Project Description
Overview:
A high-profile water supplier contacted the Gibbons support team with an urgent request for emergency engineers on-site, after discovering that a room containing two control panels had been inadvertently flooded. The water had caused significant damage to the variable-speed drives and other components inside the control panel.
Solution:
Two Gibbons Engineers were immediately sent to the site in Watton, Norwich to assess the situation and plan the work. The on-site engineers had already bypassed the system and dried the panels making it safe for the work to be carried out. Our engineers began replacing vital components including two ACS810 variable-speed drives. The new VSDs installed are ABB ACQ580s that control scour pump feeders at the water treatment site. Other components were also supplied by Gibbons including replacement relays and cooling fans for the panel enclosure.
The Gibbons engineers would regularly fault-find throughout the process to assess the severity of the damage to the panel and various faults were rectified. The VSDs were also tested and fully commissioned to make sure no problems occur in the future. The urgent nature of the emergency callout meant that time was of the essence but as Gibbons stock a wide range of ABB products and spare parts, this meant that the team could complete the work quickly.
Challenges:
Besides the flood damage there had been historical condensation and corrosion damage to components within the panel which made the fault-finding process difficult. Further challenges such as the need for an additional main control transformer, were promptly sourced on the second day, and both VSD panels were restored to full functionality by midday.
Conclusion:
The urgent nature of the repair underscored Gibbons’ commitment, mobilising resources swiftly to minimise downtime and ensure the site’s operational continuity. Future recommendations include ongoing panel maintenance to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
By addressing the immediate flood damage and underlying issues, Gibbons Engineers demonstrated their capability in emergency repairs and maintenance support.
