GigaMare Inc.

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Maintenance and Repair Fault finding and Troubleshooting

General rules of good maintenance

• Keep all components and work area in a clean, dirt-free condition.

• Spilled or drained hydraulic oil should NOT be re-used. If re-use is
imperative, the oil must be stored in a clean container. It should be
carefully strained of filtered as it is returned to the Power Unit reservoir.
• Use only a clean, lint-free cloth to wipe or dry component parts or to clean
dust and dirt from the outside of the system.
• Clean quick disconnects carefully before each re-assembly.
• Flush out old oil and replace with clean oil at least once per year.
• Oil and filter change Regular oil changes are the most important
preventive maintenance procedures that can be done. As hydraulic oil
ages, it becomes diluted and contaminated, which leads to premature
pump wear. A new filter should also be installed every time the oil is
changed.

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Oil change

To change oil, perform the following steps:

– If the Power Unit is running, turn it off. Allow the system oil to drain
back into the reservoir for 5 minutes.
– A drain pan large enough (about 20 liters /5 US gallons) to hold all of
the oil in the Power Unit reservoir is required to drain the Power Unit.
Place such a pan under the reservoir drain, as shown in Figure B-1.
Remove the drain cap with a wrench and allow the reservoir to drain
completely.
–

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Oil change

– Replace the drain cap and remove the drain pan after the reservoir is
completely emptied. Use teflon tape or pipe joint compound to seal
the drain cap threads.
– 4. Open the reservoir breather/filler cap, as shown in Figure B-1. Fill
the reservoir up to the black line on the thermometer/oil level
indicator. Use one of the fluids listed on the Power Unit information
decal on the front of the reservoir.
– 5. Replace the reservoir breather/filler cap.
– 6. Empty the drained oil into a container (capped plastic jugs, topped
bottles, milk cartons, etc.) for transport to a disposal site. Oil recycling
centers will normally accept the oil, which can be refined and used
again

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Filter change

To change the filter, perform the following steps:

• Turn off the Power Unit if it is running. Allow oil to drain out of the filter
and into the reservoir for 5 minutes.
• When the filter has drained or if the Power Unit is cold, completely
unscrew the filter its full of oil. Empty the oil inside the filter into the drain
pan.
• Compare the old filter with the new one to make sure they are the same
type and micron rating (10-microns or less). Lubricate the gasket of the
new filter with a few drops of oil and screw the new filter onto the Power
Unit assembly. The filter should be hand-tightened only.
• Empty the drained oil into a container (capped plastic jugs, topped bottles,
milk cartons, etc.) for transport to a disposal site. Oil recycling centers will
normally accept the oil, which can be refined and used again.

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Detection of electric malfunction, location of faults and measures to prevent damage

• Introduction:
– Electrical equipment within an Electrical Power system plays an
important role in the transmission and distribution of electrical power.
The equipment needs to be operated and maintained in a safe manner
securing continuity of supply to consumers.
– This requires the equipment to assessed and ensure it remains in a
safe manner, maintained within an effective management system,
aware of the need of maintenance and fault finding techniques
balanced against equipment downtime.
• Procedure on Fault Finding
– Good troubleshooting technique start with the basics, we know that a
circuit has voltage, current and resistance, so a multi-meter is a must
when performing troubleshooting. Here is a list of the general
techniques used;

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Planning
• A good fault finder has a mentally planned strategy. The evidence is
carefully considered before deciding what action to take. In contrast,
the “muddler” acts on impulse.
• A good diagnostician will use most of the following mental abilities;
– Memory
– Logical thinking
– Perception
– Spatial/mechanical ability
– Social skills
– Persistence
• Background knowledge
– Together with the mental abilities, knowledge and experience are
essential. This is wide ranging and includes knowledge of
components, methods and systems together with their
operational characteristics. The combination of knowledge and
direct practical experience with the equipment is a powerful aid
to fault finding.

