Electrical Vault Odour

iOperate · January 19th, 2009, 06:09 PM

Anybody here know why I may be getting an unusual odour in my main electrical vault? Its an odour like you would get after a thunder storm and my vault is not exposed to the thunder storm to smell like that you know. Its in a warm and dry location.

sparky · January 19th, 2009, 08:16 PM

do you hear any strange humming or buzzing?

iOperate · January 20th, 2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparky

do you hear any strange humming or buzzing?

Nothing unusual other than the usual hum in the room.

sparky · January 20th, 2009, 04:36 PM

You may have some loose connections , they maybe arcing. that maybe
the smell

Feroz · January 20th, 2009, 06:32 PM

It is possible that some component has burnt/overheat or is in the process of breaking down and what you are smelling are the chemicals that are been released.

sparky · January 20th, 2009, 10:31 PM

The best thing to do would be to have someone look into it

TheSuper · January 20th, 2009, 10:49 PM

Listen, if the odour smell like tar then its one of them old ballast that cooking itself. If the odour is like ozone, you probably have arcing to ground. This may not be easy to detect. When is the last time you did a switch gear service. You must do one at least once every 24 months. Look at the Mylar insulator panes through your viewing panels. If they have black carbon lines/curve like build up on them, its arcing. You need to look this up without delay. When the carbon build up reached the other end of the insulator panel, you could have an explosion. The arcing is most probably running from one high voltage terminal towards another. Get you electrical contractor there asap. You'll probably need a power shutdown based on how close the arcing has reached to the next HV terminal.

BTW, I dont think there are electricians here yet. Just the fake ones like me who know just enough to prevent a disaster.

143 · January 20th, 2009, 10:51 PM

a thermographic scan of your elect. vault components would be a good start.

Little Jonny · January 20th, 2009, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 143

a thermographic scan of your elect. vault components would be a good start.

I wonder if a scan can detect an intermittent arc to ground?

143 · January 21st, 2009, 07:40 AM

Good question L.J. and what do you think might cause an intermittent arc??

sparky · January 22nd, 2009, 05:09 PM

loose connection may be one of the cause's.....................

143 · January 22nd, 2009, 06:48 PM

a loose connection will always generate heat be it severe or mild which a thermographic scan will always pick up.

sparky · January 22nd, 2009, 07:38 PM

do you think it would help in this case?

143 · January 22nd, 2009, 08:05 PM

definately.

Colin J · January 23rd, 2009, 06:35 PM

This is my first post.

Many years ago, I tool over a building that was about five year old (360,000 Sq.Ft). Within a few months the main fuse blew - 13800 Volt supply to the electrical sub-station in the penthouse transformer room (13,800 to 600Volt). The lines were Meggered for insulation isolation and this indicated a path to ground within the transformer. A high voltage Contractor was called and the transformer has stripped apart and we found "Carbon Tracking" along the lower edge of the "Plastiglas" (check spelling) that was used to support and isolate the terminals inside the transformer. We cleaned the edges of the 3/8" thick insulation material (Red in Colour) and Meggered the insulating pieces. All but one piece cleaned up and the transformer was put back in service (minus the one piece that still showed "Carbon Tracking".

This cleanup took place over a Friday night through Saturday Morning. Getting a supply of new 13,800 Fused on the weekend required pulling a few strings.

Lesson Learned.

1. Filter the incoming air for the transformer room.

Colin J · January 23rd, 2009, 06:44 PM

Woops. I did not finish. Must have pressed the wrong key.

Continued:

2. The transformer was within 4 feet of the incoming ventilation louvers, without any filter.
3. Have spare 13,800 Volt fused in a seperate cabinet in the main incoming electrical vault. Not inside the switch gear cabinet.
4. Always keep the transformer room CLEAN to avoid "Carbon Tracking".

Hope this is of interest.

Colin J

iOperate · January 23rd, 2009, 07:05 PM

Thats good info there Colin. Sood stuff.

