Switchgear Maintenance and Testing Services

It includes visual and mechanical inspection, infrared thermography under load, insulation resistance testing, contact and connection torque checks, circuit breaker testing, and protective relay testing, with a documented report. Aligned with NFPA 70B and NETA practices, this work verifies the gear is safe and reliable and flags components that need correction before they fail.

NFPA 70B is the standard for electrical equipment maintenance. It establishes that electrical systems, including switchgear, should be maintained on a defined schedule based on condition and criticality. Following NFPA 70B reduces failures, supports safety, and is increasingly referenced by insurers and auditors. Comp-Utility builds a maintenance program that aligns with it.

Infrared thermography uses a thermal camera to scan energized equipment for abnormal heat, which usually indicates loose connections, overloads, or failing components. Because it is done under load and without shutting down, it is a powerful predictive tool. Catching a hot connection early prevents the failure, downtime, or fire it would eventually cause.

Frequency depends on criticality, age, and environment, but infrared scanning is commonly performed annually and comprehensive maintenance testing on a three-to-five-year cycle, consistent with NFPA 70B and NETA guidance. Mission-critical facilities often scan more frequently. Comp-Utility recommends an interval based on your equipment and operating conditions.

Acceptance testing is performed on new or newly installed equipment to verify it was installed correctly and is ready for service. Maintenance testing is performed periodically on in-service equipment to track condition over time and catch degradation. Comp-Utility performs both, documenting results so you have a baseline and a trend for each asset.

Recurring trips can indicate an overload, a ground fault, a coordination problem, or a breaker that has degraded and needs testing or replacement. A breaker that will not reset may have an internal fault or be responding to a real downstream condition. We test the breaker and the circuit to find the root cause rather than simply forcing it closed.

Some tests, such as infrared thermography, are performed under load with no shutdown. Others, such as breaker and insulation testing, require de-energizing the section being tested. We plan the work around redundancy and maintenance bypass where available and schedule any required outages carefully to protect your critical load.

Yes. We maintain and test low-voltage switchgear and switchboards as well as medium-voltage switchgear used for campus and utility intake. As a vendor-agnostic provider we work across major manufacturers. We can also coordinate switchgear service with generator, ATS, and UPS maintenance under a single Central Texas contract.