Panel Build Standards

Colleagues

I recently attended a UK FAT  test of a piece of equipment and opened one of the on machine panels to find very poor wiring standards.
My initial reaction was horror as this is a brand new piece of equipment, but as I punched further into the requirements and standards I couldn't find significant fault ?
Is there a national standard for quality of panel build that on machine panels should be measured against?

I am giving a little away by admitting I've consulted 60204 & 60204 part 32 and it becomes a matter of opinion in certain areas.

However for a newly supplied piece of equipment to be CE UKCA marked for industrial use I'm a little shocked by the suppliers remarks that its their standard "of the shelf" quality standard for new equipment. ?

When challenged the supplier seemed quite confident in the quality provided so assume had been challenged previously.

I could pick up some on machine wiring issues versus the 18th edition but I'm a little stumped:-
BS EN 61439 (many parts) 2009 - 2012 Low-voltage switchgear and control gear assemblies
BS 5424 Parts 2 and 3, also IEC 60158 part 3 1985 - 1988 Specification for low voltage control gear
BS EN 60947 Parts 1-8 2001 - 2011 Specification for low voltage switch gear and control gear

Cheers
Sean Pretlove

Parents
  • It may be that I swim at the shallow end too much, but that photo does not look that bad to me ;-)   The thing that would worry me most is if suitable de-rating factors have been used for the tightly bundled sections, and there are some beautiful looking installations out there with that fault.

    I agree its not neat, but that on its own is not a hazard.  It also partly depends which standards the manufacturer has decided that CE marking requires.

    Seeing lots of red and black I'm wondering about the voltage bands, and labeling of conductors ?

    IF the kit vibrates, as a control panel on a genset might,  then the retention of the wiring may not be adequate....

    Mike.

  • With a little time to reflect, I’m also softening a little to the extent I would present this query to the group. I do think it’s poor and below my standard but is it wrong ? Possibly not. 
    The red wires are 110v ac but not centre tapped to earth, so technically okay to bundle together with 3 ph. At the moment I’m having a problem accepting it 

Reply
  • With a little time to reflect, I’m also softening a little to the extent I would present this query to the group. I do think it’s poor and below my standard but is it wrong ? Possibly not. 
    The red wires are 110v ac but not centre tapped to earth, so technically okay to bundle together with 3 ph. At the moment I’m having a problem accepting it 

Children
No Data