Test That Transfer Switch

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Test That Transfer Switch

Feb 28, 2003 12:00 PM, By Larry Blaine, SF Griggs & Associates

If you've been putting off conducting maintenance checks, you could be doing more
damage than you think.
An automatic transfer switch (ATS) is a critical part of any emergency power supply
system (EPSS). The ATS is the device that selects a power sourceeither normal utility
power or standby generator powerand conducts the power to critical loads. The
NFPA, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), and
all major ATS manufacturers publish literature calling for the monthly test of ATSs, yet
many facility owners ignore these guidelines and refuse to perform the tests. There are
good reasons for both the monthly-test requirement and for the reluctance of many
operators to comply.

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NFPA 110, the standard for emergency and standby power supply systems, states the
monthly test of a transfer switch shall consist of electrically operating the transfer switch
from the standard position to the alternate position and then a return to the standard
position (Paragraph 8.4.5.1). The standard also requires a monthly generator run. The
best way to perform both these tests is by operating the test toggle on the ATS when
the generator isnt running, and confirming that the ATS properly signals the generator
to start and run before transferring building load.
Reasons for ATS testing.
There are three primary reasons for the monthly test requirement. First, a test is an
active demonstration that the EPSS is still able to function as intended. If a switch is
going to fail to transfer, its better to have the switch fail while connected to a live normal
source during a test than to have it remain connected to a dead normal source during
an actual power outage.
Second, an automatic transfer switch is an electromechanical device with moving parts.
Like the pistons and crankshaft in an automotive engine, the moving parts in an ATS
can seize if theyre left in one position for months or years. Regular exercise will help
ensure that moving parts will continue to operate smoothly.
Third, a transfer switch test transfers building load onto the generator for the duration of
the generator test. Most standby power generators of more than 100kW are diesel
engine driven, and all major diesel generator manufacturers recommend a load of at
least 50% of maximum capacity during monthly generator tests. NFPA requires the

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Test That Transfer Switch

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same thing, for the simple

reason that running under
a light load is very bad for
a diesel engine.
Running a diesel
generator in an unloaded
conditionwith no ATS
transfer, thus with no
building load connected
causes carbon buildup in
the cylinders and exhaust
system, a condition known
as wet stacking. This
problem reduces efficiency
and power, and in extreme
cases it can cause an
exhaust system to catch
fire. To reduce a wet-stack
condition once it has
developed, some facility
owners will rent a resistive
load bank and connect it to
the standby generator for
a full-load run of sufficient
duration to burn out the
buildup. The cost for such
an exercise is substantial,
and the relief provided is only temporary.
Why some facility operators wont test.
Some people mistakenly think that monthly tests will shorten the life of a transfer switch,
and are therefore reluctant to conduct them. More often, the reason for refusing to test
properly is a fear of the two brief interruptions in power that an ATS test entails.

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Theres no truth to the idea of a regular test shortening the life of an ATS. Any device to
be used as a transfer switchswitching a single electrical load between two sources of
powermust comply with UL standard 1008, the only standard applicable to this duty.
Any switch that bears a UL 1008 label can transfer a minimum of 3,000 times, with at
least 1,000 of those operations under at least 100% of rated load. (For smaller ampacity
switches 6,000 transfers must be under 100% load or greater).
A switch that transfers back and forth each month will see 12 transfer operations per
year, generally under something less than 100% of rated load. It would take a transfer
switch at least 83 years to reach the same level of full-load use that representative
switches endure in standard UL testing. And, as mentioned above, a switch that
transfers regularly is less prone to seizure than a switch that has remained static for a
long period.
The most-cited reason for failing to test transfer switches is that power interruptions can
cause problems with lighting, transformers, computers, and other sensitive loads. Its
this fear, primarily, that causes many facility operators to conduct their monthly
generator runs without switching building load onto the generator.

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While problems of this nature can be frightening, they should be no more frightening
than the prospect of a transfer switch that fails to operate at a critical time due to lack of
testing, or a generator that fails due to wet-stacking. There are several ways of
mitigating or eliminating the problems caused by these power interruptions, both in new
construction and in existing facilities.
Solving the problem.
For new construction projects the issue of transfer-test-caused interruptions in power is
an easy one to solve. The engineer responsible for specifying the electrical equipment
should specify closed transition, or make-before-break, transfer switches. A transfer
switch of this kind transfers when in its test mode, with no interruption in power.
Switches of this kind were once a special product available from only one manufacturer,

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Test That Transfer Switch

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and they carried a daunting price premium. Today, however, closed transition transfer
switches (CTTS) are available from several manufacturers, and at a very modest price
premium over the old-fashioned open transition switch.
For existing facilities, a study should be done to determine which specific transfer
switches feed loads that would actually suffer any negative impact from monthly
interruptions in power. Those loads that are sensitive to interruptions can be protected
with UPS systems, or with a timed pre-signal before transfer, allowing for orderly
shutdown of the loads before power is interrupted. Also, existing open transition
switches can be replaced with CTTS.
Any automatic transfer switch in an emergency or standby power system should be
should be tested monthly in accordance with NFPA 110. That test should consist of an
automatic generator start, initiated by the transfer switch, followed by an automatic
transfer of facility load onto the standby generator. If power interruptions are a matter of
concern, closed transition transfer switches should be used to eliminate the problem, or
other methods should be used to mitigate the effects.

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Recent Comments
meby
Click on the website link for this
company, which is listed at the
end of the product description...

Blaine is a transfer switch product specialist for SF Griggs & Associates in Seattle.
0

Cable bundler 19 hours ago

Rogmcmil
Double tapping power source with
two 60 amp circuit breakers with
what appears to be heat...

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2012 Penton Business Media, Inc.

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