Switchgear and Cable Monitor (SCM)
What is the Switchgear and Cable (SCM) Monitor?
The Switchgear and Cable Monitor (SCM) continually monitors partial discharge (PD), and stores and correlates operating dynamics. The SCM provides information on the health of the medium voltage insulation systems of switchgear, cables, bus duct and unit substations.
How Many Partial Discharge Inputs Does the SCM Support?
The SCM can be configured with up to 60 partial discharge inputs across four PD modules, each offering fifteen independently monitored, highly sensitive, user-configurable channels. This delivers the industry’s best signal-to-noise ratio and lets the SCM connect to a wide variety of PD sensors, making it the electrical industry’s partial discharge monitor of choice.
Why Does Switchgear Have Such a High Failure Rate?
Switchgear has one of the industry’s highest failure rates because, unlike the insulation systems in motors and generators, switchgear insulation isn’t resistant to deterioration caused by partial discharge. Continuous monitoring is essential because when switchgear does fail, outages tend to run long — especially on older equipment, where limited spare parts often require custom manufacturing that extends downtime further. The SCM helps extend switchgear life and gives operators peace of mind by catching this deterioration before it leads to failure.
How Does the SCM Detect Cable Failures Before They Happen?
90% of cable failures occur at splices and terminations, and these failure points typically produce partial discharge before they fail outright. The SCM detects this early warning sign using radio frequency current transformers (RFCTs) placed around cable termination shields, or a GPCS sensor when shields are ungrounded. How far down the cable the SCM can effectively monitor depends on the cable’s condition, insulation type, and shield construction.
Is Condition-Based Maintenance Safer Than Time-Based Maintenance for Switchgear?
Condition-based maintenance is safer than time-based maintenance because it reduces how often crews must operate and de-energize switchgear to perform invasive routine service. Routine maintenance itself is a risk: the act of operating and de-energizing switchgear often masks performance degradation by exercising the mechanics, making it harder for crews to understand the true state of equipment between scheduled maintenance. This invasive process frequently introduces new problems that weren’t previously present. The SCM provides a true, continuous measure of equipment performance without the added risk of maintenance-induced failures.
Check out the Switchgear Monitor to learn about our comprehensive switchgear monitoring system.
Case Study & White Papers
User Resources
Support Requests
If immediate response is required, please directly contact your local Dynamic Ratings location:
Asia/Oceania
+61 3 8544-0700
[email protected]
Americas
+1 262 746 1230 x3
[email protected]
Europe/Africa
+44 1617 681111
[email protected]
Check out our Youtube Page for instructional tutorials or our Customer Portal for software and manuals (login required).
For all other requests, please fill out the contact form below:
Find out more about how Dynamic Rating’s LIFESTREAM® Support Services ensure successful monitoring through lifecycle support.