvvetle ihtimal doğru cevap d olmalı.

8. TRUE OR FALSE: Metal-covered multi-conductor cables shall employ a marker tape located within the cable and running
for its complete length, in lieu of cable surface marking.?
True

9. In accordance with the NEC which of the following colours would be permitted for an equipment grounding conductor.?
Answer:
a) Black
b) Green with a Yellow Stripe
c) White
d) Natural Grey
e) Green
B, Green with yellow stripes

http://www.ecmweb.com/qampa/stumped-code-nec-requirements-identifying-circuit-conductors-and-more

All questions and answers are based on the 2011 NEC.

Q. What are the Code rules for identifying circuit conductors?
A. The neutral conductor of a branch circuit must be identified in accordance with 200.6 [210.5(A)].
Equipment grounding conductors can be bare, covered, or insulated.

Insulated equipment grounding conductors size 6 AWG and smaller must have a continuous outer finish either green or green with one or more yellow stripes,
in conformance with 250.119 [210.5(B)].

On equipment grounding conductors 4 AWG and larger, insulation can be permanently reidentified with green marking at the time of installation at every
point where the conductor is accessible [250.119(A)].
Ungrounded conductors must be identified as follows [210.5(C)]:

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