FS300 Power Factor Unit Install at Brick Factory

We were asked to carry out a service of a Power Factor Correction unit at a Brick Factory near Huntingdon, UK, that had no previous service history since its installation in 2011.

During our investigation, we found multiple failures of the internal components including failed capacitor banks, contactors that had welded themselves closed, multiple fuse failures and a high amount of dust and debris inside the cubicle.

Due to the high amount of failures, high levels of dirt and lack of annual servicing we recommend an end-of-life replacement of the PFC panel with a new FS300 Unit.

The new power factor unit would consist of 5 x 50kVAr capacitor stages and 2 x 25kVAr stages allowing for finer correction at lower loads. Incorporating high quality, long-life metallized polypropylene capacitors (480V rated) with over-pressure disconnection devices and discharge resistors fitted.

The unit would also include a built-in 630A load break switch and forced air ventilation.

 

Using the existing power and C.T cables the old unit was stripped down and removed from the site and the new FS300 was placed in the same position as before at the end of the LV panel. When in operation the unit would bring the site’s power factor up from 0.80 indictive to unity with 200kVAr of capacitors in circuit.