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Diagnostic Performance

– In addition to the necessary skills of the diagnostician, systematic use

of “job aids” will improve fault finding method. Examples are;
– Fault charts
– A list of typical symptoms and faults for particular equipment plus
suggested remedies.
– These lists should be updated according to experience to show the
most probable faults.
• FACERAP
– F –fault- Identify the name and classification of fault
– A-appearance- the description of the fault or its related symptoms
– C-cause- the operational reason for the fault
– E-effect- the consequential effect of the fault
– R-responsibility- the correct person to take remedial action
– A-action- The standard procedure adopted to rectify the fault
– P-prevention- the procedure to avoid repetition of the fault
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Diagnostic Performance

• Search Strategy
• Once the diagnostician can visualize the circuit or machine as a series of
function and/or use a job aid, a search strategy can be applied to locate
the fault in the minimum time.
• A six step approach is summarized as;
– Collect evidence ( stop and think)
– Analyze evidence
– Locate fault
– Determine and remove cause
– Rectify fault
– Check system

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Methods for detection electrical failure (logical approach)

• Electrical Troubleshooting Approach

• The 5 Step Troubleshooting Approach consists of the following:

– Preparation Step 1
– Observation Step 2
– Define Problem Area Step 3
– Identify Possible Causes Step 4
– Determine Most Probable Cause Step
– 5 Test and Repair (then follow up)

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Preparation 

• Before beginning to troubleshoot any piece of equipment, you must be

familiar with your organization’s safety rules and procedures for working
on electrical equipment. These rules and procedures govern the methods
you can use to troubleshoot electrical equipment (including your
lockout/tagout procedures, testing procedures etc.) and must be followed
while troubleshooting.
• Next, you need to gather information regarding the equipment and the
problem. Be sure you understand how the equipment is designed to
operate. It is much easier to analyze faulty operation when you know how
it should operate. Operation or equipment manuals and drawings are
great sources of information and are helpful to have available. If there are
equipment history records, you should review them to see if there are any
recurring problems. You should also have on-hand any documentation
describing the problem. (i.e., a work order, trouble report, or even your
notes taken from a discussion with a customer.)

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Step 1 – Observe

• Most faults provide obvious clues as to their cause. Through careful

observation and a little bit of reasoning, most faults can be identified as to the
actual component with very little testing. When observing malfunctioning
equipment, look for visual signs of mechanical damage such as indications of
impact, chafed wires, loose components or parts laying in the bottom of the
cabinet. Look for signs of overheating, especially on wiring, relay coils, and
printed circuit boards.
• Don't forget to use your other senses when inspecting equipment. The smell
of burnt insulation is something you won't miss. Listening to the sound of the
equipment operating may give you a clue to where the problem is located.
Checking the temperature of components can also help find problems but be
careful while doing this, some components may be alive or hot enough to burn
you.
• Pay particular attention to areas that were identified either by past history or
by the person that reported the problem. A note of caution here! Do not let
these mislead you, past problems are just that – past problems, they are not
necessarily the problem you are looking for now. Also, do not take reported
problems as fact, always check for yourself if possible.
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Step 1 – Observe

• The person reporting the problem may not have described it properly or
may have made their own incorrect assumptions.
• When faced with equipment which is not functioning properly you should:
– Be sure you understand how the equipment is designed to operate. It
makes it much easier to analyze faulty operation when you know how
it should operate;
– Note the condition of the equipment as found. You should look at the
state of the relays (energized or not), which lamps are lit, which
auxiliary equipment is energized or running etc. This is the best time
to give the equipment a thorough inspection (using all your senses).
Look for signs of mechanical damage, overheating, unusual sounds,
smells etc.;
– Test the operation of the equipment including all of its features. Make
note of any feature that is not operating properly. Make sure you
observe these operations very carefully. This can give you a lot of
valuable information regarding all parts of the equipment.

