Maintenance of Transformer

A power transformer is most costly and essential equipment of an electrical transformer. So for
getting high performance and long functional life of the transformer, it is desired to perform various
maintenance activities. Not only that, a power transformer also requires various maintenance
actions including measurement and testing of different parameters of the transformer. There are
mainly two types of maintenance of transformer. We perform one group is in routine basis, and
second group is as when required.
That means for getting smooth performance from a transformer we have to perform some
maintenance actions in regular basis.

Some other type of maintenance of transformer we perform as when they are required. But
if one performs regular maintenance properly, he may not have any provision of performing
emergency maintenance. The regular checking and maintenance of transformer is also known
as condition maintenance. Hence by proper condition maintenance one can avoid emergency
and breakdown maintenance. That is why one technical personnel should mainly concentrate
on condition maintenance. As 100% condition maintenance causes 0% breakdown of an
equipment.
There are many different maintenance action, to be performed on a power transformer. Some
of them in yearly basis, some of them are monthly basis, some other are quarterly, some are
half-yearly basis. These are mainly transformer maintenance action, which to be performed in

3 to 4 years interval.

Monthly Basis Maintenance of Transformer

Let us first discuss about the action to be taken on power transformer in monthly basis.

1. The oil level in oil cap under silica gel breather must be checked in one month interval. If it is
found the transformer oil inside the cup comes below the specified level, oil to be top up as
per specified level.
2. Breathing holes in silica gel breather should also be checked monthly and properly cleaned if
required, for proper breathing action.
3. If the transformer has oil filled bushing the oil level of transformer oil inside the bushing
must be vidually checked in the oil gage attached to those bushing. This action also to be
done monthly basis.

If it is required, the oil to be filled in the bushing upto correct level. Oil filling to be done under
shutdown condition.

Daily Basis Maintenance and Checking

There are three main things which to be checked on a power transformer in daily basis and they are :

1. Reading of MOG (Magnetic Oil Gage) of main tank and conservator tank.
2. Color of silica gel in breather.
3. Leakage of oil from any point of a transformer.
In case of unsatisfactory oil level in the MOG, oil to be filled in transformer and also the transformer
tank to be checked for oil leakage. If oil leakage is found take required action to plug the leakage. If
silica gel becomes pinkish, it should be replaced.

Yearly Basis Transformer Maintenance Schedule

1. The auto, remote, manual function of cooling system that means, oil pumps, air fans, and
other items engaged in cooling system of transformer, along with their control circuit to be
checked in the interval of one year. In the case of trouble, investigate control circuit and
physical condition of pumps and fans.
2. All the bushings of the transformer to be cleaned by soft cotton cloths yearly. During
cleaning the bushing should be checked for cracking.
3. Oil condition of OLTC to be examined in every year. For that, oil sample to be taken from
drain valve of divertor tank, and this collected oil sample to be tested for dielectric strength
(BDV) and moisture content (PPM). If BDV is low and PPM for moisture is found high
compared to recommended values, the oil inside the OLTC to be replaced or filtered.
4. Mechanical inspection of Buchholz relays to be carried out on yearly basis.
5. All marshalling boxes to be cleaned from inside at least once in a year. All illumination, space
heaters, to be checked whether they are functioning properly or not. If not, required
maintenance action to be taken. All the terminal connections of control and relay wiring to
be checked an tighten at least once in a year.
6. All the relays, alarms and control switches along with their circuit, in R&C panel (Relay and
Control Panel) and RTCC (Remote Tap Changer Control Panel) to be cleaned by appropriate
cleaning agent.
7. The pockets for OTI, WTI (Oil Temperature Indicator & Winding Temperature Indicator) on
the transformer top cover to be checked and if required oil to be replenished.
8. The proper function of Pressure Release Device and Buchholz relay must be checked
annually. For that, trip contacts and alarm contacts of the said devices are shorted by a small
piece of wire, and observe whether the concerned relays in remote panel are properly
working or not.
9. Insulation resistance and polarization index of transformer must be checked with battery
operated megger of 5 KV range.
10. Resistive value of earth connection and rizer must be measured annually with clamp on
earth resistance meter.
11. DGA or Dissolve Gas Analysis of transformer Oil should be performed, annually for 132 KV
transformer, once in 2 years for the transformer below 132 KV transformer and in 2 years
interval for the transformer above 132 KV transformer.

The Action to be taken once in 2 years :

1. The calibration of OTI and WTI must be carried once in two years.
2. Tan & delta; measurement of bushings of transformer also to be done once in two years.

