Thursday, April 2, 2009

Main and branch electrical circuit breaker testing

Would you be so kind as to forward this question to our membership.
1) Does anyone have an annual or any routine program for Main andBranch electrical breaker testing.
2) If yes how often and down to what breaker size do you test.
3) Does anyone have a program that includes anything more then visualor thermal imaging inspections.
Reason for asking, I recently read where a hospital was cited underImmediate Threat to Life and automatic Preliminary Denial ofAccreditation; for not testing it's main breakers. This is not somethingwe have done in the past and will be implementing starting this year.

6 comments:

Maine Healthcare Engineers said...

We check our outlets, visually check are panels and we thermal scan our breakers on our patient care Units. I have not exercised our main breakers or thermal scanned these. This facility opened in 2003 so it is relatively new too. I am due for JC to show up any day as the last time they were here was April 6, 2003. Dan is this a NEC, NFPA requirement because I haven't seen it anywhere in the JC standards or within the annual PPR for JC that we all do? I'll share my results with the group at a future meeting once we are surveyed.

Maine Healthcare Engineers said...

I used to be with E.S Boulos electrical contractors in their Tegg Testing Group, if you want answers you should call them they can outline all the testing you need to do at your facility to meet the standards. By law you need to exercise your main breakers, I believe at least once a year. Call Boulos, they have software that will let you track all your testing and images, what was done etc.

Maine Healthcare Engineers said...

Please check out section 230.95 paragraph C of the National Electrical code---there are specific requirements for testing Ground Fault Breakers. The ground-fault protection system (Ground-fault protection of equipment shall be provided for solidly grounded wye electric services of more than 150 volts to ground but not exceeding 600 volts phase-to-phase for each service disconnect rated 1000 amperes or more) .shall be performance tested when first installed on site. The test shall be conducted in accordance with instructions that shall be provided with the equipment. (this means per the manufacturers recommendations) A written record of this test shall be made and shall be available to the authority having jurisdiction.
In addition, check out NFPA 99 for more info on testing of breakers. Hope this helps

Maine Healthcare Engineers said...

NFPA 99 4.4.4.1.2.1* Circuit Breakers. Main and feeder circuit breakers shall be inspected annually and a program for periodically exercising the components shall be established according to manufacturer’s recommendations.
Square D recommends annual for our gear

Maine Healthcare Engineers said...

When at the VA 13 years ago, our recurring maintenance program included this. The work was accomplished using outside contractors “a formal project”. We would cycle large mains, load test critical breakers, thermoscan all mains/Pt Care subpanels & torque tested breaker lugs.
At St Andrews, we have relatively new gear at our facilities which we tested at the install time. Since install, we have load tested emergency circuits, accomplished the 4 hour generator load test, and performed thermoscanning. FYI Chubb insurance had done thermoscan as part of one of their site visits @ $0 cost 2 years ago. I had my electrician open panels, Chubb did the scan. If you use Chubb, might want to ask them.
This year we have a new Insurance company who does not offer that service.
I did locate a company that rents IR thermoscan camera for day or week rate. With budgets a consideration, and having a master electrician at our facility and our integrated facilities (St Andrews and Miles) at around 600K square feet, we are considering renting the camera and testing in-house.

Maine Healthcare Engineers said...

Our fire dept has a thermal imaging camera which can pick up a hot ballast. I think most fire departments have those now. Perhaps they would do a courtesy check for you.