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Step 2 – Define Problem Area

• It is at this stage that you apply logic and reasoning to your

observations to determine the problem area of the malfunctioning
equipment. Often times when equipment malfunctions, certain parts
of the equipment will work properly while others not.
• The key is to use your observations (from step 1) to rule out parts of
the equipment or circuitry that are operating properly and not
contributing to the cause of the malfunction. You should continue to
do this until you are left with only the part(s) that if faulty, could cause
the symptoms that the equipment is experiencing.
• To help you define the problem area you should have a schematic
diagram of the circuit in addition to your noted observations.
• Starting with the whole circuit as the problem area, take each noted
observation and ask yourself "what does this tell me about the circuit
operation?" If an observation indicates that a section of the circuit
appears to be operating properly, you can then eliminate it from the
problem area. As you eliminate each part of the circuit from the
problem area, make sure to identify them on your schematic. This will
help you keep track of all your information.
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Step 3 – Identify Possible Causes

• Once the problem area(s) have been defined, it is necessary to identify all
the possible causes of the malfunction. This typically involves every
component in the problem area(s). It is necessary to list (actually write
down) every fault which could cause the problem no matter how remote
the possibility of it occurring. Use your initial observations to help you do
this. During the next step you will eliminate those which are not likely to
happen.
• Step 4 – Determine Most Probable Cause
• Once the list of possible causes has been made, it is then necessary to
prioritize each item as to the probability of it being the cause of the
malfunction. The following are some rules of thumb when prioritizing
possible causes.
• Although it could be possible for two components to fail at the same time,
it is not very likely. Start by looking for one faulty component as the
culprit. The following list shows the order in which you should check
components based on the probability of them being defective

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Step 3 – Identify Possible Causes

– First look for components which burn out or have a tendency to wear
out, i.e. mechanical switches, fuses , relay contacts, or light bulbs.
(Remember, that in the case of fuses, they burn out for a reason. You
should find out why before replacing them.)
– The next most likely cause of failure are coils, motors, transformers
and other devices with windings. These usually generate heat and,
with time, can malfunction.
– Connections should be your third choice, especially screw type or
bolted type. Over time these can loosen and cause a high resistance.
In some cases this resistance will cause overheating and eventually will
burn open. Connections on equipment that is subject to vibration are
especially prone to coming loose.
– Finally, you should look for is defective wiring. Pay particular attention
to areas where the wire insulation could be damaged causing short
circuits. Don't rule out incorrect wiring, especially on a new piece of
equipment.

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Step 5 – Test and Repair

• Testing electrical equipment can be hazardous. The electrical energy

contained in many circuits can be enough to injure or kill. Make sure you
follow all your companies safety precautions, rules and procedures while
troubleshooting.
• Once you have determined the most probable cause, you must either
prove it to be the problem or rule it out. This can sometimes be done by
careful inspection however, in many cases the fault will be such that you
cannot identify the problem component by observation and analysis
alone. In these circumstances, test instruments can be used to help
narrow the problem area and identify the problem component.
• There are many types of test instruments used for troubleshooting. Some
are specialized instruments designed to measure various behaviors of
specific equipment, while others like the multimeters are more general in
nature and can be used on most electrical equipment. A typical
multimeter can measure AC and DC Voltages, Resistance, and Current.

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Step 5 – Test and Repair

• A very important rule when taking meter readings is to predict what the
meter will read before taking the reading. Use the circuit schematic to
determine what the meter will read if the circuit is operating normally. If
the reading is anything other than your predicted value, you know that
this part of the circuit is being affected by the fault.
• Depending on the circuit and type of fault, the problem area as defined by
your observations, can include a large area of the circuit creating a very
large list of possible and probable causes. Under such circumstances, you
could use a “divide and eliminate” testing approach to eliminate parts of
the circuit from the problem area. The results of each test provides
information to help you reduce the size of the problem area until the
defective component is identified.
• Once you have determined the cause of the faulty operation of the circuit
you can proceed to replace the defective component. Be sure the circuit is
locked out and you follow all safety procedures before disconnecting the
component or any wires.

