Warning, Notice, Caution – GE Industrial Solutions Arc Vault Protection System User Manual

Page 33

DEH-41483 Rev. 3

Arc Vault™ Protection System

Testing and inspection

SECTION 6. TESTING AND INSPECTION

GENERAL

After the equipment has been installed and all connections

made, it must be tested and inspected before it is put in

service. Although the equipment and devices have been

tested at the factory, a final field test must be made to be

sure that the equipment has been properly installed and

that all connections are correct.

WARNING

Risk of shock. The equipment must be completely de-

energized while the tests are in progress. Failure to do

so may result in death or serious injury.

Directions for testing relays, instruments, and meters are

given in the instruction book furnished for each device. The

proper settings of the protective relays and Arc Vault trip

units are normally determined from a complete power

system coordination study performed by the purchaser or

their consultant; therefore, the settings of these devices

must be made by the purchaser. When the equipment is

shipped from the factory, the time dial of all inverse-time

induction disc relays (i.e., IFC types) is set to zero to prevent

contact bounce during transportation.

NOTICE

The trip setting adjustments of the relay for each Arc

Vault may be at any setting when shipped from the

factory and must be correctly set prior to energizing

the equipment.

General instructions for setting the relays are given in Arc

Vault Relay Controller page 33.

The extent of the tests on the equipment as a whole will

depend on the type and function of the equipment. Tests

which should be performed, however, include Arc Vault

operation, and switchgear meggering, phasing, and

grounding checks.

If local codes demand a high potential test, or the

purchaser wishes to make these tests, the voltage should

not exceed 75 percent of the IEEE factory test voltage.

For the power circuit, the IEEE factory test voltage is two

times switchgear rating plus 1,000 volts.

CAUTION

Potential and control power transformers must be

disconnected during high-voltage testing.

Table 6-1 Switchgear test voltage

Switchgear

Voltage Rating

ANSI

Test Voltage,

AC RMS

Field

Test Voltage,

AC RMS

600V

480V

2200V

1960V

1650V

1470V

KEY INTERLOCKS

After initial installation of the switchgear equipment, all

necessary interlock keys should be inserted into the

appropriate locks and all spare keys should be stored in a

location in accordance with the owner's established

procedures.

CAUTION

Refer to the key interlock schematic included in the

summary furnished with the equipment to determine

the sequence of operation and the correct number of

operating keys required. This precaution is necessary

since the improper use of spare keys will defeat the

interlocking scheme.

Test

The compartment housing the Arc Vault has a TEST position

in which the primary contacts are disconnected while the

secondary contacts are still engaged. This TEST position

permits complete testing of the electrical control circuit

without energizing the primary power circuit. When the Arc

Vault

device is first put into service, its control circuit must

be thoroughly tested while in this position to make sure

that all closing and tripping circuits are complete and

functioning properly.

The TEST position is not suitable for inspection and

maintenance of the Arc Vault

device and should therefore

be used only for testing Arc Vault

device operation.

Once in the TEST position the device can be tested by

pressing the “Press to Charge” button. The indicators

directly above the button will show the state of the device.

Red light - indicated not charged

Yellow light – indicates charging or discharging this may

take a few seconds

Green light – indicated fully charged

Once the green light is lit, a test fire of the unit can be

performed by turning the momentary “Test Switch” to the

test position. You may hear the plasma gun internal to the

device discharge. You will see the indicator lights change

state and the “Event Alarm” yellow “pop out” indication

extract.