SF6 gas testing

[oldfieldguy]

Assuming a modern outdoor SF6 circuit breaker, what's the thought on routine testing of the gas?

Breaker has been installed and in normal service for a varying number of years, has had no leaks, never been opened to the atmosphere, has not interrupted faults near its rated capacity.

I contended that under these conditions there's no mechanism to have intrusion from the outside, nor anything that would generate byproducts inside, therefore no testing.

Others in a group hold otherwise.

old field guy

 

[crshears]

I'm with you; what possible benefit can derive from foisting such pointless testing upon equipment that has such an uneventful service experience as you describe?

CR

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." [Proverbs 27:17, NIV]