Is a Switchboard Right for Your Installation?

Power from the power grid that is supplied to industries is not fed directly to gadgets. This power needs to be regulated. That is, it needs to be reduced in voltage or current according to the ratings of the available gadgets. A switchboard, as defined by National Electrical Code , is a panel, large and single, containing protective devices (switches overcurrent), busses and many other instruments. Its core role is to the division of main current to smaller currents.

An industry may have gadgets of varying current and voltage ratings. Instead of buying a step down or step up transformer for each of these gadgets, the switchboard could serve the purpose of reducing current up to the level desired for each gadget. This saves on the cost of buying a step down device or even adaptors for each and every one if gadgets on the industry. switchboards are also designed in a manner to cushion all the connected devices from over-current. This profoundly reduces the risk damage to gadgets in the event of a power surge.

switchboards making monitoring of power supply easy unlike in the case whereby each gadget had its accompanying device that steps down voltage and current to its desired rating. It also makes power problem diagnosis easier to perform. This way, maintenance becomes easy and consequently cheaper. If therefore an industry wants to reduce the cost of purchase and maintenance of the step down devices for individual gadgets, then the switchboard is the way to go.

A switchboard uses insulated copper buses. This minimizes the exposure of anyone one operating it to electrocution. This goes a long way on ensuring the safety of operation in the industry unlike in the event where each gadget is supplied with power from the mains then a step down device. Some industries also have multiple generators providing its power. In such a scenario a switchboard come in handy since it possesses load sharing controls and synchroscope.

Many industries keep expanding with time. It is therefore important to ease further supply of power if need be. A switch board ensures this is accomplished in that in the event of introduction of new loads; all that is needed is the adjustment of supplied current. This would have harder and more expensive in the case each gadget had its own step down device.

Occasions where switchboards need to be used are numerous as illustrated above. This is mostly the case in an industry where close to all its equipment are electrical in nature. Moreover, in the case where the gadgets have large rating variations making it necessary to have a lot of power reductions to achieve to desired ratings. By reducing cost of maintenance and the number of personnel required to offer such services, switchboards conveniently reduce the costs incurred by industries. This is very important in profit maximization. It also enhances safety by reducing exposure to electrocution and therefore industries that consider safety a priority may find switchboards necessary.