Failing switchgear is a costly issue, but some preventive care can go a long way toward reducing issues and unplanned downtime. Below, we’ll break down the reasons for premature equipment failure, and how you can prolong the lifespan of your industrial switchgear.

Why Does Switchgear Fail?

Most equipment does not fail due to age, and that’s because industrial switchgear is often not given that opportunity. The average piece of equipment often fails because of lack of maintenance or some environmental factor that causes it to break.

The good news is that businesses don’t need to settle for early equipment failure. If switchgear and other industrial equipment is sized and maintained correctly, you can maximize the lifespan of your parts and reduce the headaches associated with surprise replacements.

How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Industrial Electrical Equipment

Maintenance Program

Switchgear and circuit breakers are at the top of the list for ongoing care. The best way to start is to institute yearly or bi-annual maintenance program that should include disassembly and inspection of components. This process should include:

• Testing insulation for quality and contact surfaces for conductivity according to manufacturing and industry standards.
• Cleaning and lubrication of mechanical assemblies.
• Complete disassembly to component level and renewal of silver, zinc and other plating if needed.

Upgrading the trip unit to latest industry standards will improve both liability and flexibility because most of these trip units are adjustable through a wide range of settings. At NPE we stock and have a wide range of OEM trip units and also have a great working relationship with aftermarket providers, like Utility Relay and their AC Pro Trip Unit in all its versions.

This type of service should be performed on a regular basis. It is also a good practice to have good spare breakers on hand to replace at least one of each type of breaker in your switchgear. Depending on the size of the switchgear and its impact on production, if out of service, it may be ideal to carry two or more spare breakers.

Protection from the Environment

The conditions surrounding your switchgear can slowly, but surely lead equipment to an early demise. The first step is to review the surrounding environment for potential exposure to moisture and other environmental degradations. If kept from these elements, switchgear can and will typically perform well for decades beyond its original projected lifespan.

In addition to preventing exposure, it’s also best to include cleaning in your maintenance schedule. Aim to clean, dry, and de-energize your equipment at least once a year (and preferably twice a year), to help improve performance.

Solve Your Industrial Switchgear Replacement Problems with NPE

The lifespan of your switchgear can and should be extended through these programs as a matter of proper maintenance and budgeting. Maintenance and upgrades have repeatedly proven to be much more cost effective than replacement, requires less down time and doesn't disrupt other systems in the plant.

National Power Equipment, Inc. can and will serve as an indispensable partner in their programs with equipment in stock and available to ship on short notice and we have the knowledge and experience to walk you through the pitfalls of equipment replacement that may be difficult for OEM's or others to document.

Give us a call at (800) 647-0815 or contact us online to get the parts you need to keep your building production and systems running trouble free.

One of the our more common customer requests is for replacement cell cradles for AKD 5, commonly called AK-2A switchgear. This switchgear marked an advancement in the General Electric AK product line because it allowed for a "closed door draw out" design. This design helps to protect the operator from flashes because the breaker is withdrawn from the primary stabs with the door closed, giving the operator a degree of protection.

The original design was called the "lanyard" design and it used a system of cables that when pulled ratcheted the breaker into the disconnect position. This system was later replaced with the more reliable "jackscrew" design and it was used up through the end of the AKD 5 life cycle.

Today, we receive requests for both lanyard replacements as well as jackscrew replacements due to normal aging. All of our replacements are given our "Class One" rebuild workscope. which includes disassembly to the component level, removal of factory finishes to the base metal, fresh zinc plating and paint along with new bushings, bearings and labels.

The result is a fresh, like-new product that returns the moving parts of the customers switchgear to be as safe and reliable as it was when it was produced by the factory.

Please give us a call, send us an email or fax and we'll be happy to walk you through the process and supply a quote that will upgrade your existing gear, save you downtime and not break the bank.

Many say that we are currently in a recession, others say not yet but one is due to hit soon. Either way we are all dealing with rising prices, longer lead times and shortages in available equipment. At NPE, we are here to help recession-proof your business.

Here's how we can help!

* Used, reconditioned equipment is at least 40%-60% less expensive than buying new.

* Used, reconditioned equipment is always quoted from available inventory so there are no supply chain issues.

* All reconditioned equipment is tested and warranted for up to two years! That's longer the manufacturer warrented it as new!

National Power Equipment specializes in:

Parts for Equipment Maintenance and Repair- We can support you with parts and supplies to keep your breakers, switchgear and medium voltage starters safely maintained and running for years to come. Many of the most problematic parts are available online at Aftermarket Parts Store for Replacement Circuit Breakers or Switchgears (npeinc.com) Many of these parts are available as new and upgraded by NPE (or one of our partners) to eliminate the defect that caused the problem in the first place.

