Breaker Refurbishment

[ElectroNerd]

I am very new to my position which is power system reliability and maintenance engineer at a Tire MFG plant. I inherited this job and a circuit breaker refurbishment project. The project consists of sending out Westinghouse DS-206, electrically operated, circuit breakers out for complete refurbishment and having a new trip kit installed. Typically we send the trip overload unit to the vendor because of a contract we have with the trip kit supplier. Since I am involved now, I have seen some of the cost to do a refurbishment on just one of these breakers. I thought the price was very expensive considering the breaker is smaller than a car engine. My question is, does anyone have an idea of average costs to have these breakers refurbished? Or is the vendor taking us for a ride. What medium voltage breakers?
Thank's,
Steve W.

 

[davidbeach]

Price a new replacement breaker. Then you won't be quite so appalled at the cost of a refurbishment.

 

[dpc]

You can also price complete refurbished breakers for another comparison point. These are available from multiple suppliers.

I'm not sure the size comparison to a car engine has much relevance. A pacemaker is pretty small, but costs many times what a car engine costs. That's not something I'd want to cut corners on either.

 

[Zogzog]

Not sure what refirbishment really covers, so your answer depends on what is being done to it. Replating, replacement of all bearings, pawls, rings, etc. Repainting of all painted surfaces (Powder coat like the OEM)? Mech disassembled and properly lubricated? Waranty?

Our shop does all of this stuff, we put 40-60 man hours into a DS-206. Other shops may just clean it up, scotch brite the contacts, put some spray lube in the mech, slap on the trip unit and send it out, they will put about 8 man hours into this breaker. Your price all depends on what you require to be done. You can check with PEARL and download thier specs for reconditioning and remanufactureing breakers.

http://www.pearl.org

P.S. MVCB's have voltage ratings from 5kV-69kV and can be air, gas, vacuum, or oil type.

 

[shellknob]

I have remanufactured many DS 206 breakers. The work usually involves dismantling of the complete breaker to the smallist component,putting the contacts into a polishing machine. The bearing are not always replaced, just regreased. The time for this is usually 8-16 hrs. The major cost is in the purchase of the new solid state trip unit. This price is around $1800-$2500, depending on the type purchased.

 

[Zogzog]

If you can remanufacture (Per PEARL specs) a 206 in 8-16 hours you are some sort of god and can work for me anytime.

But a remanufacture requires the contacts to be replated, not just thrown in a polishing machine. Now a recondition (Again, per PERAL specs)in 8-16 hours is about right and I think that is what you are describing.

 

[ScottyUK]

zogzog,

Check that link for PEARL. Goes to some computer-related site. Assume

http://www.pearl1.org

was the intended link?


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[Zogzog]

Thanks scotty, you have the right link.