General Maintenance Practices

There are two aspects of general maintenance:

1. Firstly, replacement of the parts which are worn out during the normal operation must be carried out from time to time.

2. Secondly, preventive maintenance should be carried out for detecting deterioration and mal-operation of the system components.

In the daily operation of the substation it is the duty of the attendant to inspect the equipment externally and remedy any abnormality that does not requires disconnection of the apparatus. During this inspection, a watch is needed to be kept for deposits of dust and dirt on the equipment, joint or some part, heating of contacts, low oil level and oil leakages and etc. Checks should also be made to ensure that

• The locks and doors of the switch house are in good condition,
• There have no leaks have developed in the roof,
• The ventilating and heating systems are operating normally,
• The prescribed safety aids are in place and in good order,
• The earthing connections remain unbroken,
• A packing of the cables entering or leaving a cable trench or tunnel within the premises are intact,
• The ventilating louvers are not damaged, and
• An access roads leading to the oil filled apparatus are unobstructed, and will allow the approach of the fire engines in the event of an oil fire during an emergency.