Electrical Maintenance Strategies Overview

Overview of Electrical Maintenance Strategies

• Importance of Maintenance:
  • All electrical equipment deteriorates over time
  • Maintenance is crucial for maintaining integrity, functionality, and efficiency
  • Variable load in power systems can affect performance, necessitating maintenance
• Maintenance Benefits:
  • Direct:
    • Reduced repair costs
    • Reduced downtime
    • Improved safety
  • Indirect:
    • Improved employee morale
    • Better work quality
    • Increased productivity
    • Early detection of system deficiencies

Guiding Principles for Effective Maintenance

• Environment: Dry, cool, clean, airtight surroundings

Maintenance Approaches

Reactive Maintenance

• Run-to-Failure (RTF):
  • Least proactive maintenance approach
  • Equipment only repaired or replaced when performance is affected
  • Less expensive initially but can be costly in the long run
  • Higher risk of failure and lower reliability
• Inspect and Service As Necessary:
  • More proactive than RTF
  • Regular equipment inspections
  • Mitigates problems before becoming catastrophic
• Examples: Replacing failed fuses, incandescent lamps, and repair equipment

Preventive Maintenance (PM)

• Time-Based Maintenance (TBM):
  • Scheduled maintenance at regular intervals or operational cycles
  • Follows manufacturer recommendations or industry standards
  • Does not optimize system performance
• Examples: Overhauling a functioning motor generator set

Predictive Maintenance

• Condition Based Maintenance (CBM):
  • Similar to TBM but uses non-intrusive testing techniques
  • Utilizes equipment performance history and maintenance data
  • Not applicable to all equipment
• Examples: Using infrared thermography to detect high-resistance electrical connections

Proactive Maintenance

• Aims to anticipate failures and introduce solutions before they occur
• Identifies root causes to prevent future problems
• Employs a comprehensive approach to minimize breakdowns

Electric Preventive Maintenance (EPM)

• Key Factors Affecting EPM Decisions:
  • Safety impact
  • Productivity and profitability impact of equipment failure
  • Costs
  • Life expectancy of equipment
  • Failure predictability
  • Likelihood of damage
  • Technical support
  • Resource availability
• EPM Personnel:
  • Should be experienced and trained
  • Possess knowledge of electrical power technology, general maintenance techniques, and equipment design and operation
• EPM Program Indicators:
  • Ability to track test results such as insulation resistance, leakage current, capacitance, PF, and DF; bearing temperature and vibration; and winding temperature
• Steps in the Event of Equipment Failure:
  • Conduct a failure-cause analysis:
    • Compare present failures to past conditions
    • Involve the manufacturer, if the problem is endemic
    • Identify plant-specific deficiencies (design, operational stats, environmental factors)
    • Determine specific deficiencies
    • Perform post-monitoring and testing

Importance of Post-Maintenance Testing

• It is the final procedure in EPM programs, especially in sophisticated plants and industries
• Ensures reliability and continuity of operations

This quiz explores the essential strategies for electrical maintenance, emphasizing the importance of upkeep for functionality and efficiency. It covers the benefits, guiding principles, and various approaches to maintenance, including reactive maintenance. Test your knowledge on how effective maintenance can enhance safety and productivity.