What are Switchgear Power Systems?

A switchgear which is also known as a switchgear power system is formed by the combination of fuses, disconnect switches and circuit breakers. It is used to isolate, disconnect and protect different electrical equipment in that specific power system. It is also used in order to cut all sources of electricity to certain equipment in order to allow personals to work on it without the risk of being electrocuted.

It is also used to clear any faults downstream. It is also used to switch buildings automatically from using commercial electric power to generator electric power when there is some sort of a power outage. This makes the switchgear a very vital part that is essential in any power supply system.

This last task, automatically switches buildings from using its power supply to a power supply that is generated happens if one of two situations occurs. Break before make and make before break. To elaborate more on that, we are going to discuss each switch that is used in the two circumstances separately.

First off, the make before break switch. This type of switchgear is used in buildings that canít suffer an interruption of the power supply. There are some buildings that are in need of a continuous and an uninterrupted electric power supply. This is why this switch automatically switches from commercial to generated power supply when the computer senses an upcoming power outage in the commercial power supply.

If the computer senses any indicators of a power outage, the switch gear switches the power supply source even before the outage occurs. This is done in order to avoid the moments between the outage and the usage of the generated power supply. The kinds of buildings that would need a make before break switch are labs, medical facilities and defense organizations.

The second type of switchgear is the break before make switch which is used in buildings such as residences and in business that doesnít not need a continuous electrical power supply. It is used in buildings that will not get harmed if any interruption in the power supply occurs.

This switch is the exact opposite of the make before break switch as it disconnects from the commercial electric power supply and then it connects to the generated electrical power supply.

Some business donít feel the need to maintain or upkeep their emergency generators and switchgear power systems because they do not get used a lot. So they are not considered a priority. This is actually wrong because switchgears can suffer from various things that would cause it to malfunction. This includes dust accumulation, oxidization and the regular tear & wear. This is why it is very essential to maintain and regularly upkeep the switchgear power systems.