The process of conducting and communicating forensic analysis of electrical failures

The "caused by" condition for any electrical fault can be determined by a thorough and carefully executed analysis. As soon as new equipment is installed, a process of normal deterioration begins. Electrical equipment failure, not attributed to misapplication, transient overvoltage or heavily loaded joints and connections usually involves deterioration of enclosure and degradation of insulation. Experience shows that electrical equipment lasts longer when covered by a preventive maintenance program. Proper performance of electrical equipment is often directly dependent on the maintenance being performed. An effective electrical preventive and predictive maintenance program requires knowledge of the possible causes of electrical equipment malfunctions or failures. A key factor in developing and implementing an electrical preventive and predictive maintenance program is the communication of the need of such an activity by the electrical personnel involved. Proper communication skills must be used during the investigation of an electrical failure in order to find the actual cause of the fault. The sources of information on why the equipment faulted is obtained by analyzing the equipment condition and/or interviewing the personnel involved at the time of the fault. The investigation needs to be thorough and detailed so the roof cause of the incident is found and corrective actions can be taken to prevent it from happening again. Technologists must communicate the problems and identify corrective actions to the owners of the equipment that had the problems so the owners can understand the actions they need to take and the implications of any changes on operability and longevity.