40 Calorie Arc Suit recommendations...

[Fulthrotl]

looks like i'm gonna be needing one in the next week....

any suggestions on brands, and from what i gathered from
my training on the subject, suits above 40 calorie weren't
much benefit, as the blast would most likely be lethal.
dunno if that is true, so i'm asking here. if there is merit
in having a suit above 40 cal, i'd like to know.

im gonna be recommissioning some switchgear that has
been off for a good long while.... and while i can megger
all the feeders, and be comfortable that they aren't
gonna fault, the molded case breakers are another question
entirely. while i can megger them phase to phase, and phase
to ground, there is a question in my mind as to their capability
to contain a fault... they are circa 1965, and have been turned off
right near the water, exposed in a tin building, with an open
door so all the weather is right there. it's all been dead and
dark, going on a decade. not getting rained on, but nice cold
wet fog.

the 1,200 amp 480 delta breaker feeding all this
from 300 yards away is a 65k interrupting rating,
and that piece of 3R gear is pretty new, and confidence
inspiring. call it less than 10 years old.

the old stuff is not reassuring, to the extent that i'm gonna
megger and document everything, and if it looks all good,
close and lock the questionable gear, and energize it from
the 1,200 amp gear, 300 yards away.

i still want a suit, period.

suggestions, anyone? some of the smartest gear and
breaker folks i know are on here.... what say you?

 

[Cow]

If the breakers are questionable, why not remove them and send them in for testing? You would be doing your customer a favor by having them tested and knowing they will function properly during a fault, rather than relying on 50 year old dried grease and rusted trip mechanisms to open under a fault.

 

[petersonra]

I think it would be wise to have someone competent come in and test the stuff before putting it back into service. I do not consider that to be a DIY type of task.

Personally, my goal is never to need a 40 kcal suit. I just avoid working on hot panels any more, other than low voltage stuff. 24VDC is my best friend these days.

 

[zog]

How do you "recommision" switchgear without performing trip testing on the breakers? Primary injection testing is part of every commisioning scope I have ever seen.

As far as the suit, Indura ultra soft is most common, best for the money, and availabel from many different vendors. They have a mulit layer version that costs a little more but is much lighter and cooler to work in.

 

[Fulthrotl]

How do you "recommision" switchgear without performing trip testing on the breakers? Primary injection testing is part of every commisioning scope I have ever seen.

As far as the suit, Indura ultra soft is most common, best for the money, and availabel from many different vendors. They have a mulit layer version that costs a little more but is much lighter and cooler to work in.

i'm all over the "lighter and cooler" portion of the program.....

as to the "recommissioning", i'm gonna have a chat with the customer thursday,
and define the scope of what is gonna get done here. does your firm do stuff
on the left coast, or can you recommend someone who does work in the LA area?
there's hampton tedder, and electro test.... i haven't called anyone yet....

the gear's in pretty rough condition... enough that when i light it up, i want all the
breakers closed, and loads disconnected out in the field, and everything meggered
first, and breakers blessed by a breaker god. the first operation on these things
i want to perform with my gloved little paw is opening them, not closing them.

and i want to be wearing a suit when i close the 1,200 amp feeding it all.
i opened everything up, and meggered the feeders and bus in the main board,
and it is all above 200 megohm P2P & P2G @ 1KVDC.

everything's locked and tagged until i'm satisfied.

 

[fmtjfw]

i'm all over the "lighter and cooler" portion of the program.....

as to the "recommissioning", i'm gonna have a chat with the customer thursday,
and define the scope of what is gonna get done here. does your firm do stuff
on the left coast, or can you recommend someone who does work in the LA area?
there's hampton tedder, and electro test.... i haven't called anyone yet....

the gear's in pretty rough condition... enough that when i light it up, i want all the
breakers closed, and loads disconnected out in the field, and everything meggered
first, and breakers blessed by a breaker god. the first operation on these things
i want to perform with my gloved little paw is opening them, not closing them.

and i want to be wearing a suit when i close the 1,200 amp feeding it all.
i opened everything up, and meggered the feeders and bus in the main board,
and it is all above 200 megohm P2P & P2G @ 1KVDC.

everything's locked and tagged until i'm satisfied.

Can you use a "Chicken Switch" a remote actuator with you 20 yard away?

 

[mayanees]

Incident energy available??/

Incident energy available??/

The first thing you need to know is the available incident energy, or at least some determination of HRC classification from the 70E 130.7(c) tables. If it's HRC Dangerous, don't work on it. When you determine the HRC level, dresss accordingly.
John M

 

[mayanees]

I'll do the calc

I'll do the calc

Hey Fulthrotl,
Get the utility contribution info and their ocpd and I'm happy to do the incident energy calc for you so you know what you're faced with. I think that's how we roll on this forum, but I especially owe you, for turning me on to the Surefire adjustable 500 fc headlamp that I use everyday!
The biggest thing about working safe and complying with arc flash requirements is knowing what you're working with.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Hey Fulthrotl,
Get the utility contribution info and their ocpd and I'm happy to do the incident energy calc for you so you know what you're faced with. I think that's how we roll on this forum, but I especially owe you, for turning me on to the Surefire adjustable 500 fc headlamp that I use everyday!
The biggest thing about working safe and complying with arc flash requirements is knowing what you're working with.

thanks... i appreciate it... i've gotten some private replies as well,
so i have a contact of someone to invite to the party.

edit: glad you like the light.... and lets not forget how fun it is to
blind folks when you forget to turn it off. i've noticed that after
about six months of daily use, the battery doesn't seem quite as
spunky as when new, but i could be imagining it.

i'm about to buy a second one, so i can have one charging while
i am wearing the second one working. the damn thing is addictive.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Can you use a "Chicken Switch" a remote actuator with you 20 yard away?

my chicken switch would be to test everything, close all the breakers
in the questionable gear, and heat it up from 300 yards away.

the breaker feeding this whole thing is 1,200 amp 480 delta,
65k interrupting capacity. even if i had a bolted fault incident
in the questionable gear, the 65k should be ok, but i'm gonna
put a suit on anyway when i close it.

the problem is.... when folks open and close these breakers,
3 months from now, or when i open and close them later on
that day, doing stuff.

i don't want to get the flaming bakelite surprise served for lunch.

anyway, i'll drop a dime and make calls in the morning, and
it'll all work out fine. thank you all for taking the time to
reply to my question.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Can you use a "Chicken Switch" a remote actuator with you 20 yard away?

not a bad idea.... the gear isn't in the best condition.....
these two photos did *not* require any removal of covers to photograph.... :thumbsdown:

 

[Cow]

I hate when covers are off too, aside from the obvious reasons, because usually they are missing. Then they are old and obsolete, so I have to make custom ones. What a pain!!!

The wire running through those unbushed holes is a nice touch as well.:roll:

 

[Fulthrotl]

I hate when covers are off too, aside from the obvious reasons, because usually they are missing. Then they are old and obsolete, so I have to make custom ones. What a pain!!!

The wire running through those unbushed holes is a nice touch as well.:roll:

actually, it's 1" thick phenolic... it's just so filthy you can't tell... my sheet metal guy
is cutting and bending parts, and after a day of meggering, i tossed the switch, and lo and
behold, it's mostly all up and running.... at least enough to check some stuff, then locked
down tight for the weekend.... i was grateful that the pin and sleeves were all good,
otherwise, it's a rowboat and a bosun's chair on a block, which is about as stable as
standing up in a canoe.

it's all work, but the last time i did pipe under a wharf, it was winter, and the wind coming
off the water, hanging there in a chair, really sucked. i'd just as soon not have to revisit
that experience.