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Step 5 – Test and Repair

• After replacing the component, you must test operate all features of
the circuit to be sure you have replaced the proper component and
that there are no other faults in the circuit. It can be very embarrassing
to tell the customer that you have repaired the problem only to have
him find another problem with the equipment just after you leave.
• Follow up 
– Although this is not an official step of the troubleshooting process it
nevertheless should be done once the equipment has been
repaired and put back in service. You should try to determine the
reason for the malfunction.
– Did the component fail due to age?
– Did the environment the equipment operates in cause excessive
corrosion?
– Are there wear points that caused the wiring to short out?
– Did it fail due to improper use?
– Is there a design flaw that causes the same component to fail
repeatedly?
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Measuring instruments

• The following are examples of the fault-finding training rigs (where

candidates diagnose faults in the control and load circuits of industrial
electrical circuits), the tools that the candidates use on the course for
terminating cables, the training rig used for exploring the effects of short
circuits, overloads and earth faults, the rig used for the cable termination
exercise, one of the insulation resistance testers used and examples of
some of the leads that candidates build on the course: 

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Electrical equipment

Electrical equipment

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Electrical Power Testing

• Electrical testing and maintenance of power systems and equipment is

absolutely essential to ensure maximum operational reliability and safety.
Having the right electrical testing devices and supplies in your toolbox is
critical. A digital multimeter should be at the top of your list, allowing
highly accurate onsite readings of voltage, current, resistance and much
more for fault finding and field service work. For testing individual
electrical equipment and devices, choose from our selection of test leads
with a range of ratings, connection types and lengths. For multiple test
voltages, choose a megohmmeter that is ideal for many troubleshooting,
commissioning and preventative maintenance applications. Grainger has
the electrical testing tools to help you ensure electrical safety and
reliability.

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Electrical Power Testing

1. Analog Multimeters 2. Capacitor Testers 3. Circuit Tracer Accessories

4. Circuit Tracers 5. Clamp Meters 6. Clamp On Earth Resistance Testers 7. Clamp On Power Meters

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Electrical Power Testing

8. Continuity Testers 9. Current Leakage Testers 10. Current Probes 11. Digital Multimeters

12 Earth Ground
13. Earth Ground Resistance Testers 14 High Voltage Probe Meters 15 Insulation Testers
Resistance Tester Acc

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Electrical Power Testing

16. Megohmmeters 17 Multifunction Testers 18 Phasing and Motor 19 Power Meters and
Rotation Meters Analyzers

20 Voltage and Continuity Testers 21 Wire Sorters

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Tools That Test for the Presence of Electricity

• This type of electrical testing device alerts the user to the presence of
electricity with an audible tone, lights, or both. One of the simplest
versions of this type of tool consists of two leads, one black and the other
red, connected to a handle with an AC/DC light in the handle. This tool
must be physically connected to the circuit to work.
• The most popular and safe tool that tests for the presence of electrical
current is the inductive electrical tester, more commonly known as a tick
tracer. This tool gives both a visual signal and an audible tone. The tone is
where the name tick tracer is derived. This tool only needs to be within a
certain distance of a wire carrying an electrical current in order to sense
the current. How it works is that all electrical current creates a magnetic
field around the conductor. The tick tracer detects this magnetic field.
Since you don’t have to make physical contact with the circuit, you have
much less chance of being shocked.

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Tools That Test for the Presence of Electricity

• There is also type of testing device that electricians find indispensable that
will tell you whether an electrical receptacle/outlet is properly wired. This
tool is plugged into the receptacle, and lights correspond to whether or
not the receptacle is properly wired.

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Measuring Circuit or Component Values

• Measuring circuit or components values is fairly easy. Current must be

measured open-circuit. What this means is that the meter must be
inserted into the circuit in order to measure the current. However,
you need to have an idea of how much current you expect to be
present in the circuit because most meters can normally only handle a
maximum of ten amps. There are some meters that have an
unprotected current probe position, but this won’t give as accurate a
measurement and there are meters designed for higher currents
• When measuring voltage, you need to measure across the device
being tested, with the red lead toward the power supply and the
black towards the ground. Lastly, when measuring resistance, you
need to completely de-energize the circuit or you will cause damage
to the meter. This is because when the meter is set to measure
resistance, it sends a measured voltage through the device being
measured. When measuring the resistance of a component in circuit,
you need to make sure that you use reverse polarity on any diodes in
the circuit, otherwise the current being generated by the meter may
go through the circuit and cause an erroneous reading.
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Clamp-Type Meters

