Kwa Nini Unapaswa Kujua Kuhusu Matatizo ya Kitumaini cha Mchakato wa Ongezeko

Hee, mimi ni Blue — nimekuwa na kazi kama mwanatekni wa umeme zaidi ya miaka 20 sasa.
Nimepiga muda wangu mwingi katika kutengeneza vifungo vya circuit, kutunza transformers, na kusaidia kampani za umeme kupata suluhisho kwa matatizo yoyote ya mifumo ya umeme.

Leo, rafiki yangu kutoka Asia Mashariki alinipa swali:

"Matatizo yanayofanana kwa load switches ni nini?"

Swali nzuri! Hapa tutaanza kujadili kwa maneno madogo — hakuna jargon bado, tu mambo unayoweza kuona kwenye kazi au ujenzi.

Kwanza, Ni Nini Load Switch?

Kabla hatujadili tatizo, hebu tuangalie mara moja nini load switch ni.

Load switch ni aina ya on/off switch yenye nguvu inayotumika kwenye mifumo ya kiwango cha wastani (kama grid za 10kV, 20kV). Inaweza kufunga na kufungua viwango vilivyokubalika la kazi, lakini si viwango vya tatizo — hilo ndilo ambalo vifungo vya circuit vinavyofanya.

Basi fikiria kama "mwisho wa kati" kati ya switch rasmi na vifungo vya circuit kamili. Ni rahisi, chache, na mara nyingi hutumiwa kwenye mitandao ya upatikanaji, hasa mahali pa ushirikiano wa uhakikisha usio complex sana.

Sasa, Hebu Tuongee Kuhusu Matatizo Yanayofanana Zaidi

Kwenye miaka yangu ya kazi na kutetemeka, nimeona matatizo haya mara kwa mara. Hapa ni orodha ya yanayofanana zaidi:

1. Uhalifu wa Kutuma au Kufunga Kwa Usahihi

Hili ni la kawaida, hasa kwenye vyombo vya zamani.

Mara baada ya kumpusha button, switch haiwezi kufunga.

Akawa anafunga, lakini kisha anafungua mara moja.

Inaweza pia kukosa kufunguka na kukaa kwenye hali ya kufunga.

Ni kwa sababu gani hii inatokea?

Nyuzi za kihondo huenda zisimame, springs zinapokuwa duni, na latches zinazozibaguliwa.

Nyuzi za kihakikisha zinaweza kuwa na mwitozi wala relays zinazopewa moto.

Mara motor operator (iwapo inatumika na umeme) inaweza kushindwa.

Mfano wa kwa kweli:

Nimekuwa na kazi mahali popo ambapo load switch haikuweza kufunga kwa sababu screw ndogo imeingia kwenye mekanizimu na kusimamisha mwenendo. Tulitumia masaa miwili kutafuta!

2. Overheating au Rechi Ya Kupewa Moto

Ikiwa unahisi rechi ya kupewa moto karibu na panel ya load switch, usisite.

Overheating huenda kwenye contacts au majengo ya terminal.

Inaweza kuleta damu kwa insulation, melting parts, au moto ikiwa hautolewe mapema.

Sababu:

Majengo ya cable yanayosimama — resistance kubwa = moto.

Contacts zinazopanda mzee au zinazopanda vitu — surface mbaya.

Current flow zaidi ya rated capacity (overloading).

Tip: Tafuta temperature mara kwa mara kwa kutumia infrared thermography. Ikiwa connection ina moto zaidi ya 10–15°C kuliko wengine, tafuta mapema.

3. Arcing au Flashover Wakati Wa Kufanya Kazi

Unasikia sauti kubwa, labda unaweza kuona sparks — hii ni arcing.

Huenda wakati wa kufunga/kufunga.

Nyoyo, inaweza kuleta damu kwa components au kusababisha damu.

Sababu za kawaida:

Main contacts zinazopanda mzee — gaps hazitoshibishwa vizuri.

Dust au moisture ndani ya chamber — inachoma insulation level.

Kufanya kazi under load ambayo haifai (kwa mfano, switching off a large motor without a circuit breaker upstream).

Note: Load switches hawafai kutumika kutoka fault currents, tu normal load currents. Ikiwa unajaribu kutumia kutoka short-circuit current, tafuta shida.

4. Mechanical Wear and Tear

Load switches ni devices mechanical. Wanaweza kusimama na kusimama, basi wanaweza kupanda mzee.

Bearings, gears, na levers wote hupanda mzee kwa muda.

Kwa asili ya dust, salt spray, au extreme temperatures.

Prevention tip: Preventive maintenance (PM) ni muhimu. Lubricate moving parts, inspect linkages, na replace worn-out components kabla hawafai.

5. Control Circuit Failures

The control side ni muhimu kama 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