Power and electrical system maintenance: Setting up an EPM program
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
The central objectives of any electrical system maintenance program are to extend the life of the equipment, increase facility uptime and improve plant safety. While all facilities should adhere to NFPA 70: National Electrical Code, its cousin NFPA 70B: Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance should also be carefully reviewed and adhered to.
An electrical preventive maintenance (EPM) program helps companies determine what is and is not working and helps companies prevent downtime and potential safety issues.
Facilities can either work with a provider to create an EPM, or can create and implement one themselves. Continuous and consistent monitoring is key in getting the most out of an EPM program.
Learning objectives:
- Review NFPA 70B, and understand what electrical systems must be maintained.
- Consider the pros and cons of outsourcing to a provider or keeping the maintenance plan in-house, and when the two should be interwoven.
- Understand the various ways to test electrical equipment, such as infrared scanning, grounding testing, breaker settings, oil testing, breaker injection testing and various audits.
- Through examples, review how different facilities created a plan.