• This type of meter is designed for measuring higher currents without

putting either you or your meter at risk of shock. Some of these meters
only measure current, while others measure voltage and resistance as
well. Voltage and resistance are measured the same way as with any other
type of meter. The difference is that current is measured by clamping the
meter’s clamps over the power cable with the meter switch(es) set to
current. Some meters of this type are capable of reading from zero to a
few thousand amps, while most clamp-type meters will read as high as
100 amps.

Clamp meter

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Solenoid Voltage Meter

• This type of meter only reads voltage, both for alternating and direct
current. However, the ranges this type of meter is able to read are from
120 to 600 volts. When voltage is detected, a solenoid moves an indicator
up or down a graduated scale, which indicates the amount of voltage
present in the circuit. It’s used in exactly the same way as an analog or
digital meter is used when measuring voltage. This is an indispensable part
of an electrician’s toolkit, and we call them wiggies.

wiggies

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How to read a wiring diagram

• Whether working with a vehicle, appliance, light fixture, or receptacle,

knowing how to read a wiring diagram will help prevent personal injury or
damage to the object on which you are working. It will show the electric
circuits within the object so you can complete your project safely.

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How to read a wiring diagram

1. Find the wiring diagram. Wiring diagrams are often provided with
appliances and other objects. However, they can be difficult to find. Look
for a control panel, secret door, or on the back of an appliance. Look in
the owner's manual when working on a vehicle. For other common
objects, like receptacles (outlets) and light fixtures

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How to read a wiring diagram

2. Check your voltage (V). Main lines are represented by L1, L2, and N. Look
to see which main lines appear on your wiring diagram.
– If your diagram has L1 and N, it is a 110V circuit.
– If your diagram has both L1 and L2, it is a 240V circuit.
– If your diagram has L1, L2, and N, it is a 110-240V circuit.

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How to read a wiring diagram

3. Learn the symbols. Knowing what the symbols in your wiring

diagram mean will help you find different lights, switches, and
motors. Symbols usually resemble the part they represent.
Familiarize yourself with descriptions for electrical appliances,
understanding that different symbols appear for different
objects.
– Lights are shown as ovals with a squiggly line inside of them. They
look like light bulbs. Different types of lights may be indicated with
different symbols, such as a ceiling light versus recessed lighting.
– Switches are symbolized by an opening or break in the line. It
looks like the flip of a light switch.
– Thermostats are symbolized by an opening or break in the line,
but they also have a squiggle that connects them to the line.
– A fuse is shown as a slight zigzag in the line.
– Motors are shown as bumps along the line. It looks like an "M"
with 5 or 6 humps.

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How to read a wiring diagram

• Know the color code. Different color wires represent different

components. This makes testing different components within the
system easier. There should be a key or legend on the wiring diagram
to tell you what each color means. The specific colors for a home
electrical system are generally the same across all electrical items.
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How to read a wiring diagram
– White wires are neutral. They carry power back to the service panel.
– Green or bare wires are the ground wires. These carry power back to the
service panel in case the neutral wires fail.
– Black, red, blue, and other colors represent hot wires. These are the ones
that carry power to the object with which you are working.
– Use a voltage tester if you are unsure what the different colors mean.
• Why fault protection is essential
– For parts of a distribution system, fuses are capable of both sensing and
disconnecting faults. Failures may occur in each part, such as insulation
failure, fallen or broken transmission lines, incorrect operation of circuit
breakers, short circuits and open circuits. Protection devices are installed
with the aims of protection of assets, and ensure continued supply of
energy
– Switchgear is a combination of electrical disconnect switches, fuses or
circuit breakers used to control, protect and isolate electrical equipment.
Switches are safe to open under normal load current, while protective
devices are safe to open under fault current.

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