STANDARD

DOCUMENT
CLASSIFICATION

CONFIDENTIAL

REFERENCE
TITLE:

INFRA-RED SCANNING OF HIGHVOLTAGE CURRENT CARRYING

EQUIPMENT

RE

SCSASAAW1
1
DATE
SEPTEMBER
2002
PAGE
OF
1
6
REVISION DATE:
SEPTEMBER 2005

COMPILED BY

FUNCTIONAL RESP.

APPROVED BY

AUTHORIZED BY

..............................
O E Mutloane

...................................
Peter Busch
Senior Advisor

..............................
CD Smith
for TESCOD

............................
M N Bailey
DTM for MD (DD)

Contents
Page
1 Scope ........................................................................................................................................

1.1 Purpose.2
1.2 Applicability...

2 Normative references ................................................................................................................

3 Definitions..................................................................................................................................

4 Requirements ............................................................................................................................

4.1 Responsibilities ......................................................................................................................

4.2 Substations ............................................................................................................................

3
3

4.3 Overhead lines .......................................................................................................................

4.4 Evaluation...............................................................................................................................

4.5 Defect (hot spot) reporting......................................................................................................

4.6 Follow-up ................................................................................................................................

4.7 Documentation .......................................................................................................................

Annexes
A Infra-red scanning report ..........................................................................................................

B Revision information .................................................................................................................

MGM/mm/AS-2/Aug02

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1 Scope
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this standard is to set a minimum infra-red scanning frequency and documentation
requirement.

1.2 Applicability
The standard is applicable to all staff responsible for infra-red scanning of substations and lines.

2 Normative references
The following document contains provisions that, through reference in the text, constitute requirements
of this standard. At the time of publication the revision indicated was valid. All standards are subject to
review and party for agreements based on this standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility of
applying the most recent revision of the document listed below. Information on currently valid national
and international standards can be obtained from the Information Centre at Megawatt Park and on
Eskom documents from the Eskom Documentation Centre at Megawatt Park.
ESKARAAG4: Rev.6, Operating regulations for high-voltage systems.

3 Definitions and abbreviations

All definitions and abbreviations in ESKARAAG4 are applicable to this standard.

4 Requirements
4.1 Responsibilities
The Designated Person or his delegate shall ensure that this standard is implemented and adhered to.

4.2 Substations
Infra-red scanning of high-voltage (HV) current carrying equipment at substations shall be carried out
regularly as a means of detecting hot spots, cooling and flow problems on transformers, transformer
conservator oil level and also transfomer temperature problems before they lead to equipment failure.
Infra-red scanning shall be carried out, when possible, when the equipment is at or above its normal
load.
The minimum scanning frequency shall be:
In major substations >40 MVA

every 6 months.

In other substations

every 12 months.

Panels loaded to near capacity or above may require scanning more frequently. This particularly
applies to those panels loaded abnormally due to emergencies, equipment outages, etc. which, if lost
on fault, could prove to be critical.

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In situations where plant is loaded well below its rating RCM/Criticality analysis shall determine the
frequency.

4.3 Overhead lines

Infra-red scanning may be carried out as required by circumstances and local requirements.

4.4 Newly commisioned Substations/Lines

Newly commissioned substations and lines shall be scanned within a week of commissioning to ensure
that quality work has been done.

4.5 Evaluation
The operator shall evaluate the information available and make a judgement as to the degree of
urgency for dealing with any hot spot found.
(This shall be done in co-operation with the person responsible for the equipment).
As a rule of thumb:
Temperature

Degree of urgency

0 C to 10 C above temperature associated/equivalent item

Deal with when equipment is next

available.

10 C to 30 C above associated/equivalent item

(for connectors, contacts etc.)

Urgent.

Over 30 C above associated/equivalent item

(for connectors, contacts etc.)

Extremely urgent.

Over 20 C above associated/equivalent item

(CTs, circuit-breaker heads etc.)

Extremely urgent.

4.6 Defect (hot spot) reporting

All extremely urgent hot spots shall be reported immediately to the person(s) directly responsible for
the equipment.
A written report shall be submitted within 24 h after scanning even if this report says Nothing Found.
Each hot spot shall be clearly identified with its degree of urgency indicated (see annex A).

4.7 Follow-up
To ensure the defect(s) has been effectively repaired the equipment shall be re-scanned once it is
returned on-load.

4.8 Documentation
All documentation shall be history recorded in a logical and easily retrievable manner and shall cover at
least:

DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION
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INFRA-RED SCANNING OF HIGHVOLTAGE CURRENT-CARRYING
EQUIPMENT
a) Programme;
b) Scheduling/actioning;
c) Reports/follow-ups; and
d) Closing off.

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Annex A
(informative)

Infra-red scanning report

INFRA-RED SCANNING REPORT

Ref No.

FSC:

__________________

TSC:

__________________

Scanning date:

__________________

Panel:

__________________

Substation:

__________________

Load of panel:

__________________

Sketch

Degree of urgency
A

WHEN NEXT AVAILABLE

URGENT

*C

EXTREMELY URGENT

*D

District immediately

Yes

No

ACTION TAKEN BY SUPERVISOR AND DETAIL OF REPAIR

__________________________
Name in block letters
CERTIFIED CORRECT
AFTER RETEST

_______________________
Signature

___________________
Name in block letters

__________________________
Date

_______________
Signature

NOTE Duplicate book used

Annex B
(informative)

___________________
Date

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Revision information

DATE

REV. NO.

NOTES

Dec.1997

Original issue SCSASAAW1

Aug 2002

Original document re-drafted in accordance with the Eskom

Documentation System.
4.2. Text refomated and Infra red scanning on Transfomer added

4.2 Text added

4.4 Text added