Increase Capacity - As your business grows we can help your switchgear grow with you! From simply supplying a breaker for a future cell or adding and entire unit substation we have the equipment and expertise to help you expand economicly and without down time. Circuit Breakers, Relays, Transformers National Power Equipment (npeinc.com)

Equipment Upgrades - Solid State trip upgrades with reputable companies, such as Utility Relay, are one of our many specialties. Do you need to upgrade the ampacity of a line from say 1200 amp to 2000 or 3000 amp? We have the parts and experience to help there, too! Reconditioned Equipment (npeinc.com).

Rentals and Exchanges - With an inventory of literally thousands of breakers in every configuration, we can help you avoid longer term outages and stay up and running by purchasing upgraded and warranted breakers and equipment and swapping them out with your existing breakers, then return your original back to us for credit for the core. Quick Ship Inventory for Reconditioned Circuit Breakers & Switchgears (npeinc.com).

Technical Support - With decades of hands-on experience, literally 1,000's of breakers on hand for reference and huge online library of technical manuals and renewal parts books. Just give is a call and we will figure it out! Circuit Breakers, Relays, Transformers National Power Equipment (npeinc.com).

As Bob Dylan said, "The times they are a-changin'!" but that doesn't mean change has to be bad. With NPE's inventory, staff and decades of experience, we can all navigate these economic changes and grow.

Give us a call 1-800-647-0815 or send us an email info@npeinc.com and let us know how we can help you.

Remember, at NPE our motto is "The Right Equipment, at the Right Price, Right Now!"

Almost every day we receive an inquiry for switchgear, air and vacuum circuit breakers and related parts because the customer just got notice from the OEM  that their order has been delayed by weeks or even months due to "supply chain issues". These issues have become a fact of life and effect everyone, everyday regardless of industry, right? Wrong!

How NPE Helps Businesses Beat the Switchgear Shortage

When you deal with a company like National Power Equipment (NPE), there are NO supply chain issues! Everything we quote is on the shelf waiting for an order. We generally ship the same day or next day. Custom orders may take a little longer, but still are a fraction of the time versus OEM orders and are a fraction of the cost of new! 

NPE has thousands of used air and vacuum circuit breakers, tons of switchgear and tens of thousands of related parts all in stock. Each order has a money back guarantee and reconditioned equipment has a 1-2 year warranty.

In short, NPE has:

     Equipment is IN STOCK and ready to ship 

     Never had a supply chain issue

     Expert staff that will guide you through finding the proper equipment for your application

     Inventory that is updated daily and searchable online at www.npeinc.com

So give us a call, send us an email or search or inventory online. Find out why our motto at National Power Equipment, Inc. is "The right equipment, at the right price, right now!"

Traditionally, the used equipment industry and especially the market for used switchgear has been thought of as being counter recessionary. The common wisdom being, customers will spend money to maintain and upgrade old equipment rather than buy new to save money and to avoid the long lead times associated with purchasing and installing new switchgear.

Recent growth in manufacturing and our economy has changed this dynamic and now used switchgear, circuit breakers and parts have seen a surge in sales that looks to continue well into the future. We see the driving forces behind the growth as:

• Increased demand for products pushes manufacturers to restart old production lines and push them to new limits.
• Much of the switchgear that powers these lines are no longer supported by the original manufacturer because of the planned obsolescence. This creates increased demand for used and aftermarket solutions. NPE AFTERMARKET PARTS
• Used and aftermarket solutions are typically 40-60% less expensive than purchasing new equipment, and they are available much faster and generally carry the same or better warranty as new. To add to this, the fact that personnel are already familiar with how this switchgear operates and you have a win-win scenario.
• Increased cash flow from the economic upturn allows for maintenance and upgrades that had been previously deferred.
• Regular maintenance and testing of switchgear and breakers will increase the life span of the equipment by decades. Older technology can be easily upgraded with options like arc flash protection, ground fault and communications. All these factors will reduce down-time and unscheduled outages.
• For Field Service Specialist - servicing switchgear that has been obsoleted by the manufacturer will also serve as an opportunity for companies to provide other equipment and other services that field engineers can alert them to. Having your people in a plant, actively promoting your products is the best advertising you can get. 
• Older switchgear can be repaired and upgraded to meet new demand. Many of the new products are sealed and unable to be repaired. As a result, repairs or upgrades that would cost a few hundred or few thousand dollars, and cannot be performed and users are forced to discard equipment and purchase new replacements for tens of thousands of dollars and potentially long lead times. 
• Many customers are realizing that planned obsolescence will also render new installations of the latest whizz-bang technology obsolete, the same way their current equipment has been treated. Maintaining and upgrading current equipment just makes sense.

The bottom line is that just as a rising tide raises all boats, as the economy grows and thrives, so will the demand for used equipment dealers like National Power Equipment, where our motto is, "The right equipment, at the right price, right now!" Whether you are an end user, in the repair industry or a dealer, we strongly recommend you prepare for double digit growth in 2021 and the years that follow.