In his recent paper: “When On-Line Monitoring Goes Wrong”, my colleague Terry Krieg spoke very wisely about the wider implementation of transformer main tank monitors, making clear that not only are these devices covering some 80% of the demonstrated insurance risk of a plant, they are only going to deliver a viable and useful result if they are purchased, installed, and implemented suitably (i.e.: alarms set, plan of response in place etc). Fortunately, there is readily-available assistance to hand and LORD Consulting takes pleasure and pride in taking its unique IP in this area to clients Australasian-wide with excellent success in the overall risk minimisation.
Today there are many devices sold as ‘transformer DGA monitors’ but they are by no means equal and in some cases, we are sad to observe, simply unsuited to the role. It is truly a case of ‘buyer beware’ and here too the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ very much applies to the purchase and successful deployment of these devices. Well then, what should one buy to do the job optimally? Firstly, we need to make the observation that there two generic types of monitor sold: ‘Detection’ and ‘Diagnostic’ monitors.