Quite often when control systems are installed by electricians that do not specialise in control system installation, there is a tendency to think that when they press the start button on the control panel and it starts, that everything must be working ok.
Sadly, this is not the case.
Commissioning a control system when the field wiring is complete is a vitally important process. It’s not a particularly difficult process although it can be a bit trickier when dealing with variable speed drives. None the less a correctly commissioned control panel can mean the difference between your system lasting 6 months or 6 years before a fault arises.
Although the installation should have been electrically tested and certified to conform with the current regulations, the commissioning process is where the control panel is finely tuned to ensure that it runs as smoothly and as economically as is possible.
Various checks are done with fine adjustments to timers and overload settings and documented for future reference. where inverter drives are used the inverters are set up for their requirements ensuring that they are set up to the correct size of motor, frequency, current and ramp settings.
In today’s world where climate is at the heart of most businesses goals, it’s crucial that control systems are set up and commissioned correctly to ensure that they are as energy efficient as they can be. If a motor is using too much energy for any reason causing the current rating to go up beyond an expected running level, then not only does it take more energy to run which has a cost implication especially with big motors, but it has the potential to cause damage to the motor itself, the field wiring, or the control panel if it were not commissioned properly.
Far too often we are called to a breakdown or a non-conformance issue when a third party has carried out the installation, only to find that the panel has not been commissioned at all. Overloads are ramped up to overcome high current tripping problems or even replaced with a larger current capacity overload which ultimately result in some sort of failure.
It can be a costly mistake, which can lead to a lot of unpleasantness, confrontation between all parties involved as the responsibility for the fault is pushed around.
As control system installation specialist, not only do RDM Installations provide a high standard of electrical field wiring but also provide a thorough commissioning process ensuring that the control system is running as it was designed to do so. If there are any issues our engineers look for the cause of the problem then rectify it where they possibly can, rather than try to mask over it. We are so confident of our standards that we offer a 3-year warranty which includes all parts and labour for the control panel and our field wiring. This means our customers and their clients can rest assured that their control systems are going to be trouble free or cost free at the very least for the next three years (subject to terms and conditions).
