Amp Up Your Knowledge: How Industrial Switchboards Simplify Power Distribution

 Found in every home, office, building block and manufacturing facility, electricity is part of every single aspect of our lives. This being the case, switchboards are also present in every building as it's one of the main components of an electrical installation. This component is responsible for the distribution of electrical power within any plant or household.

When it comes to the former, switchboards are even more complex since they also control the level of power sent to each outlet and power point. You'll find a switchboard typically close to the entrance of a manufacturing facility.

What Does a Switchboard Contain?

Switches

As their name suggests, power switchboards are made up of mainly switches. These switches are what allow you to shut off and power on certain outlets or a group of them. The more switches you have the more control an industrial electrical switchboard lets you have over the power in your facility.

Busbars

What helps keep the appliances and equipment in your home fault-free are strips of copper and aluminium in a switchboard. Known as busbars, they're able to transfer high electrical current inside the switchboard and de-energise equipment by connecting to a relay. Busbars are what keep your electric switchboard working properly.

Circuits

What helps control the flow of electricity to outlets and works together with switches is a circuit. There are many circuits inside a switchboard and they're paramount when it comes to servicing an outlet or a piece of equipment.

Types of Switchboards

General-Purpose

The most widespread switchboard is a general-purpose switchboard and as you'd expect from its name it can be found in both industrial and commercial settings. These switchboards come with a protected case circuit breaker, formed case circuit brakes metering and surge protection as well as combined switches.

Draw-Out

The next step up from general-purpose switchboards is to go with draw-out moulded case switchboards. These types of switchboards may look and function the same as general-purpose switchboards but they have one notable advantage. They're able to draw out power for at least one feeder breaker in the switchboard, hence why draw-out switchboards are often used in healthcare and data centers.

Fusible

A fusible industrial switchboard is made to protect the switch feeder and its branch circuits. That's thanks to the use of a switching contact structure that comes with a rapid trip element. This is why fusible switchboards are commonly found in service centres as well as industrial plants.

IFS

When an electric switchboard is part of an integrated facility system it's referred to as an IFS switchboard. These types of power switchboards are not only able to transmit electrical power but they're also able to work with automatic transfer switches, low-voltage transformers and uninterruptible power supplies.

Commercial Metering

A switchboard that combines meter sockets, circuit breakers and surge protection in one is known as a commercial metering switchboard. These power switchboards are used in a wide range of applications such as office buildings, shopping centres and large industrial manufacturing plants as they provide both metering and power distribution in one.

When to Upgrade a Switchboard

Age

The age of your facility is a key factor when it comes to upgrading a switchboard. In case the building you're in is more than 2 decades old you should consider checking the condition of your switchboard as it's likely that it may need a switch or two replaced.

Wiring

When it comes to the wiring of a switchboard you should check if it's grey or black. If the wiring has any of the two colours it it's in need of a replacement as soon you may start to experience issues with your switchboard. The abundance of wiring in your switchboard can also signify that you need an upgrade especially if the switchboard is overcrowded.

Sparks

Sparks may not fly out of your switchboard but they can come from your outlets which is a sign of a faulty switchboard. You may only need to change a switch or a circuit breaker but that shouldn't make act carelessly about the whole situation. You're better off doing preventative maintenance than applying fixes after the fact.

Noise

A switchboard that's in dire need of an upgrade is one that makes buzzing and sizzling noises. This means that something is not working properly or isn't connected the right way which is why you need to call an electrician as soon as possible since issues can start to arise left and right in this case.

Fuses

In the olden days of switchboard fuses, ceramic rewireable fuses were used instead of circuit breakers. If this is still the case with your current switchboard you should switch to circuit breakers right away as these fuses make use of copper wires which are a safety hazard.

Conclusion

What matters most with power distribution is efficiency and safety and switchboards are able to provide both seamlessly. As long as you get the right switchboard for your facility you won't have to worry about a thing.