Electrical Preventive Maintenance Programs

An effective electrical preventive maintenance (EPM) program improves safety and reduces equipment failures. Two conditions, loose connections and moisture, account for almost half of all electrical failures, and both can be found and corrected with the right program.

Common Causes of Electrical Failures

What a Good Program Includes

1. Infrared inspection

As electrical loads cycle between high and low demand, thermal expansion and contraction loosen connections. A thermographic inspection finds failing components and loose connections while equipment is running, so they can be fixed during a scheduled shutdown.

2. Gear cleaning

Panels that are never cleaned collect dust and dirt on their connections. Loose, dirty connections create high-resistance paths that cause more than 30 percent of electrical failures, and moisture on live components causes another 17 percent. Gear cleaning removes the debris and reveals any moisture.

3. Breaker exercising

During the shutdown, all circuit breakers and disconnect switches should be opened and closed repeatedly to confirm they operate properly. See circuit breaker testing.

4. Component inspection

Inspect electrical components throughout the system, from power factor correction units to surge protection.

5. Record keeping

Keep concise, complete records. Cooper Electric’s thermographic inspections and detailed reports, with trending over time, form the backbone of an effective electrical preventive maintenance program.