The answer to this question appears at the end of this newsletter.

Repairing Electrical Service
and Distribution Equipment
A good testing program will reveal such things as worn breaker contacts, damaged conductor insulation, improper trip settings, contaminated transformer oil, loose connections, and corrosion. You'll need to replace those contacts, pull new conductors, and so forth.

Most likely, you'll do those repairs over a limited shutdown window on a holiday weekend. Plan carefully and have the needed resources on hand so you can complete the job in that limited window. It's possible that lead times will delay at least some of this work, if you haven't already ordered certain items.

Here are some tips for reducing delays from other causes:

• Assess the talent. Does your onsite staff have training in the specific tasks ahead? Should you outsource? Typical areas for outsourcing include transformer testing and maintenance, infrared surveying, and breaker testing. But when is the last time you had a qualified engineer calculate your adjustable trip settings?
• Anticipate planning problems. In most companies, last-minute assignments have a way of sneaking into shutdown schedules. One way to handle this is to "encapsulate" each shutdown project, and outsource it to a firm that specializes in that kind of work. Make sure the firm has the credentials for doing that specific work.
• Meet equipment requirements. What lifts, test equipment, torque wrenches, power tools, and so forth does the job require? Walk it through and make a list. Then, ensure you'll have that equipment on hand. Insist contractors do the same. Rentals may not be available on short notice during the actual shutdown.
• Arrange for lighting and temporary power. Have this equipment on site, tested, and ready to use the morning before. Extra rental time is an investment in uptime. Trying to save a few bucks on rentals could prove expensive. Have fuel on hand for the portable generators, and plan for storage and handling.
• Resolve security issues. Ask the security manager how to minimize access delays for the contractors. Provide secure storage for tools, parts, supplies, and equipment.
• Dry run. Ensure every crew does a "walk through" so their work isn't stopped by surprises during shutdown. Extra cost for contractors to do this is cheap, compared to downtime resulting from a problem that should have been fixed during shutdown.
• Plan parallel work. A shutdown is the perfect time to plug unused openings in buss and junction boxes. Make a list, obtain the plugs, and assign the task. This and other "low-priority work" is ideal for the in-house people who must be available to the contractor supervisors but will usually have "spare time." Parallel work also helps justify having a proper crew on hand, so you aren't forced to skeleton crew the shutdown. Make sure everyone understands what their first priority is.

Lightning is another possible cause, especially if your grounding system is deficient. So, add ground testing to your shutdown project list (a fall of potential test with the power on measures the utility neutral connection, not the grounding). Ensure your facility complies with Art. 250 of the NEC, Part V, especially around the service equipment. Finally, review your site against NFPA-780 and LPI-175 -- or hire a specialist to do this for you.


Show & Events
EC&M E-Tradeshow

Free Live Conferences in November
Mark Nov. 16 on your schedule to attend these highly informative live conferences:

• Learn about all the new energy-storage technologies -- including ultracapacitors, fuel cells, and flywheels -- now available by attending the live conference "Energy Storage Methods for Standby Electric Power Systems," presented by John DeDad at 11 a.m. EDT and PDT.
• Find out how to size residential electrical generators by sitting in on Generac's live conference scheduled for 9 a.m. EDT and PDT. If you can't make these times, we're having a special Contractor's Night live conference at 8 p.m. EDT.
• If you're looking for construction industry information to include in your business forecast for 2007, you'll certainly want to attend Jim Lucy's 2007 Electrical Market Sales Forecast, scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT and PDT. You'll see forecasting statistics for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial construction market segments. This yearly presentation has become a must-see for electrical equipment manufacturers, contractors, distributors, and engineers.