Chicken Switch

Does anyone have information on a remote switch that could be used for Pad-mounted transformers? Thank you in advance.

Dennis

More details? Can you be more specific? What do you want to switch?

Is this what you are looking for?
http://www.chickenswitch.com/

Remote Switch for Pad-Mounted Transformers? I am assuming at this point that you are wanting to remotely de-energize a pad mounted transformer.

For that you could use:
Dip pole fuses or hookstick switches if the secondary is unloaded.
Ground operated pole monted 3 phase load break switch.
Pole mounted - electrically operated oil switch.
Pole mounted - electrically operated vacuum switch.
Or a few other slight vatiations of essentially the same concept.

Or are you meaning something to operate a transformer that either has a local primary switch, sec. breaker, or bayonet fuse? You could use a "shotgun" or switch stick.

Or did I totally misunderstand the question?

Alan

You are not the only one confused, that could be dozens of different things he is talking about, good thing is thee is a remote switching solution for everything.

You may want to look at what CBSArcsafe has to offer for remote operation of switches, their product comes with several adapters and I am sure they would make a custom adapter to suit your needs.

CBSArcsafe is now available in Canada as well as the USA.

Regards;
Terry Becker, P.Eng.
www.esps.ca

Thank you for your replies. I appologize for being gone so long. The situation is that on a wind farm we are required to switch the padmount (with the high side switch manufactured into the unit) far to often. Typical transformer on a wind turbine is 34.5KV primary to 600V on the secondary. If there were a remote switch similar to the chicken switch we would use this instead of an insulated shotgun stick.

What is the transfomrer manufacturer and type/model?

Look for motor operated load break switches, probably vacuum. Maybe from Trayer or S&C.

Sorry for not being clear gentlemen. The transformers are GE,ABB, Powell, Cummings etc. I am not looking to change the installation by adding switches I was looking for something portable similar to a chicken switch. One of our technicians heard rumor of a switch like this so I have been checking into it. I am begining to believe that it does not exist.
If such a switcher does exist we will purchase some for our technicians. I have seen to many pad mounted transformers rapidly disassemble on wind farms. I would hate for one of our technicians to be switching when this happens.
By the way the secondary voltage on a GE Wind Turbine is 575 phase to phase instead of 600. Many turbines have grid connection voltages close to 600 volts.


Thank you again.

Sorry, I missed the fact you already had a switch, and not just load break elbows. Ask the manufacturers if they can provide motor operators for these switches. Unless you standardized on one type of switch, you will probably need devices from each manufacturer.

What causes the "disassembly?"

The "rapid disassembly" can have several possible causes. I have seen winding to case shorts, improper sizing to production or load (a 1.5 megawatt machine can have short production burst up to 1.8 during gusting winds), crowbar protection of power electronics(can equal 4 times rated torque on gen.) and many wind turbine grid connection points (secondary) completely destroyed. The typical layout is a row of turbines sharing the same 34.5KV circuit from the substation. If there is a secondary short circuit the relay protection at the substation may not see it due in part to the rest of the turbines on a "row" feeding the short circuit with their production.

As for the switches from manufacturers I have yet to see one that was not approximately 45 degree travel.

Thanks again.

We make remote switching devices for those.

The transformers should be able to withstand that level of fault short term. Sounds as though you need more/different, or just need to install some protection on the secondary to clear the defective unit when there is a problem.

I would think that would be cheaper than replacing transformers, and much safer!

I agree on the secondary protection. However the company I work for does not own any of the windfarms we are a service provider. The rate of expansion in wind is incredible and the collection system does not get the attention that it should.
Consider that most companies currently building wind projects are broken in to two parts. You have the construction side and the Operations side. The construction side has a seperate budget with a different agenda than the operations side.
For the construction side the turbines cost X, the installation cost X, they do not have the abilty to take money off of the cost of the turbine. They can cut some on installation but due to weather and other issues this can go over budget. What is left to play with on the money side? The collection system. Sad but true because the collection system is the lifeline of the operations side. It does not matter how reliable your turbines are. If the collection system is not reliable then your production ability pays the price.

I am now working in the wind farm group at my company and came across your forum. We had a EPC company conduct an arc flash study and they said thatall the PPE values (ETAP) were "dangerous", initially i was shocked but i conducted the study myself in SKM and basically came up with the same conclusion. The working distance we used was 18" since our padmount xfmrs require us to open the lv side (575) to get to the hv side (34.5) to operate the hook switch. in order to open a pmt we have to shut down the collector sub and the Plant Manager indicates that this is unacceptable in addition to the fact that the fdr bke is not designed for multiple operations. I am presently trying to see if i can apply the Directional INST element in the SEL 351 Relay. Obviously there are scenarios that must be looked at for this case. Have you looked into this?