Electrical Panel Maintenance Checklist

1. General Safety

• Verify panel is properly grounded/earthing system intact.
• Confirm LOTO (Lockout-Tagout) is applied before maintenance.
• Wear appropriate PPE (gloves, safety glasses, insulated tools).
• Ensure area is clean, dry, and well ventilated.

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2. Visual Inspection

• Check panel doors, hinges, and interlocks.
• Inspect for dust, dirt, or moisture accumulation.
• Look for signs of overheating, burning smell, or arcing.
• Inspect for corrosion, rust, or water ingress.
• Verify that all warning labels and nameplates are visible.

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3. Mechanical Condition

• Tighten all accessible bolts, screws, busbar joints, and cable terminations.
• Check busbar supports and insulation condition.
• Inspect gaskets and seals (to prevent dust/water entry).
• Operate switches, breakers, and handles to ensure smooth operation.

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4. Electrical Condition

• Measure insulation resistance (IR test) with a megger.
• Perform contact resistance test of breakers and busbars.
• Check continuity of control and protection circuits.
• Verify panel incoming & outgoing cables are firmly clamped.

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5. Protection Devices

• Test circuit breakers (MCCB, ACB, VCB, MCB) for correct operation.
• Check fuses for rating and condition.
• Verify overload, short-circuit, and earth fault protection.
• Test relay settings and tripping functions.
• Confirm trip circuits and alarms are operational.

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6. Metering & Instrumentation

• Check voltmeters, ammeters, and frequency meters.
• Verify CTs and PTs are working correctly.
• Calibrate meters and energy monitoring devices.
• Inspect indicator lamps and mimic diagrams.

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7. Functional Checks

• Test control switches (local/remote operations).
• Check interlocks between breakers.
• Verify emergency stop and manual trip functions.
• Test panel annunciation/alarm system.

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8. Thermal & Infrared Scan

• Perform IR thermography to detect hot spots.
• Record abnormal temperature rise in joints, cables, or breakers.
• Tighten or replace overheated connections.

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9. Cleaning

• Clean dust using vacuum/blower (avoid wet cleaning inside panel).
• Wipe control devices, meters, and relay covers with dry cloth.
• Ensure ventilation grills/filters are clean.

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10. Final Checks

• Restore all covers and safety barriers.
• Ensure all tools/materials are removed from the panel.
• Close panel door securely.
• Energize the panel and verify normal operation.
• Record all maintenance results in the logbook.

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✅ Tip: Perform quarterly thermography, half-yearly IR tests, and annual preventive maintenance for best reliability.