Advantages of comprehensive monitoring for critical circuit breakers

Critical circuit breakers are the objects of careful preventive maintenance programs where utilities require reliable operation. The ability of the asset to operate when needed is a critical component of equipment protection from further damage. These maintenance programs can be very expensive with more frequent and comprehensive tests and inspections and failure of the breaker to operate when needed can cause significant collateral damage. In many cases this becomes a burden on the operation and maintenance budgets as well as time consuming for the engineer to successfully manage. High voltage circuit breakers are valuable assets and monitoring of these assets enables utilities to proactively maintain equipment. This paper will review the different aspects of circuit breaker monitoring such as mechanical integrity, SF6 gas levels, contact wear, control electronics and stored energy system.