Is Your Feeder Maintenance Starving?
A feeder cable fault can produce catastrophic damage (recovery is impossible). The fireball and arc blast resulting from a phase-to-ground fault can kill nearby personnel, and then render a plant unusable for weeks while repairs are made. The prospect of repairs taking that long before restarting often results in the decision to close the facility — especially when it’s a manufacturing plant.
Yet, in only a few industries is it normal to follow the IEEE and ANSI standards for feeder cable testing. The testing practices are based on facts such as:
- Cable insulation deteriorates over time.
- Comparing cable insulation condition over time to a baseline condition assessment allows you to predict cable failure, barring an unusual event such as unexpected mechanical damage or lightning.
- Replacing deteriorated cables during a scheduled shutdown costs less than replacing failed cables during an unplanned shutdown.
- Planning a cable replacement gives you time to obtain the correct materials, set the job up properly, execute the work carefully, and take baseline test data when it’s done.
About the Author
Mark Lamendola
Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.
Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.
Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.