Specialist condition monitoring company, WearCheck, is now accredited to perform Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) for transformers following a recent assessment by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS).
The company’s Johannesburg transformer oil testing laboratory now has ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for testing DGA, moisture, acidity, dielectric strength and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Gert Nel, WearCheck’s transformer division manager, outlines the importance of DGA in transformer maintenance: “Dissolved Gas Analysis is used mostly for fault detection in transformers and it is critically important that the analysis is accurate. By analysing the gases dissolved in the transformer’s oil we gain important clues about the health of the transformer. WearCheck is pioneering the way in transformer maintenance in southern Africa, and this SANAS accreditation is a powerful attribute for our laboratories.”
WearCheck transformer technicians Kefilwe Ntshabele (SANAS nominated representative and Technical Signatory) and Tumelo Seobi (laboratory supervisor and SANAS Technical Signatory) with the company’s SANAS certiicate for Dissolved Gas Analysis.
Transformers help to transfer electricity over long distances often playing a key role in the infrastructure of a region and ensuring power supply to cities, industrial plants and other critical users. Therefore, early detection of faults and potential failures is very important. DGA saves transformer operators on avoidable repairs and time and helps avoid greater problems such as an interrupted power supply. It also helps prolong the life of the transformer.
Nel explains the process: “Small amounts of gases are formed in the oil when a transformer is in operation. Using DGA, hidden problems inside the transformer are revealed by detecting the gases in the oil. Some of the common transformer problems and the associated gases include oil overheating (ethane and ethylene), insulation paper overheating (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and acetic acid vapour), air ingress (oxygen and nitrogen), partial discharge (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) and sparking and arcing (methane and acetylene). The early detection of potential transformer faults enables remedial action to be implemented, averting major failures.
Case study
Nel give the example of a WearCheck client that had only requested moisture/dielectric/ acidity (M/A/D) results over the years and when the very first DGA was done, a critical error showed up. The DGA indicated an actual internal electrical problem, but the client wasn’t convinced and even did two oil changes in 24 months, hoping this would solve the problem. However, changing the oil did not fix the problem. All it did was remove evidence of the problem. The actual electrical fault was still present in the transformer and a new trend was then required after the oil was changed.
In this case, the DGA was indicative of an actual fault and the oil changes did not fix the fault. This is very important, as many clients only test for (moisture/ dielectric (M/D) and not the full DGA analysis. Eventually, the client made the decision to include all tests in its ongoing maintenance plan and took the recommended remedial action to fix the electrical fault.
From solar to water, onsite plants are the next big industrial resilience shift
News
South African industrial operators who secured their energy supply with onsite solar generation now face the same imperative with water. Robert Erasmus of Sanitech argues that onsite water treatment is the next essential pillar of business continuity.
Read more...Electrostatic spark discharge – when static strikes back Wearcheck
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
WearCheck technical manager, Steven Lumley explains how static electricity accumulates in modern low-conductivity lubricants, why compact system designs and fine filtration make ESD more likely, and how to recognise the degradation it leaves behind.
Read more...When maintenance-system compliance starts replacing plant reliability Wearcheck
Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
WearCheck ARC division manager, Annemie Willer argues that the greatest threat to effective maintenance is no longer a lack of technology, but the gradual replacement of technical judgement by CMMS compliance, leaving no one owning the machine.
Read more...From the editor's desk: Pushing engineering to the limit Technews Publishing
News
Among the many things robots can do, it’s a lot of fun to follow how fast they are. They go from the Boston Dynamics cheetah, which first reached a record-breaking speed of 45,5 km/h, to the robot Charlie ...
Read more...Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric's Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme for energy and industrial tech startups.
Read more...VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026 VEGA Controls SA
News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.
Read more...Sustainable solutions for sugar Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
News
BMG received a Special Commendation Exhibition Stand Award at the South African Sugar Technologists’ Association Congress, where it showcased an integrated turnkey drive solution designed to simplify the upgrading of ageing crushing-mill drive systems.
Read more...Measure, Manage, Maintain: The operating model behind SA’s water resilience Siemens South Africa
News
South Africa’s growing water crisis is putting pressure on infrastructure, municipalities and the economy. Siemens highlights how digital technologies, smarter operations and safe water reuse could help shift the country from crisis response towards a more resilient and sustainable water future.
Read more...VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026 VEGA Controls SA
News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.
Read more...Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version