Maintenance
A transmitter that has been properly selected for its application and is properly
installed, calibrated, and maintained should have reduced need for repair. A
preventive maintenance program should include the following aspects:
• Calibration checks should be performed to determine what, if any, drift
has taken place and if recalibration is necessary.
• Process connections should be checked for plugging or leakage
The transmitter should be examined for signs of leakage, corrosion, or
damage.
• Part of any good maintenance program involves keeping good records of
which checks have been performed and when.
Troubleshooting
In the case of a suspected transmitter malfunction, the procedures listed in Table
6-1 can assist in isolating the problem and its source. The information is separated
according to three primary malfunction symptoms. Under each symptom,
checking procedures are listed for conditions that could be causing the malfunction.
To troubleshoot, select the symptom most closely resembling the unit’s malfunction
and use the information accordingly. Always deal with the most likely
and easiest-to-check conditions first.
Isolate a failed transmitter from its pressure source as soon as possible. Pressure
that may be present could cause serious injury to personnel if the transmitter is
disassembled or ruptures under pressure.
Pressure and Differential Pressure
Before performing any service
on a working loop, inform
the operator and have
the loop placed in manual
control. Check for any
alarms that may shut down
the process if the level signal
is varied as part of the calibration
or checking.
These transmitters are usually used for clean fluids only, unless combined
with a bubble tube or purge system that keeps the transmitter body clean and free
of solids or plugging media. When troubleshooting these types of transmitters
look for the following problems or follow the suggestions discussed below.
(1) Check the transmitter range and density against the actual conditions.
Many problems are the result of changing the product being measured and
not changing the range of the transmitter to compensate for a different
density or specific gravity of the product.
(2) If the transmitter does not respond to level changes, and if the product is
harmless and under low pressure, open the drain or vent on the body of
the transmitter to purge it of entrapped air or any material that may be
causing the problem. If the product is hazardous, perform these operations
only according to the rules that govern hazardous materials.
(3) Check all purges and process tubing for leaks, plugging, or a closed isolation
valve. Check that purge pressures are at least three pounds above the
process backpressure, which includes any padding or tank pressure.
(4) Check the transmitter location to the bottom level of the tank or vessel,
and if the transmitter is located below the bottom or empty line of the
tank, adjust the transmitter output to read zero when the tank is empty.
(5) When checking calibration of a level transmitter, always set the 100%
level at the overflow of the tank or chest. If the 100% level is set at some
point below the overflow, for an assumed safety margin, the operator will
never be certain of the level readings.
(6) If the operator knows that 100% is not full or overflowing, the tendency is
to let the level exceed 100% at times, and this can cause overflow conditions.
(7) If a differential pressure transmitter is used for the level measurement of a
pressurized tank, a dry or wet leg must be used to compensate for the
pressurization of the tank. If a dry leg is used, it must be kept dry. Extend
the dry leg above the upper tank tap, using ½-to 5/8-inch tubing or 1-inch
pipe, and slope the connecting tubing at least 1 inch per foot to the tap
connection. This will keep any condensation, spray, or slight overfill from
filling the dry leg. Provide a trap on the dry leg, below the transmitter, to
catch any liquid, and drain the trap periodically. If the trap fills too frequently,
the dry leg can be modified by using a 1:1 diaphragm sensor that
isolates the dry leg from the process.
If a wet leg is used, the level of fluid in the wet leg must be kept constant,
or the zero of the level transmitter will change. For this reason it is wise to
supply a capacity or pot at the top of the wet leg, that helps to maintain a
constant level, even if a small amount of liquid is lost. The volume of an
inch of 1-inch pipe or ½-inch tubing is quite small. The pot can provide
more than 100 times the volume of the same section of pipe or tubing.
Also check the filling fluid density (if different from the tank product) and
suppress the transmitter accordingly. Also check that the wet leg is filled
to the top connection. For suppression and elevation definitions, refer to
Chapter 13.
(8) When checking a differential pressure transmitter used on an open tank or
vessel, confirm that the low side of the transmitter is vented to the atmosphere.
Troubleshooting Guide for DP Transmitters
Just like every other equipment, DP transmitters can malfunction while in service. The ability to
troubleshoot and locate the possible cause of malfunction of the transmitter is crucial for easy start
up of the process the malfunctioning DP transmitter may have upset.
When troubleshooting DP transmitters, it is always valuable to consult the manufacturer's manual
for your DP transmitter. By so doing, you should be able to locate the malfunctioning parts of the
transmitter and proffer a remedy immediately. However there are some problems that are common
to most DP transmitters. If you suspect a malfunction, follow the guidelines below to verify that the
transmitter hardware and process connections are in good working condition. Under each of the five
common problems with DP transmitters, you will find specific guidelines/suggestions for solving the
problem. It is wise to always deal with the most likely and easiest problems first.
Please follow the precautions below before and during troubleshooting of your malfunctioning DP
transmitter:
1 Isolate the failed DP transmitter from its pressure source as soon as possible. Pressure that
may be present could cause death or serious injury to technicians or personnel if the
transmitter is disassembled or ruptures under pressure
2 Do not use higher than the specified voltage to check the transmitter loop. This may damage
the transmitter electronics.
3 If there is need to open your DP transmitter while troubleshooting, please follow your
manufacturer's specific guidelines for dis-assembly of your transmitter. If you don't serious
injury or death to personnel may occur or your transmitter may be damaged.
