It is estimated that up to 60% of withdrawable switchgear being sold into the UK market is non-compliant with the latest IEC standards for electrical switchgear, according to Siemens Transmission and Distribution Ltd.
The warning comes at a time of dramatic growth in the use of withdrawable switchgear by UK industry, due to its reputation for ease of maintenance and maximum service continuity. Recently, withdrawable switchgear has made a comeback as supplies of the equipment have returned to the UK and end users have begun to understand and appreciate its benefits.
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However, experts at Siemens Transmission and Distribution believe that the cost of testing to ensure compliance with the new IEC 62271-200 standard has led a number of suppliers to neglect to pursue certification for their withdrawable switchgear. The new regulations focus on the issues of safety, availability, maintenance and, in particular places greater emphasis on the control of internal arc faults inside switchgear which can adversely impact operator safety.
Although still an optional test, the new IEC standard offers clear rules about the performance of internal arc tests and the criteria which must be achieved to comply with the regulations. More specifically, test conditions are defined and are no longer subject to agreement between the equipment manufacturer and the test laboratory and internal arc classification is only granted if all criteria are met.
To ensure maximum operator safety, in the event of an internal arc fault in compliant switchgear, all covers and doors on the switchgear must remain closed; no fragmentation of the enclosure or projection of small parts must occur; no holes in the accessible sides of the switchgear must occur up to a height of two metres and vertical indicators must not ignite due to hot gases. Finally, the enclosure must remain connected to its earthing connections at all times.
Steve Goldspink, Marketing Manager at Siemens Transmission and Distribution Limited comments: “Accurate statistics are almost impossible to source, but it is estimated that up to 60% of withdrawable switchgear currently being sold into the UK market is not fully compliant with new IEC standards. Manufacturers of withdrawable switchgear should take their responsibilities seriously and ensure that all new switchgear is put through the appropriate testing, in particular the internal arc testing procedures. Operator safety should not be taken for granted and my advice to industry is to demand that their switchgear meets the latest testing criteria to ensure maximum operator safety at all times.”
For more information contact Siemens Transmission and Distribution Ltd
Princess Road, Manchester Tel : + 44(0)161 446 5107
E-mail: Stephen.goldspink@siemens.com Web: www.siemens.co.uk
