Solar performance testing is crucial for verifying the efficiency and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) power systems. As solar installations become more prevalent, it’s essential to have testing plans in place to ensure systems are functioning optimally and meeting expected performance standards. This article explores the key components of a typical solar interconnection site, outlines an effective testing methodology, and discusses …
As the world of solar energy continues to grow, testing on the acceptance and maintenance sides will grow with it. In typical installations, we have been asked to test only the basic electrical apparatus. This typically consists of circuit breakers, transformers, instrument transformers, relays, cables, grounding, and functional testing. Inverters are often held for the manufacturer to set up and …
Solar generation relies on a discontinuous power source — the sun. Day and night cycles paired with environmental factors like precipitation and cloud cover influence its reliability, so power generation from this type of renewable source is cyclical rather than continuous. This means your transformer will not run at 100% load for 24 hours. Depending on the time of year, …
Most of today’s available testing devices use various cables and sources to measure timing and contact resistance in high-voltage circuit breakers (HVCBs). Most have only one source for resistance measurement, so the resistance of each phase is measured individually. This implies that it is necessary to change the connection to the main circuit breaker several times during testing, which requires …
Circuit interrupters or breakers are used to isolate and prevent sustained faults. These breakers have various types of failure modes which include trip coil failure, trip circuit opening, mechanical latch malfunction, and insulating gas leaks, to name a few. A sustained fault is recognized when it takes longer to isolate it than the sum of the normal relay and device …
Transformer diagnostics play a critical role in ensuring the reliability and longevity of power systems. Understanding the condition of power transformers is essential for preventing unexpected failures and minimizing downtime, which can have significant economic and operational impacts. Sweep frequency response analysis (SFRA) emerges as a powerful tool in transformer diagnostics, offering valuable insights into the transformer’s mechanical integrity, electrical …
At best, an equipment failure is a costly inconvenience. At worst, it can affect the entire country and impact Wall Street. Consider BP’s refinery in Whiting, Indiana — the largest in the Midwest, according to BP, producing 440,000 barrels per day of crude oil. On February 1, 2024, Reuters reported that the refinery had shut down unexpectedly, and in a …
Current transformers (CTs) are essential for reliable and safe operation of electrical power networks. They function as the link between the primary system, which includes the assets directly involved in the energy flow, and the secondary system consisting of the protection, control, and metering devices. CTs do this by transforming high primary currents into the more measurable quantities used by …
As large commercial and industrial construction ramped up in the 1990s and the size of facilities grew, electrical distribution transitioned from low voltage (480 volts and below) to medium voltage (12–15 kV). These design changes brought about the need for more sophisticated electrical distribution protection, which coincided with the early generations of electronic protective relays, including the widely employed GE Multilin …
Testing plays a critical role in verifying that the protection scheme is designed to meet its intended purpose. It ensures that the wiring diagrams match the schematics, and everything works together seamlessly. WHY DO WE TEST? While engineers and electricians are highly skilled professionals, they are human and can make mistakes. That’s why, during the commissioning process, we meticulously search …