In the rush to get equipment running again, what critical task typically gets left out? Baseline testing.
For example, your team replaces three feeder cables while operations managers stand around chewing their fingernails. Occasionally, one walks over and asks how much longer you’re going to be. The Plant Manager gets in on this act, too.
You know time is of the essence. Do you delay terminating those cables for the time it takes to perform the battery of tests that are in your maintenance program (e.g., insulation resistance testing, hi-potting, etc.)? Hey, these are new cables! So of course, the answer is….
Yes. You need the baseline test data so that a year from now (or whenever those cables will undergo their maintenance testing) you can identify any deterioration. If you wait a year to perform the testing, then it will be two years before you can identify any deterioration. Twice as much can happen in two years versus one.
Then there’s the fact that cables can be damaged in transportation and installation. Ensure you’re terminating known good ones.
