Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
(OP)
We had a request from one of our maintenance guys to do this. Is this a common thing? These are lockout relays on large circuit breakers.






RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
Right now the lockout lights up an annunciator...which I guess in a way is electronic. Sometimes I realize the stupidity of my question after I read your answers...thanks.
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
On a HFA I would assume nearest the handle, as the coil is at the back end.
But a comment: I would also monitor the condition of the coil, to be sure the circuit is intact. This would be good to see that you have DC in the whole circuit (in case of a DC fuse blowing).
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
David Castor
www.cvoes.com
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
It was long that thought that they were so reliable that one was enough for any application. There have been some ugly incidents that resulted in an 86 that failed to roll meaning that breakers weren't tripped and breaker failure wasn't initiated. The 86 trip coil can be monitored just the same as a breaker trip coil can be monitored.
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
RE: Electronically monitor the position of a Lockout Relay?
The contacts in series with the coil are to interrupt the current when the device operates, much the same as "a" contacts in series with the trip coil of a circuit breaker. Typical "operate" currents of some 86 devices are quite high. The 86 contacts are designed to handle interrupting this current.
We commonly use an indicator light in the lcokout relay trip circuit in much the same fashion as the indicator light in a circuit breaker coil trip circuit, i.e., a low-current indicating lamp paralleled across the trip contacts. Presence of voltage in the 86 trip circuit will keep this lamp illuminated.
Some modern protective relays perform a similar service. I'm thinking of GE's UR family which has output contact voltage and current monitoring. If you're using one of these devices, then the status of the voltage and current elements are available as data to be programmed for whatever purpose you might wish.
Simultaneously we use a contact from the 86 device as a digital input to our UR relay, giving us another piece of data for using programming the device as well as for recording in the event record.
old field guy