Maintenance Checklist for Your Mining UPS System
Mining UPS systems see a significant amount of wear and tear and they also operate in extremely challenging environments. This makes it imperative to ensure that the equipment is tested and serviced on a regular basis. It’s also extremely important that a detailed checklist is followed in the maintenance schedule.
This ensures no essential aspects are missed and that your UPS system stays in a good condition and provides glitch-free service for a long time. Here is a basic maintenance checklist for your mining UPS system that you can follow.
Basic Maintenance Checklist
#1 Quarterly
- The equipment should be visually inspected for burned insulation or loose connections
- Visual check for other signs of deterioration or erratic functioning
#2 Semi-annual
- Visual check for any liquid contamination from capacitors & batteries.
- Vacuum and clean the UPS’ enclosures.
- Check the HVAC equipment as well as the performance related to humidity & temperature.
#3 Annual
- Conduct thermal scanning on all the electrical connections to make sure there is no heat generation and that they all are secure. In most instances, this is the first & only indication that there is a problem.
- Technicians use a specialised, non-diagnostic tool that helps them identify where the hot spots are. If the thermal scan indicates there is a loose connection, they should then retorque the system.
- Conduct a complete operational test of this system. This includes a battery rundown test that helps determine whether any of the cells or battery strings are nearing the end of their functional lives.
#4 Bi-annual
- Test the circuit breakers, maintenance bypasses and the UPS transfer switches.
- Most mining settings have large-scale generators as part of their emergency power system that feed the UPS. These too would have to be tested on a monthly as well as a quarterly basis. Most mining facilities have a detailed generator maintenance schedule they follow, in which there are specifics of the testing frequency.
Typically, most UPS systems are sized to carry loads for a short span of time. Lengthier outages need backup power to maintain their critical services. Every facility is unique in terms of its location and requirements, and the managers would have to develop customised maintenance schedules to match the specific needs of each site.
Basic Maintenance Tools
In order to ensure that the UPS is and maintained safely and properly, the technicians use a mix of simple and sophisticated equipment. Among the basic maintenance tools, every facility should have:
#1 Maintenance record book
This book includes essential information such as:
- Manufacturer manuals
- Wiring diagrams
- Maintenance records and schedules
- Detailed operating procedures
- Standard equipment settings & adjustments
- Regular meter readings – certain UPS software automatically logs all this information
- Detailed records of any UPS issues/repairs
- Complete record of the system’s maintenance history
#2 Personal protective equipment (PPE)
The personnel should use appropriate protective equipment and clothing while performing any maintenance. This could include things such as
- Gloves
- Face mask
- Protective clothing
- Face shield
- Insulated hand tools
- Maintenance supplies
- Vacuums
#3 Essential high-tech maintenance equipment
While the type of maintenance equipment will vary from one mining set-up to the next, some of the common equipment used includes a thermal-imaging unit and a digital multimeter.
Without the right kind of preventive maintenance, an Uninterrupted Power Supply system will eventually deteriorate; this can expose the mine to an equipment failure or an electrical malfunction. When you have a detailed, scheduled maintenance program in place, that ensures the equipment continues to function reliably and benefits the business’ bottom line.
We at KaRaTec Power Supply Pty can provide excellent customised UPS systems for various commercial and industrial settings. If you want any information about our power products and services, don’t hesitate to contact us at this number – 612 9808 1127. You can also fill in this contact us form and we’ll reply as soon as possible.
Thanks for reading,
Karatec Power Supply Pty
612 9808 1127