Capacitor Bank Field Inspection

Field inspection template for distribution and substation capacitor banks, focused on fuse condition, can swelling or bulging, enclosure integrity, controls, switching operation, and visible safety deficiencies.

Inspection Setup and Safety Controls

• Inspection location and equipment identification recorded
  Record substation or feeder location, capacitor bank ID, voltage class, and asset tag.
• Work area is safe to approach and free of immediate hazards
  Verify no exposed energized parts, arc-flash boundary issues, standing water, wildlife hazards, or other immediate hazards are present.
• Required PPE is available and in use
  Confirm PPE appropriate to the task and site conditions is worn, including electrical PPE as required by the job hazard assessment.
• Lockout-tagout or switching clearance verified when required
  Confirm the capacitor bank is in the correct safe state for the inspection and that any required clearance, switching order, or LOTO is in place.

External Condition of Capacitor Bank

• Capacitor cans show no bulging, swelling, or deformation
  Inspect each visible can for bulging, doming, swelling, or other deformation indicating internal failure.
• No evidence of oil leakage, residue, or staining
  Check for oil seepage, wet spots, residue, or discoloration on cans, racks, pads, or enclosure surfaces.
• Fuses are intact and show no signs of overheating or damage
  Verify fuse links, holders, and associated hardware are intact, properly seated, and free of discoloration, melting, or rupture.
• Bushings, insulators, and terminations are clean and undamaged
  Look for cracks, chips, tracking, contamination, corrosion, or loose terminations on visible insulating components.
• Enclosure, frame, and mounting hardware are secure and undamaged
  Check for bent panels, missing fasteners, loose supports, rust-through, or other enclosure damage.

Controls, Indicators, and Switching Operation

• Control cabinet is secure and free of water intrusion
  Inspect the control cabinet, seals, door, and gasket condition for evidence of moisture, corrosion, or pest intrusion.
• Control power, status lights, and alarms indicate normal operation
  Verify control power is present and that status lights, alarms, or annunciators do not indicate a fault, lockout, or abnormal condition.
• Automatic controller settings are correct for the bank application
  Record the observed controller setpoints or operating mode and note whether they match the approved operating plan.
• Switching operation completes normally
  If switching is performed or observed, confirm the capacitor bank energizes and de-energizes without abnormal noise, hesitation, chatter, or failure to operate.
• Switch position and indication match actual bank status
  Verify visible switch position, indicator flags, and control indication agree with the actual energized or de-energized condition.

Connections, Grounds, and Housekeeping

• Visible connections are tight and free of overheating evidence
  Inspect accessible lugs, jumpers, and terminations for looseness, discoloration, arcing marks, or thermal damage.
• Grounding conductors and bonds are intact
  Verify visible ground leads, bonds, and connections are present, secure, and not damaged or disconnected.
• Area around the capacitor bank is clear of debris and vegetation
  Confirm the immediate area is free of trash, conductive debris, excessive vegetation, and obstructions that could affect access or cooling.

Deficiencies and Follow-Up

• Deficiencies documented with location and severity
  List each deficiency, affected component, observed condition, and whether it is critical or requires immediate outage planning.
• Corrective action assigned
  Select the next action required for the identified deficiency.
• Inspector signature
  Inspector attestation that the inspection was completed accurately.