Preventive maintenance provides a key tool for minimizing the chances of catastrophic equipment failures. One type of preventive maintenance testing lies in testing done with equipment such as Power Factor test sets. Power factor testing evaluates the quality and integrity of electrical equipment insulation and makes it possible to detect problems without making an internal visual inspection. The result is a significant decrease in maintenance cost and downtime. Power factor testing is one of the best testing techniques for predictive and preventive maintenance.
A power factor test compares the capacitive current to the resistive current used by a piece of equipment. If the capacitive current becomes large in relation to the resistive current, it indicates a potential problem with the insulation. Insulation breakdown often leads to equipment breakdown.
While power factor testing usually involves transformers and breakers, tests can be useful on other types of equipment such as switches, motors and voltage regulators. As well, running these tests to generate a profile for your specific equipment allows trending analysis. Such analysis can be used to anticipate problems before they become costly.
Protec offers the following Power Factor Tests Sets for rent, lease or purchase today:
Doble M4000/M4100 Power Analysis
Megger Delta 2000 Power Factor Test Set
Omicron CP TD1 Capacitance/Dissipation Factor Testing Device (tan Delta)