Medium Voltage and Specialty Circuit Breakers
Medium and High Voltage Breakers
In addition to expert emergency and maintenance services that we can perform while in your MV and HV substation (discussed in more detail under the Substation and Switchgear page), it is important to know that our technicians have fully equipped large apparatus repair shops backing them up. This combination of expert technicians in the field along with comprehensive repair capabilities back at the shop enable us to provide unparalleled services when a medium or high voltage breaker experiences a problem.
Facilities
Each of our facilities is equipped to provide comprehensive switchgear services so you can rest assured that we have the resources to complete any circuit breaker repair or reconditioning without having to rely on outside vendors or subcontractors. We also maintain a fleet of vehicles to transport your equipment properly 24X7X365, and our facilities are equipped with large overhead cranes and other material handling equipment to make sure that your large circuit breakers are handled with the care and attention your entire plant deserves!
Test and Repair
We provide complete testing and repair services for airframe, vacuum, oil circuit breakers (OCBs), SF6, and all other medium voltage and specialty circuit breakers. So whether you have older Westinghouse DH style breakers, or GE Magnablasts, or other MV/HV breaker styles from GE or Westinghouse, rest assured that we are familiar with the operation and functionality of these critical protective machines, and we know how to restore them to working order. Of course, we are also intimately familiar with the wide number of more modern designs from manufacturers such as ABB, Allis Chalmers, Alstrom, Siemens, and Toshiba. In addition to airframe designs, we are experienced with vacuum and SF6 breakers from all of the major manufacturers, and we have deep knowledge of arcane breakers such as the OCBs and DC breakers that are still critical to many large industrial substations. Which is worse, when your supposed expert has no idea how to service these types of special breakers while they are still installed in your substation or once there is a problem and you have to pull one from service? The answer of course is neither, and with the Kiemle-Hankins and Birclar team, you can banish these concerns from your mind.
Reconditioning
In our facility, the mechanical and electrical integrity of your medium voltage and specialty circuit breakers can be reliably restored through our repair and reconditioning services. Upon receipt of your breaker, we assign a unique job number, document incoming settings, and start a photographic log, which details the reconditioning process. Typically, we then tear it down to the frame and inspect every aspect of the circuit breaker. Each component is evaluated and considered for repair or replacement. When it comes to replacement parts, we are experts at finding obsolete parts or fabricating and machining replacements, thus giving you options that you may not have with other shops. The frame will be sandblasted and then painted in our paint booths. The contacts will be evaluated and if replacement isn’t necessary, we will restore contacts to a like new status in our vibratory polishing process. The silver plating on your finger clusters and contacts are inspected and replated as necessary. Our in-house silver plating system means your project will not be delayed by third-party vendors. The assembly of the new or fully reconditioned operating mechanism is managed carefully to guarantee the correct function of all components. The contact blocks, auxiliary devices, and relay wiring are reinstalled and the correct operation is verified.
Final Test
Upon completion of assembly and mechanical inspection, the circuit breaker will be electrically tested with calibrated test equipment. The electrical tests on medium voltage circuit breakers typically include power factor testing, insulation resistance tests (megger), contact resistance testing with digital low resistance ohmmeters, three-phase timing tests, and if appropriate, time travel analysis tests. The final checkout also includes functional testing of the mechanical components of the breaker.
The testing of vacuum breakers would also include a hi-pot testing to evaluate the integrity of the bottles, and we check the contact wear indicators. Services for oil circuit breakers also would include draining, sampling, replacement and filtering of the oil, along with the complete analysis and testing of the oil samples.
Report
In all cases, the progress is documented in a detailed report. The custom report will be made available to you following the completion of your project. The reports can include high-resolution photographs, root cause analysis of any failure or problems, recommendations, and test documentation.