NEWS

How to prevent electrical failures

Did you know that loose connections and parts account for 30% of electrical breakdowns, and moisture causes around 17% of electrical faults.  Problems occur when an electrical system is not adequately maintained. As electrical loads cycle between high and low demand, thermal expansion and contraction cause connections to loosen. Electrical components that are never cleaned accumulate dust and dirt that deposit on these connections.  The loose and dirty connections provide high resistance paths that are directly responsible for more electrical failures. Electrical failures are also attributed to live electrical components being exposed to moisture.

The failure rate of electrical components is three times higher for systems where preventive maintenance is not performed. This means, most electrical breakdowns can be avoided.

What does a Preventative Maintenance Service (PMS) involve?

A PMS program should be performed on a regular basis. The period between works depends on the environmental conditions, the importance of the equipment and its loading and use. However, a PMS should be performed at least once every 12 months — and more often for critical components.  It is cheaper to make repairs to equipment before it fails

When electrical equipment fails, particularly protective devices like circuit breakers or relays, there is usually subsequent damage to other components in the system. Often the equipment cannot be repaired and must be completely replaced. New equipment does not always replace the failed component in-kind and may require other modifications to make the system whole.

Failed equipment results in unplanned outages, which can be very costly when replacement equipment cannot be easily found. Instead of having a planned system outage for PMS at the most convenient time for your operation, equipment failures are always at inopportune times. Emergency repairs are very costly due to the urgency of the situation where temporary work is required before a permanent repair can be done.

 

Matt Electric lead the way in simple Preventative Maintenance Service programs

In addition, an effective PMS program will improve equipment efficiency and reduce electricity bills. A loose or dirty connection has increased resistance which results in higher power losses. By simply tightening and cleaning electrical connections, you can lower these energy costs.
If you have been taking your electrical distribution system for granted, it’s probably time for you to implement a PMS. Call us today!

 

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