Direct Current (DC) power plants are critical pieces of equipment and thus, need to be reliable. As with other forms of back-up power, they require regular maintenance to ensure proper functionality and to reduce the risk of failure. Because of this, regular DC power plant maintenance not only verifies optimal performance, but also catches issues so they can be corrected before they become critical.
The Importance of Regular Power Plant Maintenance
Regular power plant maintenance is important because it serves more than one purpose. Not only does it ensure that the plant is running efficiently at full capacity, but also makes sure that preventative programs are in place in case of emergencies. DC power plant maintenance identifies abnormalities before they become problems. Correcting these early on minimizes the risk of power failure.
Routine maintenance is especially important because it increases Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF). The system is regularly checked for reliability and to maximize equipment life. Why wait until there is an outage before realizing there is a problem?
How DC Power Plant Maintenance Works
Because of the critical nature of power equipment, DC power plants running efficiently is of utmost importance. Maintenance ensures this and works by inspecting different components and making sure that everything is operating as it should be. The power plant can then work at full capacity and maximize performance. The reason DC power plants are so critical is because of their long battery support time. Industries such as telecom need to be able to rely on these back up power systems in case of emergencies.
Experienced technicians work to isolate individual rectifiers and other components to see whether each individual piece is working properly. Any potential issues can then be resolved before they can cause problems. The two most important components of the critical system maintenance are rectifiers and batteries.
Rectifiers
Technicians monitor rectifiers because they need to ensure optimal performance. Rectifiers are so important that sometimes annual maintenance isn’t enough – some DC power plants may require bi-annual or even quarterly maintenance if the infrastructure is especially critical. Rectifier maintenance includes the thorough examination of components such as cooling fans and circuit breakers. Technicians also check terminal connections, voltage, and calibration. Thermographic scans are utilized to examine cable connections and different components to check for any hot spots indicating an issue.
The majority of rectifier issues include blown fuses, loose terminals, faulty meters, and (in some instances) weather-related external damage. Most issues are often attributed to neglect and aging components. Regular maintenance prevents not only these issues, but also other problems like hot spots and load imbalances.
Batteries
The other major part of DC power plant maintenance is battery maintenance. Consistent power draw makes optimizing function and replacing batteries critical. As in all battery systems, proper maintenance results in issues such as corrosion and excessive degradation being minimized.
Battery failure and early degradation are often a result of overcharging, discharge cycle issues, and environmental issues such as high room temperature or dust build-up. This, in turn, negatively affects battery life and, in some cases, unexpected and unpredictable failure and/or issues like a thermal runaway.
Therefore, it can be concluded that critical infrastructure like DC power plants require regular maintenance in order to function at optimal levels. Maintenance helps maximize the lifespan of the equipment, prevent potential issues, and can even help reduce power consumption. Be sure to choose the right maintenance company to ensure the safety and security of your network.
Work With Odyssey Power
With all of our experience working on DC Power Plants, Odyssey Power knows that maintenance is extremely important. If you would like to formulate a plan for your organization to continue operating efficiently and minimize unplanned downtime, get in touch with Odyssey Power today. Our experts have over 20 years of experience in helping clients get the most out of their systems and maximize their uptime.