All electrical equipment, irrespective of the quality of design and manufacture, doesn’t last forever. Wear is inevitable and regular servicing and maintenance are required to maintain reliability and maximise service life.
Servicing is particularly important for Power Factor Correction (PFC) equipment. This equipment improves the overall electrical efficiency of your electrical supply. Here are five reasons why servicing is vital.
Problems with PWC equipment can easily go unnoticed
When a problem develops with your Power Factor Correction equipment it doesn’t affect production and therefore may go unnoticed for long periods. The equipment is usually installed in switch rooms which are visited infrequently and nobody notices that the PFC is out of action because there are no external signs of failure.
The Power Factor Control Relay could be giving a false reading
On many occasions the reading on the power factor control relay is used by end users as a determining factor as to the condition of the equipment. This has several weaknesses not least that the control relay could be giving a false reading due to internal malfunction or, as is more common, there is an incorrect phase rotation/current transformer location.
A high-power factor could be recorded in error
A high-power factor may be recorded, but it could be that the stages are permanently in due to the contactors having welded them in. If this is the case the capacitors would be in circuit at light load conditions, which would cause a voltage rise that could be detrimental to sensitive electronic equipment.
The financial implications of malfunctioning PFC equipment
Since 2008 penalty charges are incurred for both lagging and reactive power components. You need to be in the parameters of 0.95 lagging and 0.95 leading in order avoid penalty charges.
Given that PFC equipment is almost always used to reduce electricity costs when it fails the monthly savings are lost. If it’s out of action for several months the money lost can be much more than the cost of the equipment.
Preventative maintenance saves time and money in the long run
Servicing and maintenance by an established, competent company means failures are rectified quickly and cost savings are restored.
Servicing also means wear and tear on components is identified and equipment replaced before failures occur. Wear and tear is age related. An experienced company is able to anticipate when problems might be expected and propose measures to prevent them.
The cost of servicing and repair is modest, often less than the monthly savings the equipment is providing so it makes financial sense to embrace the concept of preventative maintenance. The cost of prevention is much less than the total cost of repair and the savings lost from faulty equipment.
How can Equiptest help me?
With our reputation for integrity and our high levels of customer care we can help you make your power supply as efficient as possible.
You can rely on us to ensure all your PFC equipment is always performing it’s best.