Maintenance of Transformer on Half Yearly Basis

The transformer oil must be checked half yearly basis that means once in 6 months, for dielectric
strength, water content, acidity, sludge content, flash point, DDA, IFT, resistivity for transformer oil.
In case of distribution transformer, as they are operating light load condition all the time of day
remaining peak hours, so there are no maintenance required.
Maintenance of Current Transformer
A Current Transformer or CT is very essential equipment installed in an electrical substation for
electrical measurement and protection purpose. If a current transformer does not perform properly,
there may be huge disturbance in the system due to malfunctioning of protection relays. So far
accurate measurement and smooth operation of electrical power system, CTs must be properly
maintained. A schedule of such maintenance of current transformer is preferred below for ready
reference. Let us first discuss about the maintenance of CT which to be performed in one year
interval.

1. Insulation resistance of the CT must be checked in yearly basis. During insulation resistance
measurement, it must be remembered that, in current transformer there are two level of
insulation. The insulation level of primary of CT is quite high as it has to withstand full
system voltage. But the secondary of the CT has low insulation level generally 1.1 KV. So
primary to secondary and primary to earth of a current transformer are measured with 2.5
or 5 KV megger. But this high voltage megger can not be used for secondary measurement,
as here insulation level is quite low in the view of economy of the design. So secondary
insulation is measured with 500 V megger. Hence, primary terminals to earth, primary
terminals to secondary measuring core, primary terminals to secondary protection cores are
measured by 2.5 or 5 KV megger. In between secondary cores and secondary to earth
resistances are measured by 500V megger.
2. Thermo vision scanning of primary terminals and top dome of a live CT should be performed
at least once in a year. This scanning can be done with help of infra-red Thermo-vision
Camera.
3. All the CT secondary connections in CT secondary box and CT junction box must be checked,
cleaned and tighten every year to ensure maximum possible low resistance path for CT
secondary currents. It should also be ensured that CT junction box is properly cleaned.

There are some other maintenance of Current Transformer which to be performed in half yearly
basis, such as,

1. The porcelain housing of CTs should be checked for hire crack if any crack is observed on
insulator, necessary advice to be obtained from manufacturer.
2. The porcelain insulator housing of current transformer, to be cleaned properly by cotton
clothes.

Now we will discuss about monthly basis maintenance of current transformer.

1. Oil leakage from any joint should be visually inspected if leakage found, it must be plugged
by taking shutdown.
2. The secondary terminals are also checked for oil leakage, if leakage found, immediate action
to be taken to plug the leakage.

In addition to these, tans or loss factor measurement to be performed on a current transformer,

preferably above 66 KV class, once in two years. Dissolve Gas Analysis of oil also to be done
preferably once in 4 years. If the results are found unsatisfactory as per standard, the insulating oil
must be replaced.
Maintenance of Voltage Transformer and Capacitor Voltage Transformer
Construction wise a voltage transformer and a capacitor voltage transformer are same. Hence basis
scheme of maintenance of both voltage transformer and capacitor voltage transformer are more or
less same. As heavy current does not flow through PT and CVT, the defect and fault generally very
low.

That is why monthly maintenance of voltage transformer and maintenance of capacitor

voltage transformer may not be required. Moreover very frequent maintenance of bus PT or
CVT may not also be possible as far taking shutdown of such PT or CVT total bus section
would be out of protection and metering. Only yearly maintenance of such equipments are
sufficient.

Yearly Maintenance of Voltage Transformer or Capacitor Voltage

Transformer

1. The porcelain housing must be cleaned with cotton clothes.

2. The spark gap assembly to be checked on yearly basis. Remove the moveable part of spark
gap as assembly, clean the braes electrode with emery paper and fix it back in position.
3. The high frequency earthing point should be visually checked yearly in the case, the point is
not used for PLCC.
4. Thermo vision camera to be used for checking any hot spots in the capacitor stacks to
ensure pro action of rectification.
5. The terminal connections PT junction box including earth connections to be checked for
tightness once in a year. In addition to that, the PT junction box also to be cleaned properly
once in a year.
6. The health of all gasket joint also to be visually checked and replaced if any damaged gasket
found.

NB: In addition all yearly basis maintenance of potential transformer or capacitor voltage
transformer, must also be checked for tan once in 3 years. An increase in value of tan indicates
deterioration of insulation whereas both increase in tan and capacitance indicates entry of
moisture in insulation.