Electrical Gear Cleaning and Visual Inspection

Dust, debris and moisture inside switchgear lead to loose, overheated connections and ground faults. ANSI standards (Section 9) recommend that electrical switchboards be inspected and tested once a year. Cooper Electric cleans and inspects electrical gear for commercial and industrial facilities across Greater Cincinnati.

How We Clean Your Electrical Equipment

We remove all dirt and debris from electrical enclosures by vacuuming, not by blowing them out with an air compressor. Compressed air only scatters dirt for a short while and can push conductive particles onto energized parts, which can cause a ground fault. Everything we remove is taken out of your facility and properly disposed of.

What the Visual Inspection Covers

Our licensed electricians inspect all equipment for National Electrical Code violations, abnormalities and good-practice recommendations. The inspection also reveals signs of heat, discoloration, melted insulation or plastic, and electrical arcing. Every issue is documented in a report for your facility contact.

Common violations we find in switchgear include:

Improperly grounded circuits
Double-tapped circuit breakers, where the lug is rated for only one conductor
Abandoned holes or openings that let debris into cabinets
Covers that are not properly fastened, and panels that are not properly supported

Example Findings from a High-Rise Inspection

UPS equipment: enclosures needed cleaning and debris removal per ANSI Section 9.4
Main electrical room: all main service breakers and the bolted pressure switch needed annual exercising and testing per ANSI Sections 9.3 and 9.5.1; bus duct showed discoloration and needed inspection
Ground fault breakers: needed annual testing, with results kept on file (NEC 230.95)
Floor 3: a disconnect cover was not fastened to its enclosure, a safety violation
Floor 21: a panel was not properly supported and was pulling away from the wall; grounds needed proper lugs
Service level and penthouse: power factor capacitor units showed zero current draw with warning lights on