What to Expect from Enercon's Field Service & Preventative Maintenance
Servicing gensets, control panels, and other equipment is key to maintaining its rated capacity and working condition. Field service and preventative maintenance are revenue protection activities that prolong the life of said equipment and minimize the potential for losses due to equipment downtime, replacement needs, and regulatory breaches.
To further explain what field servicing and preventative maintenance entail, we interviewed one of our field service managers to gain greater insight into the processes. This first part of the interview will delve into the technical aspects of field servicing, including the scheduling process, what's checked for on-site, and the warranties and documentation included.
What is the process for scheduling a field service?
Service can be divided into three categories: emergency services, scheduled maintenance service or training as part of their Preventative Maintenance and Inspection Program (PMIP), and startup and commissioning.
Emergency services are usually initiated with a phone call to either our receptionist, a direct phone call to our Service Manager, a direct phone call to a Service Technician who previously supported them, an email to anyone on the team, or, in a worst-case scenario, a phone call to our after-hours emergency line, which is then noted, and the Service Manager is called with the details and will return the call (24/7).
From there, we qualify the request and decide if it can be quickly addressed with phone support. Sometimes, it is as simple as an operator misunderstanding the operation and just needing to be walked through a process, but at other times, it will require an in-person site visit or sending a replacement component. Once we know the old Enercon job number, we will create a PDF of the schematics and assign the phone support to a tech.
We will review the issue’s complexity, location, and tech availability and then schedule a call or visit based on that information.
Most service calls require a PO to dispatch a technician, but we have strong relationships and history with many customers. We understand that the paperwork required to procure a PO could take days and really delay essential work. Due to those strong relationships, a written email confirmation of the request will suffice until a PO is sent later. The customer’s needs always come first. We are here to provide a solution, not add to their problems.
If it is not an emergency dispatch, we will prepare a time and material proposal. This gives the customer a budget number. During a conversation with the customer, we will schedule a technician and date that works with both Enercon’s schedule and the customer’s schedule. Sometimes, our Service schedule will be modified to support a more critical request.
What are the most common issues you address?
Some issues are more critical than others, but all point to something that needs to be addressed. Faults, alarms, and component failures are among the most common problems we deal with as part of our preventative maintenance service.
These can be caused by various mechanical complaints, such as breakers not opening or closing as expected or generators not syncing or operating as expected. In our experience, issues are often brought to light after a severe storm or unexpected power interruption, highlighting what had previously been a failure in waiting.
What’s included in a standard PMIP?
At Enercon, we recommend a service package of checks annually as part of a Preventative Maintenance and Inspection Program or PMIP. Most regular checkups and preventative maintenance programs feature a wide variety of visual and mechanical checks, including:
Inspection of all enclosure doors, hinges, and latches
Visual inspection of circuit breaker assemblies, mounting, and operating mechanisms
Inspecting all disconnects and fuses
Inspecting all wiring for worn, broken, or loose wires
Inspecting batteries and chargers – measuring battery voltage and cleaning corrosion
Testing panel indicator lights
Verifying operation of human machine interfaces (HMI)
If the system is de-energized, we will visually inspect bus-work connections for visible damage, looking for thermal damage on insulating parts and connections
Visual inspection for water damage
General housekeeping – wiping down all exposed surfaces and vacuuming spaces
Once these visual checkups and general area cleaning are completed, we test the system’s operational capacity. This includes:
Starting and running generator(s)
Checking panel meters
Checking and running synchronizers
Ensuring automatic operation of generator
Starting engine and circuit breaker closure upon remote start
Checking engine cooldown times and operation of switches, governors, and voltage regulators.
Verifying Alarm, Pre-Alarm, and Shutdown set points and lights
Initiating automatic system test – verifying sequence of operations and proper system performance
Synchronizing and closing genset (switchgear) circuit breakers
Initiating load shed – manually initiating load shed and observing operation (if applicable)
We also inspect the digital equipment in the system, such as:
Inspecting and operating all controllers and microprocessors.
Viewing the fault and alarm history, verifying the program, configuration, and EPROM
Replacing PLC batteries, if applicable
As part of the PMIP, we will report any discrepancies, note the evidence of additions or alterations to the original installation, and provide a quote for recommended spare parts. We may also include standup re-training or demonstration of operations to personnel.
What technologies do your maintenance teams require or bring to site visits?
Our standard gear includes meters, computers, cables, and tools, but we will also bring smaller replacement parts like relays and fuses. Our techs' computers are also loaded with the latest software to connect to most Enercon-supplied programmable components.
We travel with all required PPE, including safety shoes and glasses, hearing protection, hard hats, and, if required, an arc-flash suit, gloves, and helmet.
What kind of warranty is included on maintenance or repairs?
Our standard warranty on parts is 12 months. If we use a gently used part from our Service stock, the warranty on that part will be less, but it will be stated in writing on the quote.
Do you provide extensive documentation on the completion of maintenance/servicing?
All Service trips are followed by a detailed service report completed by the lead Enercon technician at the site. Detailed inspection reports follow all PMIPs. All site evaluations are followed by reports to the applicable Sales, Application, and/or Engineering team.
Conclusion
For our services team, there are three types of field service trips: startup and commissioning of a system, scheduled trips as part of a PMIP, and emergency services. Depending on the type of visit, the operation's technical needs will vary. Scheduled PMIP visits check on several features, visual, mechanical, and digital, to check for potential faults and replace parts where necessary.
Whatever kind of service visit, it’s all part of a model focused on revenue protection, ensuring machines stay safe and functional, prolonging equipment lifespans and minimizing downtime. In the second part of this feature, we will examine the particular jobs and activities of our service teams and how they fit into our overall operations across a system's entire lifecycle.
Contact us to learn more about our services team and how they can help your business meet regulatory and other requirements.
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