Field Testing of Regulator and Re-Closer Controls
February 7, 2008
Your utility is probably like most…you have a mix of controls in service from brand new to 30 years old – and a mix of brands depending upon who was low bidder or who was the specifying engineer at the time.
When you go out into the field to troubleshoot a voltage complaint, working with the older types (with knobs!) is pretty much the same no matter the age or the brand. The main question is: is it the control, or the regulator that has the problem?
However, with the newer microprocessor types, there are a lot of “gotcha’s!” Is there reverse power capability, do I keep getting tap position warnings? Are the programmed CT/PT ratios in my replacement control the same as what I am taking out of service?
These “gotcha’s” will often cause a return trip to a regulator if the field technician is not aware of them. Sometimes, these issues cause a good control to be sent in for repair when actually it was only a configuration issue that caused the regulator to mis-operate.
Every August, the Great Lakes Electric Meter School conducts a session on “Field Testing of Regulator and Re-Closer Controls” In this 4-day session, we look into those issues and provide training that will improve your troubleshooting efficiency in the field
I invite you to consider attending this year. For more information, please visit www.GLEMS.org.
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