January 19th, 2009, 06:09 PM	#1
iOperate Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: 3rd Rock From The Sun Gender: Male Posts: 101	Electrical Vault Odour Anybody here know why I may be getting an unusual odour in my main electrical vault? Its an odour like you would get after a thunder storm and my vault is not exposed to the thunder storm to smell like that you know. Its in a warm and dry location.

January 19th, 2009, 08:16 PM	#2
sparky Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: toronto Gender: male Posts: 123	do you hear any strange humming or buzzing?

January 20th, 2009, 04:36 PM	#4
sparky Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: toronto Gender: male Posts: 123	You may have some loose connections , they maybe arcing. that maybe the smell

January 20th, 2009, 06:32 PM	#5
Feroz Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 10	It is possible that some component has burnt/overheat or is in the process of breaking down and what you are smelling are the chemicals that are been released.

January 20th, 2009, 10:31 PM	#6
sparky Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: toronto Gender: male Posts: 123	The best thing to do would be to have someone look into it

January 20th, 2009, 10:49 PM	#7
TheSuper Administrator Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Plano, Texas, Posts: 94	Listen, if the odour smell like tar then its one of them old ballast that cooking itself. If the odour is like ozone, you probably have arcing to ground. This may not be easy to detect. When is the last time you did a switch gear service. You must do one at least once every 24 months. Look at the Mylar insulator panes through your viewing panels. If they have black carbon lines/curve like build up on them, its arcing. You need to look this up without delay. When the carbon build up reached the other end of the insulator panel, you could have an explosion. The arcing is most probably running from one high voltage terminal towards another. Get you electrical contractor there asap. You'll probably need a power shutdown based on how close the arcing has reached to the next HV terminal. BTW, I dont think there are electricians here yet. Just the fake ones like me who know just enough to prevent a disaster.

January 20th, 2009, 10:51 PM	#8
143 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 43	a thermographic scan of your elect. vault components would be a good start.

January 21st, 2009, 07:40 AM	#10
143 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 43	Good question L.J. and what do you think might cause an intermittent arc??

January 22nd, 2009, 05:09 PM	#11
sparky Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: toronto Gender: male Posts: 123	loose connection may be one of the cause's.....................

January 22nd, 2009, 06:48 PM	#12
143 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 43	a loose connection will always generate heat be it severe or mild which a thermographic scan will always pick up.

January 22nd, 2009, 07:38 PM	#13
sparky Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: toronto Gender: male Posts: 123	do you think it would help in this case?

January 22nd, 2009, 08:05 PM	#14
143 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 43	definately.

January 23rd, 2009, 06:35 PM	#15
Colin J Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 6	This is my first post. Many years ago, I tool over a building that was about five year old (360,000 Sq.Ft). Within a few months the main fuse blew - 13800 Volt supply to the electrical sub-station in the penthouse transformer room (13,800 to 600Volt). The lines were Meggered for insulation isolation and this indicated a path to ground within the transformer. A high voltage Contractor was called and the transformer has stripped apart and we found "Carbon Tracking" along the lower edge of the "Plastiglas" (check spelling) that was used to support and isolate the terminals inside the transformer. We cleaned the edges of the 3/8" thick insulation material (Red in Colour) and Meggered the insulating pieces. All but one piece cleaned up and the transformer was put back in service (minus the one piece that still showed "Carbon Tracking". This cleanup took place over a Friday night through Saturday Morning. Getting a supply of new 13,800 Fused on the weekend required pulling a few strings. Lesson Learned. 1. Filter the incoming air for the transformer room.

January 23rd, 2009, 06:44 PM	#16
Colin J Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 6	Woops. I did not finish. Must have pressed the wrong key. Continued: 2. The transformer was within 4 feet of the incoming ventilation louvers, without any filter. 3. Have spare 13,800 Volt fused in a seperate cabinet in the main incoming electrical vault. Not inside the switch gear cabinet. 4. Always keep the transformer room CLEAN to avoid "Carbon Tracking". Hope this is of interest. Colin J

January 23rd, 2009, 07:05 PM	#17
iOperate Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: 3rd Rock From The Sun Gender: Male Posts: 101	Thats good info there Colin. Sood stuff.

Electrical Vault Odour

Electrical, Mechanical and Control Systems