WHAT IS ELECTRICAL LOAD TESTING?
February 7, 2024
In recent years, operations and systems managers have begun to recognize that making the switch from basic electrical preventative maintenance to in-depth predictive and proactive care simply makes good business sense. And it’s not just operations managers who are noticing the difference — many insurance companies are now offering discounts to those who integrate electrical PdM programs into their overall maintenance programs.
ALL ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS GET WORN OUT WITH TIME.
Preventative, Predictive, and Proactive Care
If you depend on the proper running of electrical equipment, it’s time to consider predictive electrical maintenance to prevent interruptions, downtime and failures. Let’s face it: It only takes one ill-timed arc flash to spell disaster. On the other hand, with advances in proactive electrical maintenance tools and technology, statistics show that more than 65 percent of system-induced outages can be avoided by regularly scheduling predictive maintenance (PdM) on all of your electrical equipment and systems.
Preventative Electrical Maintenance
The term “electrical preventive maintenance” (EPM) refers to a program of regular inspection and service of equipment to detect potential problems and to take proper corrective measures through the approved work process controls.
Predictive Maintenance Tools and Approaches
In order to prevent potential catastrophic failures to electrical systems, you’re best advised to choose a fully licensed electrical contractor like MSC Electrical. We possess the experience and know-how to handle virtually all electrical equipment, systems and repairs. This ability is crucial since any predictive maintenance program that doesn’t take an in-depth and comprehensive look at your electrical system — and take the necessary maintenance steps based upon its findings — can lead to unanticipated interruptions and unscheduled downtime.
Proactive Electrical Maintenance
Previous electrical preventive maintenance programs consisted mainly of visual inspections. In contrast, proactive electrical maintenance uses the latest testing equipment to compile a full diagnostic evaluation that predicts when and where maintenance needs to be conducted before a system failure occurs.
Because it takes everything from equipment operating conditions — including environmental conditions like humidity, dust and dirt levels — to load changes and operator requirements into account, predictive maintenance can spot trends such as loose connections, thermal hotspots and system deviations. And with the use of advanced software and diagnostics tools, repairs and modifications can be made before a costly electrical interruption or failure occurs.
Predictive maintenance programs include the following:
- Infrared thermography: With the use of specialized thermal imaging equipment, electrical systems can be inspected while under load and energized. The resulting images allow technicians to easily spot thermal hotspots that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.
- Ultrasound technology: Ultrasonic inspections detect and isolate aberrant high-frequency sounds, such as electrical discharges that aren’t audible to the human ear and are also not part of the equipment’s standard operational sound pattern.
- Data Gathering: Creating an inventory list of your critical electrical assets that need to be properly maintained for efficient and reliable function.
What’s The Importance Of Electrical Maintenance?
This maintenance is crucial for businesses and homeowners. It keeps properties safe, equipment reliable and saves you money on future repairs. It’s recommended to get inspections and maintenance every 3-6 years to prolong your electrical infrastructure.
Why MSC Electrical?
MSC Electrical is precisely the expert team you want watching over your electrical systems and providing quality repairs when needed. We form long-term relationships with our customers because our service is superior while our rates are always competitive.
Interested in protecting your electrical equipment and maximizing your uptime? Simply contact us today to learn more about our preventive and predictive maintenance programs designed specifically to help your business.