The Importance of SF6 Circuit Breaker Testing and Maintenance

Not long ago, we discussed the variety of circuit breakers that are commonly used for industrial purposes. The SF6 electrical circuit breaker was one of the many circuit breakers we discussed. Today, we are going to look at the need for testing and maintaining the SF6 Circuit Breaker. But,  for those of you who might have missed the earlier blogs, here’s a small recap.

The SF6 or Sulphur Hexafluoride Circuit Breaker’s primary characteristic is that it carries the gas called Sulphur Hexafluoride on its contacts. Hence, the name. The SF6 is what helps cut off the power when there’s an overload.

An SF6 Circuit Breaker also boasts a very high level of electro-negativity, which means it also has a high absorption capacity for free electrons. When these electrons collide with the SF6 molecules, they get absorbed immediately and turned into negative ions, which weigh more.

This is why the charged particle mobility, which aids the conduction of electricity through SF6, requires a very small amount of SF6 gas and also why it doesn’t use any other type of gas.

The benefits

An SF6 Circuit Breaker offers a ton of benefits. For starters, they boast a superior arch quenching capability, which is mainly due to the use of the Sulphur Hexafluoride gas. As a result, the circuit breaker possesses a very short arcing time.

Apart from that, the Sulphur Hexafluoride also has a dielectric strength that is much higher than that of an air circuit breaker. This allows it to break or interrupt currents of a much larger voltage.

If that isn’t enough, the Sulphur Hexafluoride gas allows for silent operation. Typically, other circuit breakers tend to emit some noise. But, the SF6 Circuit Breaker does not have this problem because it has a closed gas circuit and no exhaust being released into the atmosphere.

The need for maintenance and testing

Though the S56 Circuit Breaker is a well-performing and robust electrical component, it still needs to be tested and maintained just like all other electrical components for the sake of safe and sustained performance. Some of the tests and checks that need to be carried out include inspections for physical damage, contaminant induced erosion, and insulation, etc.

An SF6 Circuit Breaker Testing and Maintenance schedule also include the verification of manufacturing standards. A technician will go through the documentation to ensure that everything is in line with what is mentioned in the documentation.

There will also be checks for leaks and other issues related to grounding, alignment, and anchorage, etc.

Insulation resistance of the poles to the ground, breaker contact resistance, over-potential tests and various other tests will also be necessary to ensure that the circuit breaker continues to perform safely and effectively.