The table below itemizes some common problems with DP transmitters and their possible
remedies:
How To Prepare A Preventive
Maintenance Checklist [Examples
Included]
Checklists can be a great tool to standardize routine tasks that have to be
run regularly. In the same fashion, a preventive maintenance
checklist can be used to streamline a variety of preventive maintenance
tasks.
However, preventive maintenance checklists are only useful if created with
a purpose and include all of the necessary information.
Why do we need preventive maintenance checklists?
Having an official list of steps to follow when conducting a routine
maintenance task has many benefits. Here are the four main ones:
1) Workflow standardization and increased productivity
There are many wrong ways to do a job, but there is only one way to do a
job right in the minimum required time. Outlining steps technicians should
take during a PM improves productivity, helps new people to do the job
properly with minimal supervision, makes it easier for one technician to
jump in and finish the job that someone else started, and, most
importantly, improves the overall quality of work.
2) Improved safety
An effective preventative maintenance schedule avoids equipment failure,
which can represent not only decreased productivity but also workplace
safety risk to employees. In addition, a preventive maintenance checklist
reduces human errors and contains important safety instructions that
minimize the chance of injury.
3) Faster troubleshooting
When you know the maintenance plan of each piece of equipment as well
as who is responsible for it, it becomes easier to identify why something
went wrong. Fewer reasons to account for means less time somebody has
to spend on troubleshooting.
4) Better maintenance planning
Since there is a clear list of steps everyone should follow, it is much easier
to estimate how much time a technician needs to complete their assigned
tasks. This means that a maintenance manager will have an easier time
scheduling and managing maintenance work.
Three things you should do before creating PM checklists
It is very likely that you want to create maintenance checklists as a part of
your preventive maintenance strategy. If that is indeed the case, then most
of these steps should already sound familiar.
1. Create a list of assets that need PMs.If you only have a few assets
in mind for a preventive maintenance checklist, you can skip this
step. For those who plan to create checklists for dozens of assets, it
pays to be strategic and have everything in one place, especially if
you don’t already track them with a CMMS. To read more what
CMMS is check out our What is a CMMS System and How Does it
Work guide.
2. Gather original equipment manufacturer (OEM) manuals. You
don’t need all of them, obviously. Manuals of assets you’re doing PM
checklists for will suffice. 🙂
3. Review asset history. Over time, assets can acquire unique trends
because of frequent breakdowns, use of non-original spare parts for
example. This means that additional predictive maintenance actions
should be taken on top of what is outlined in the OEM manual. Check
your equipment maintenance logs to learn more about it.
Anatomy of a good preventive maintenance checklist
Besides looking at examples (which we will do later), the easiest way to
prepare a good PM checklist is by learning what should be included in one.
Components that make a good PM checklist
1) Preparation details
tools needed to complete the work
spare parts needed to complete the work
estimated time it takes to complete the work
2) Safety details
safety instructions
required personal protective equipment (PPE)
LOTO instructions
3) Visual aids (if necessary)
pictures
diagrams
videos
Of course, besides everything mentioned above, you have to also outline
the actual steps. How those steps should be constructed is what we are
going to cover next.
Characteristics of a good PM checklist
1) The steps are communicated clearly and concisely
Having too much information can be just as confusing as having too little.
Finding the balance can be tricky. In general, a good PM should be simple
enough for a new maintenance technician to follow with minimum
supervision.
Here are some tips to follow:
Avoid writing long paragraphs. It doesn’t look great in a CMMS
(especially on a mobile phone) and it definitely doesn’t look better on
paper (often you don’t even have enough room on a paper sheet for
long explanations). Instead, consider breaking it into multiple short
steps.
If something needs a detailed explanation, consider using a
diagram or a picture instead (and annotate it if necessary).
Every step should have a purpose. If it doesn’t have a purpose, it
probably shouldn’t be included on the checklist in the first place.
Be precise. If an asset has 2 evaporator coils and you have a step
called “check the evaporator coil“, that is obviously not precise
enough. Which one should the technician check? Maybe both? If
they have to ask around, your checklist could be more precise.
2) The steps are laid out sequentially
Step-by-step checklists should always present a list of actions to be
followed in the exact order in which they should be completed.
3) The information is regularly updated
Creating a PM checklist is not something you should just set and forget.
Here are a few reasons why you need to update PM checklists regularly:
field technicians must be suggesting adjustments to optimize the
process – and you should be listening to them.
sometimes an asset breakdown causes an issue that can’t be fully
fixed (i.e. part XY is loose/cracked so a technician needs to be very
careful when removing the casing)
sometimes an asset maintenance plan needs adjustments based on
environment changes (i.e. HVAC transferred in place with more dust
and higher humidity so now the air filter should be replaced every
time as opposed to every other time)
often, there will be new assets coming in and that will require some
updates on the PM checklist
BONUS TIP: When you have your preventive maintenance checklist ready, run it by an
experienced maintenance technician to ensure you didn’t miss/skip a step or two. After
all, they are the ones that have done this task a million times before and know the
specifics of the assets in question. Alternatively, you can ask a senior technician to
create it in the first place.
Examples of preventative maintenance checklists
If you do a simple Google search, you can find quite a few different
variations of preventative maintenance checklists. In the following
examples, we’ll show you a few favorites so you get a better idea of what
will be the best way to do it for your company.
