Thursday, December 16, 2021

Troubleshooting electrical faults in a manufacturing environment

 Troubleshooting Logic

Safety first! Before you start to troubleshoot an electrical fault, make sure you understand your organization's protection policies and procedures, such as the lockout/tagout policies and checking out procedures.


To be an powerful troubleshooter you need to constantly begin with a strategy, a scientific approach, if you'll. To start, accumulate data approximately the device and the fault such as prints and manufacturer’s manuals.

Understand how the device is designed to perform and evaluate documentation of the hassle consisting of paintings orders, problem reports, or discussions with the individual that stated the hassle. Then, comply with this systematic approach.

1. Observation

Look for visible symptoms and symptoms of malfunctioning device such as free additives, components with inside the backside of the cabinet, or symptoms and symptoms of overheated additives. Don’t neglect about to apply all of your senses such as odor, listening for odd sounds, and touching to experience for immoderate warmth or free additives. Also, absolutely check perform device if possible, and observe what's running effectively and what's now no longer.

2. Define Problem Areas

From your observations determine which components of the circuit are working effectively and which can be now no longer. Any nicely functioning components of the circuit may be removed from the hassle areas, reducing checking out time required later.

3. Identify Possible Causes

Once you've got got diagnosed the hassle area, you may now start to listing in all likelihood reasons. Try to assume of each opportunity that would motive the hassle and charge every via way of means of probability. Typically, opportunities might encompass the following: blown fuses, mechanical additives, windings and coils, terminal connections, and wiring.

4. Test Probable Cause

Now which you have a listing of maximum in all likelihood reasons you may start checking out. Start with the maximum in all likelihood motive. Always understand what to anticipate earlier than you're taking a meter analyzing and understand what it approach in case you get a analyzing one-of-a-kind than what you predicted. From your assessments you could want to sectionalize the circuit similarly to lessen the hassle area. Continue with this approach till you discover a suspect issue or cord.


5. Replace Component and Test Operate

Once you've got got tested a issue is defective, update the issue and check perform the entire circuit. Make positive you test all functions and operations of the circuit. If the whole thing is working effectively, go back the device to service. If the circuit nonetheless does now no longer perform effectively, you'll want to reconsider your good judgment and go back to step one.

Tools of the Trade

Many equipment are to be had for electric troubleshooting.

A not unusual place multimeter is a amazing begin and generally all you'll want to carry out maximum of your assessments. A regular multimeter can degree AC volts, DC volts, resistance, and small flows of contemporary.

Another amazing addition might be a clip-on ammeter for measuring working contemporary.

Let’s have a take a observe what those equipment do and while to apply them.


1. Ohmmeter

An ohmmeter measures resistance in a circuit and is a amazing device for locating quick circuits, open coils, or burned out mild bulbs. Power to the circuit need to be close off and locked out earlier than taking an ohmmeter analyzing, and remember, positioned the leads collectively and take a analyzing to show the meter is working effectively earlier than starting. It is constantly correct exercise to eliminate one cord from a issue earlier than taking a analyzing to make sure there aren't anyt any parallel paths on your analyzing.

2. Voltmeter

A voltmeter measures AC or DC volts in a circuit and is favored for locating open circuits. Always test your meter on a recognized voltage supply to affirm it's miles running effectively earlier than taking check readings. Try to hold one lead as a reference lead and hold it on impartial or ground. Use the alternative lead for choosing terminals in your check points. Electrical Equipment Parts

3. Clip-on Ammeter

A clip-on ammeter is beneficial to degree contemporary draw of additives even as they're working. A motor this is drawing extra contemporary than ordinary may also have worn bearings or can be overloaded. The clip-on ammeter is likewise beneficial for figuring out contemporary flows in one-of-a-kind components of a circuit.

A Few More Tips

Never underestimate the strength of your very own senses in figuring out faults. The “burnt insulation” odor is nearly constantly a terrific indication of a failed issue. Electrical Equipment Parts

Listening for odd sounds while working a tool also can lead you to coming across a hassle.

Looking at additives for visible symptoms and symptoms of burning is constantly a terrific region to begin, and checking for overheated device also can be a hallmark of problem. Just be cautious now no longer to get burned your self while checking for decent device!

TPC’s Systematic Troubleshooting Approach

We can help your organization in constructing an powerful troubleshooting program. TPC’s Systematic Troubleshooting Approach gives a 5-step approach to discover the maximum green approach to generate consistent, most fulfilling results. The TPC Training Curriculum makes use of simulation-primarily based totally environments to educate the troubleshooting approach, after which permits customers to exercise and ideal their talents on a lot of fault simulations.

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