Switchgear maintenance, testing and repair
Switchgear maintenance, testing and repair (600V and Below)
Expert switchgear maintenance, testing and repair plays a key role in increasing machine uptime and improving safety. IPS has the people and technology for the job, supporting plant reliability engineers with single-source capabilities that streamline vendor management.
Our technicians service and repair all major OEM equipment and discontinued breakers. We combine work on power distribution protection and management with service and repair for VFDs, electric motors and generators.
Low-voltage breaker testing
IPS recommends periodic testing and maintenance for low-voltage breakers. Over time, industrial environments cause breaker deterioration. Left unchecked, this can cause electrical power system failures, resulting in injuries, unplanned downtime and asset damage.
Our field service technicians follow International Electrical Testing Association (NETA) guidelines for on-site low-voltage breaker testing. Tests include:
- Power distribution system inspections
- Visual inspections for signs of age — metal fatigue, loose connections and parts damage
- Insulation resistance — Megger at 1000V phase to ground and phase to phase for air circuit breakers
- Contact resistance — testing with digital low-resistance ohmmeter (DLRO) with breaker shut
- Electrical operation — test breakers equipped with charging spring motors for proper function, verifying remote shut and open features
- Primary and secondary injection testing — test current trip functions during startups and maintenance using OEM trip curves
Switchgear conversion and upgrades
IPS provides switchgear conversion and repair for plants with old or damaged breakers. Our field service technicians handle this on-site when possible. We also provide in-house repair services for parts upgrades and refurbishment.
IPS Charleston maintains a dedicated repair shop for switchgear conversion. Our skilled repair technicians provide the following services:
- Conversions — Convert all breakers with dash pot trip units to Utility Relay Company AC Pro kits (new and discontinued breakers)
- Silver plating — In-house silver plating for contact and bus connections
- Replacement parts for discontinued breakers — Source parts from manufacturers or authorized PEARL dealers
Circuit breaker refurbishment, when advisable, offers substantial savings compared to replacement. We tear down circuit breakers and rebuild them, replacing faulty parts and cleaning, lubricating and testing before shipping.