A unit of AKRIBIS One

Control-Cabinets

Control Cabinets

Custom transformer control cabinets help utilities become more efficient, economical, and safe. Each transformer control cabinet is customized to meet the needs of the user. Consistent components, layout, and wiring in each cabinet across all brands of transformers make the maintenance crew’s job easier. Control Cabinets are also referred to as control cubicles in Australia and other regions.

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Control Cabinets

Overview

Why Use One Supplier for All Your Transformer Control Cabinets?

Using a single supplier for custom transformer control cabinets eliminates the hassle of coordinating multiple vendors, reduces errors introduced when design intent passes between companies, and gives you single-point accountability that avoids project delays and excess installation costs.

As your control cabinet manufacturer, we would be responsible for:

  • Monitoring and control logic
  • Support at the transformer factory
  • On-site commissioning of the system
Control Cabinets

How Does Dynamic Ratings Support OEMs During Factory Testing?

Dynamic Ratings manufactures control cabinets with all instruments needed for factory testing, fully configured for the specific transformer prior to shipment, and provides direct support to the OEM throughout that process. If you consider the volume of cabinets placed across all transformer OEMs, it is cost justifiable to fully integrate the products, eliminate redundant components and make the system more cost efficient and reliable.

Transformer OEMs have their own standardized components and designs. It is often easier for them to utilize their own standards and add in additional customer specific components over the top of their standard design without truly integrating the equipment. If they are only building one transformer, this makes sense as the engineering cost outweighs the benefit of simplifying the design. But if you need more than one transformer, it is justifiable to standardize the system.

Control Cabinets

How Do Custom Control Cabinets Standardize Designs Across Transformer OEMs?

Since every transformer OEM uses its own standard design, utility engineers can spend significant time reviewing each new cabinet individually. With a dedicated control cabinet supplier, engineers instead review and approve one standard design, which all future transformers then follow supported by a Customer Requirements Document that tracks construction and instrument programming details with revision control.

Control Cabinets

How Do Custom Control Cabinets Simplify Future Support?

Control cabinet instruments and sensors designs are tracked by Dynamic Ratings with reference to the serial number of the transformer. Once commissioned, the substation name is added to the records. If there is ever a need to locate “all control cabinets that have the following component or setting or logic or …” this detail can be easily retrieved.

Can Custom Control Cabinets Make Retrofits Easier?

Old transformers that are being updated to add monitoring or need new control cabinets installed due to aging wiring can utilize the same common control cabinet. Often it will be cheaper and easier to replace the complete control cabinet instead of adding new cabinets and interconnecting the new monitoring equipment. In place of complicated wiring diagrams that are redlined with all the changes, new drawings would provide better accuracy, while avoiding much of the consulting engineer cost.

Control Cabinets

How Does Dynamic Ratings Protect Control Cabinet Instruments During Transit and Testing?

Because there’s a window of vulnerability during transit and factory transformer testing, Dynamic Ratings builds and ships an identical, certified “clean” set of instruments to swap in once the transformer reaches the customer site — while the original instruments are cleaned and held ready to support the next order in sequence.

Control Cabinets

Security

Help Control Your Supply Chain with Custom Transformer Control Cabinets

Managing the supply chain for digital equipment is a concern for a growing number of utilities. NERC CIP-013 addresses many aspects of supply chain risk management. However, digital equipment can be often overlooked when assessing supply chain management.

We will:

Support the OEM: Dynamic Ratings manufactures the control cabinets with all of the instruments needed for factory testing. All of the instruments are configured as needed for that transformer prior to shipment and Dynamic Ratings provides any support for the OEM.

Secure the Device: Dynamic Ratings will provide a second set of pre-configured instruments to the end utility for their security testing. Once the security testing is completed, these instruments will be brought to the job site by the utility.

Reclaim and Prepare for the next: Dynamic Ratings will reclaim the transformer factory test controls (bringing them back for use with the next transformer order) and will install the security verified instruments.

Control Cabinets

FAQ

What is a transformer control cabinet?

A transformer control cabinet houses monitoring, control, communications, and protection equipment required to operate and monitor transformer assets.

What equipment is typically installed in a transformer control cabinet?

Control cabinets may contain monitoring devices, communications equipment, cooling controls, protection systems, power supplies, and networking hardware.

Control Cabinets

Why choose a turnkey transformer control cabinet?

A turnkey solution provides a single point of responsibility for design, manufacturing, testing, integration, and support.

Can Dynamic Ratings provide custom control cabinets?

Yes. Dynamic Ratings designs and manufactures control cabinets tailored to customer, transformer, and project requirements.

What are the benefits of a standardized control cabinet design?

Standardization simplifies engineering reviews, future maintenance, support, and fleet consistency.

Can control cabinets be used for retrofit projects?

Yes. Dynamic Ratings supports retrofit and refurbishment projects to modernize existing monitoring and control systems.

How does a control cabinet simplify transformer monitoring?

The cabinet creates a central location for monitoring devices, communications systems, and control functions, simplifying installation and operation.

What communications options are available in Dynamic Ratings control cabinets?

Cabinets can incorporate communication technologies such as DNP, Modbus, and 61850, that support utility networks, SCADA systems, and remote monitoring platforms.

How do control cabinets support asset management programs?

They provide the infrastructure necessary to connect monitoring technologies, collect data, and support condition-based asset management strategies.

Documents

  • E3

    E3 Transformer Monitor

    The E3 Transformer Monitor is a comprehensive, customizable solution for transformer asset management. Use data to smart decisions.