Ko da Ka Sani Game Da Zafi Girma na Kawo Yawan Iya

Na'ama, ina Blue — an yi aiki da take da shugaban kimiyyar jirgin kasa zuwa yanzu 20 shekara.
An yi aikinsu daga baya game da kawo girman circuit breakers, gudanar transformers, da taimakawa masu jirgin kasa su a lada hanyoyin duka na iya kasancewar jirgin kasa.

Yau, yaro mai ban sha ne ta magana nisa:

"Matakiyoyi mafi yawan load switches sun hada da wani?"

Babban tambaya! Saboda haka, zan bayyana a cikin harshen da za a fahimta — ba a yi wasu kalmomin ilimi ko kuma abubuwan labari mai tsayi, kawai abubuwan da za ku iya tabbatar da su a kan aiki ko yan lura.

Karkashin, Me Load Switch Yana Da?

Idan ba a magana game da abubuwan da ke faruwa, zan iya koyarwa wa game da me load switch yana da.

Load switch yana da muhimmanci a cikin hanyoyin medium-voltage (kamar grids na 10kV, 20kV). Yana iya kawo da karfi da kuma fitar da currents na aiki, amma ba currents na faruwa ba — wannan shine wadannan da circuit breakers suke da.

Saboda haka, ya fi koyarwa a matsayin "yanne" daga wani switch na musamman zuwa circuit breaker. Yana da kyau, kadan, da kuma yana amfani a cikin hanyoyin distribution, musamman a wurare da ba a yi protection coordination mai yawa ba.

Daga Baya, Zan Bayyana Game Da Matakiyoyi Mafi Yawa

A shekarun takamini da troubleshooting, ana iya samun wannan abubuwan daga baya. Wannan shine jerin matakiyoyi mafi yawa:

1. Ba A Iya Kafa Ko Fitar Da Ta Hanya

Wannan yana da muhimmanci, musamman a wurare da abubuwan da ke biyu.

Ya kamata switch ba a kafa saboda aka sanka button.

Ko a kafa, amma a tafina fitar da ta.

Ko a ci kafin kafin da ba a iya fitar da ta ba.

Miye wannan ya faru?

Abubuwan mechanical suka lafiya a lokacin rike — linkages suka ci, springs suka kai, latches suka haɗa.

Control circuits suka da wires mai sauye ko relays mai cuta.

Idan a yi da motor operator (idandansa a yi da shi electrically), yana iya faɗa.

Misal mai gurbin rayuwa:

A lokacin da na yi a cikin wuri, ba a iya kafa load switch saboda wata screw mai yawa ta ci a cikin mechanism da ya haɗa da movement. Ana buƙata shi zuwa 2 hours!

2. Overheating Ko Karamin Dukku

Idan ka karami dukku a kan panel na load switch, ba a duba ba.

Overheating yana faru a kan contacts ko terminal connections.

Za a iya haifar da insulation, maɗaɗa abubuwa, ko kuma a yi fire idan ba a yi fix early ba.

Sabon faru:

Cable connections mai sauye — high resistance = heat.

Contacts suka biyo ko pitted — bad contact surface.

Excessive current flow beyond rated capacity (overloading).

Tip: Ya kamata a duba temperature regular using infrared thermography. Idan a connection yana da hot 10–15°C more than others, investigate ASAP.

3. Arcing Ko Flashover During Operation

Ko ku ga a loud pop, maybe even see sparks — that’s arcing.

Happens mostly during opening/closing operations.

Dangerous, can damage components or cause injury.

Common reasons:

Main contacts worn out — gaps not maintained properly.

Dust or moisture inside the chamber — lowers insulation level.

Operating under load when it shouldn’t be (e.g., switching off a large motor without a circuit breaker upstream).

Note: Load switches are not meant to interrupt fault currents, only normal load currents. If you’re trying to cut through a short-circuit current, expect trouble.

4. Mechanical Wear and Tear

Load switches are mechanical devices. They move parts, so they wear out eventually.

Bearings, gears, and levers all degrade over time.

Especially true in environments with dust, salt spray, or extreme temperatures.

Prevention tip: Regular preventive maintenance (PM) is key. Lubricate moving parts, inspect linkages, and replace worn-out components before they fail.

5. Control Circuit Failures

The control side is just as important as the main circuit.

Indicator lights stop working.

Remote operation fails.

Local buttons don’t respond.

Typical causes:

Blown fuses in the control circuit.

Corroded terminals or broken wires.

PLC or RTU communication errors (in automated systems).

Quick fix idea: Use a multimeter to trace voltage drop and continuity. Start simple — check fuses first.

6. Moisture and Corrosion Inside the Enclosure

Especially common in coastal areas or humid climates.

Moisture gets into the switchgear cabinet.

Causes rust, corrosion, and reduced insulation levels.

Symptoms:

Tripping for no apparent reason.

Arcing even under light load.

Bad smell or condensation visible inside the box.

Solution: Make sure the enclosure has proper sealing and desiccant packs. In tropical areas, consider adding space heaters or dehumidifiers.

7. Wrong Operation by Personnel

Human error is still one of the biggest causes of failures.

Someone tries to open the switch under heavy load.

Or operates the switch without checking interlocks.

Even worse — someone forgets to lock out/tag out before maintenance.

Lesson learned: Training matters. Clear labeling helps. And always follow safety procedures.

Final Thoughts

Like any electrical equipment, load switches aren’t perfect. But with good design, regular maintenance, and proper operation, most of these faults can be avoided or caught early.

As someone who’s been in the field for over two decades, my advice is:

“Don’t wait for a failure to remind you that maintenance is important.”

If you're dealing with a faulty load switch and want help troubleshooting or choosing replacements, feel free to reach out. Happy to share more stories (and some war scars) from the field.

Stay safe, and keep the lights on!

— Blue