When it comes to a facility’s preventive maintenance, electrical systems oftentimes overlooked. Many people assume that electrical systems don’t require regular maintenance, but the fact is, the failure rate for electrical components is three times higher in systems that don't have an electrical preventive maintenance program in place. About half of all electrical failures are due either to loose connections or parts, or to exposure to moisture, and both of these issues can be prevented with regular in-house electrical PM.
Many electrical preventive maintenance checklists can be found online and can usually be customized by knowledgeable facilities personnel to meet a facility’s specific needs, or a specialist like Omni Instrumentation & Electrical Services, Inc., can assist in developing an electrical maintenance plan. Once in place, most electrical PM programs are relatively straightforward and inexpensive to implement.
There are a number of basic items that should be performed during electrical preventive maintenance. Check panels and transformers for excessive heat with a thermal scan. Electrical connections should be inspected and re-torqued to the proper tightness. Heat tracing should be verified and tested on all hydronic lines. Motors should be checked for vibration and bearings for lubrication and wear. Generators and automatic transfer switches should be tested on a regular basis, and a UPS system test should be conducted to ensure that batteries operate and backup power will be available when needed. Frequency of preventive maintenance should depend on the type of component or equipment, its criticality, and the physical environment.
To find out more about electrical preventive maintenance programs and how Omni can help safeguard your assets, call Omni at 908-412-7130 or 240-341-7915.
About Omni
Omni Instrumentation & Electrical Services, Inc., located in New Jersey and Maryland, is a premier instrumentation and electrical contractor, providing superior total care solutions since 1986. Services include instrument installation, tubing installation, instrument calibration, control loop testing, startup and commissioning, power and lighting, process control wiring, BMS wiring, telecommunications and data wiring, fire alarm wiring, security wiring, process network wiring, and control panel fabrication. Omni Instrumentation & Electrical Services, Inc., is certified in Foundation Fieldbus, Profibus, DeviceNet and ASI-Bus installation.