Dakemm Tiegħed Li Trid Taf dwar l-Ħalijiet tal-Ħolqa ta’ Ħarsa

Hey there, I’m Blue — been working as an electrical engineer for more than 20 years now.
I’ve spent most of my career designing circuit breakers, managing transformers, and helping power companies solve all sorts of electrical system challenges.

Il-ġimgħa, ħabib minn t-taljiet tal-Asia skedija lilija:

"X’hum il-problemi komuni ta’ l-switches tal-ħalijiet?"

Domanda kbira! Għalhekk, in-nuqqas fil-termini simpli — lejn jargon fank, biss affari reali li tista' tara fuq is-silġ jew waqt it-talb.

Aħna, Xiex Ix-Xeħtan Huwa Switch tal-Ħalijiet?

Qabel ma nispjega l-problemi, in-nuqqas bil-recap raplu ta’ x’huwa switch tal-ħalijiet.

Switch tal-ħalijiet huwa tip ta’ switch on/off tal-ħalijiet użat fis-sistemi ta’ vottagġ medi (kif 10kV, 20kV grids). Tista' tiftaħ u tagħmel current normali, ma l-ebda fault currents — dan huwa għal circuit breakers.

Għalhekk, inti tiftakar bħala "l-aktar blu" bejn switch normali u circuit breaker. Huwa sempliċi, ekoġoniċi, u ħafna matul distributive networks, speċjalment fejn coordination tat-taqsima mhux super komplikati.

Ora, Innuqqas dwar l-Problemi Komuni

Fis-silġ ta’ xogħol fiel u troubleshooting, rara l-istess problemi. Hawn lista mill-aktar tipiċi:

1. Failuri ta’ ftit jagħmel jew jfuttax propri

Dan huwa ħafna, speċjalment fl-equipament vecji.

Ħafna qatt m’jfuttax kważi tixtri buton.

Jew jfuttax, imma jfuttax wara.

Qatt jagħmlu stuck fit-posizzjoni magħluqa u refusa jfuttax.

X’għadu dan?

Parts mekanika jiġu worn out fil-ħin — linkages jammed, springs weak, latches misaligned.

Circuits tal-kontroll jistgħu jkunu wires mhux tajbin jew relays burnt.

Ħafna motor operator (jekk elektrikament operat) fail.

Esempju reali:

Ħafna ħabbar fuq site fejn switch tal-ħalijiet ma jagħmlux magħluq għaliex screw żgħir kellu falli fit-mekanika u jammin movement. Xtru sabbaħ biex ninsabu!

2. Overheating jew smell ta’ burning

Jekk tismell xiex qed jiġi bruciat fuq switch panel, ma tignorax.

Overheating solit jiġi contacts jew terminal connections.

Tista' tivvjaġa għal damage tas-insulation, parts melting, jew fire jekk ma tiktebjex early.

Kawżi:

Cable connections mhux tajbin — high resistance = heat.

Contacts vecji jew pitted — bad contact surface.

Excessive current flow beyond rated capacity (overloading).

Tip: Always check the temperature regularly using infrared thermography. If a connection is more than 10–15°C hotter than others, investigate ASAP.

3. Arcing jew flashover waqt l-operazzjoni

Tasma' pop loud, jekk jogħġbok 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