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Althoff Industries, Inc. Blog

The Vital Role of Switchgear Maintenance for Commercial Businesses

Without switchgear, your commercial facility wouldn’t have power sent to the right equipment and locations in your facility, which would not only harm general efficiency, it could also lead to extensive damage and even safety hazards. 

To ensure that the switchgear in your facility continues to work correctly for many years with few power interruptions, you’ll need to schedule routine maintenance for it from professionals. 

For comprehensive switchgear maintenance services in Chicago, IL, trust to Althoff Industries Commercial. Our team of professionals has more than 60 years of experience working with all types of commercial electrical services in the Chicagoland area. 

What does switchgear do?

Switchgear serves as a central hub that controls and protects electrical circuits and equipment. It plays a pivotal role in regulating the flow of electricity, distributing power to different areas, and safeguarding against electrical faults. Switchgear systems consist of various components that work together to ensure that power is distributed efficiently and safely throughout a facility.

Is switchgear the same as a transformer?

No, although both are important parts of an electrical system. A transformer does the job of changing the voltage entering it (such as direct current) into a different type of voltage for output (such as alternating current), which is necessary for efficient operation. 

What switchgear does is manage the distribution and protection of power in a facility. It’s sort of like a conductor in a trainyard, ensuring that electricity gets sent to the correct equipment and circuits and managing this flow so there are no accidents such as overloads or short circuits. 

The benefits of switchgear maintenance

Any piece of equipment that does as much work as switchgear must have routine inspections, adjustments, and tune-ups. Here are the major benefits you’ll enjoy with regular preventive maintenance for your facility’s switchgear:

  • Reliability: A sudden failure of switchgear can lead to a full shutdown of your business operations. Maintenance inspects the equipment carefully to spot potential repair issues so they can be addressed before you end up with costly downtime. You can relax knowing that you’ll have a continuous power supply.
  • Safety: All large electrical equipment in a commercial environment can pose safety concerns if the equipment isn’t maintained. Safety is a primary concern for our technicians when working with switchgear. We’ll look out for possible electrical faults that can create hazardous overloads. 
  • Efficiency: The wear of time and accumulation of dust will lower the performance of switchgear components if they aren’t given regular attention. During maintenance, we perform cleanings, tightenings, and realignments to ensure the maximum efficiency of your switchgear equipment. 
  • Savings: The combination of improved efficiency, longer service life, and fewer repairs and breakdowns means that maintenance will save you money. This is a service that pays for itself.
  • Compliance: Businesses in Chicagoland must adhere to strict electrical safety regulations. Maintenance from our professionals will ensure that your equipment is code-compliant. We have the extensive knowledge of code requirements necessary to keep your business from facing fines or closures. 

If you’re unsure about when to schedule switchgear maintenance and how often, please contact us today and we’ll help you out. 

Contact Althoff Industries, Inc. to schedule switchgear maintenance and other commercial electrical services. Challenges Accepted!

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