IEC EX Certified Repair

[hcivokrat]

Hi,
I have an 800 KW, 4 Pole, 6600 volt IEC EX (CE 1180 Ex II 2G) motor on a coal conveyor. I need to send the motor in for repair/rebuild. The motor was built in Portugal. My normal repair shop doesn’t feel that they are qualified to work on it, they are UL certified but are not an IECEx certified repair facility. Should I/they be concerned? Where can I find a shop here in the States that can work on this motor and not void the IECEx certification.

Thank You

 

[ankervik]

To my knowledge there are no “IECEx” (ATEX) certification authorities in the US. However UL does have a subsidiary called UL International Demko A/S (Demko is an ATEX certification authority in Denmark). UL approved workshops are allowed to conduct testing, issue quality audits, or prepare reports on Demko's behalf, but they can not issue certificates. If your motor needs major work then I am afraid you may be out of luck.
Is this an underground or surface application? Mining equipment is usually marked Group I.

 

[hcivokrat]

It's a power plant.

 

[ankervik]

These particular motor markings designate suitability for gas atmospheres only (G). Being a surface coal conveyor I would assume the potential explosive hazard is coal dust. If that is the case then the motor should have a G/D or D marking.

 

[ScottyUK]

If the motor doesn't have US haz area certification is it legal to use it in the US? The European ATEX Directive makes it damned awkward to use non-ATEX marked equipment in Europe even where it is fairly clear from a technical perspective that it is adequate. I assume the situation is reversed in the US.

If the motor does bear US certification markings can the repair not be done by a certified shop over there?


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

 

[hcivokrat]

ScottyUK, that is pretty much my problem - the motor only has the ATEX/IECEx certification on it, no US (UL) certification.

 

[ScottyUK]

Is there an option to get it a single type approval to the US standards? It will undoubtedly be a pain in the ass once, but make life easier for the future.

Any option for replacing the motor with one from the surplus market? Machinery breakers and scrap men seem to have plenty of stock given the number of companies failing at present. Might be cheaper than shipping it to Europe for repair if you can trade in the motor you have.


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

 

[Hoxton]

There is an IEC standard for repairs to Ex Equipment IEC 60079-19

I know this does not help anyone in the USA, but it is a complex area.

I was involved in the very early days of this, when then UK repair indudstry seemed to want a "carte blanche" permit to repair Ex motors, without thought to the potential breach of the design standards.