Technical Information > Power Plant Maintenance
This page contains a list of Facilities Instructions, Standards, & Techniques (FIST) manuals published by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Items in this section:
- Mechanical Maintenance
- Electrical Maintenance
- Maintenance of Power Circuit Breakers & Power Circuit Breaker Problems
- Miscellaneous Electrical Volumes II
- General Maintenance
Mechanical Maintenance
- FIST Volume 2-1, Alignment of Vertical Shaft Hydro Units (USBR, rev. 2000) 1.32MB
The proper alignment of a vertical shaft hydrounit is critical to trouble free operation. A misaligned unit cannot only cause the premature failure of bearings, but through excessive vibration, cause wear and stress on other machine components as well. Unscheduled outages caused by misalignment can, in most cases, be avoided if the machinery is aligned correctly initially. The purpose of this document is to provide the reader with enough information to align a vertical shaft hydrounit within acceptable limits.
- FIST Volume 2-2, Field Balancing Large Rotating Machinery (USBR, 1994) 1.53MB
This bulletin is intended as a guide to aid plant maintenance personnel in balancing large rotating machinery. The objective of balancing is to reduce shaft vibration to a practical minimum. Reducing shaft vibrations generally reduces bearing loads and increases the service life.
- FIST Volume 2-4, Lubrication of Powerplant Equipment (USBR, 2004) 1.35MB
This document discusses lubrication fundamentals, lubricant characteristics, additives, maintenance of lubrication systems, and the selection of lubricants for common hydro powerplant equipment.
- FIST Volume 2-7, Mechanical Overhaul Procedures for Hydroelectric Units (USBR, 1994) 789kb
Periodically, all hydroelectric generators require a major overhaul. The extent of the work required during an overhaul will depend a great deal on operating conditions such as water quality and how the unit was loaded. In order for the overhaul to proceed smoothly and to accomplish all the work required, planning should start well before the overhaul starts.
- FIST Volume 2-8, Inspection of Steel Penstocks and Conduits (USBR, 1996) 470kb
The FERC has recognized the potential for loss of life and damage to the environment as a result of penstock failures. The purpose of this document is to provide inspection and testing guidelines that meet or exceed the FERC mandate and to avoid the occurrence of a penstock failure.
- FIST Volume 2-9, Inspection of Unfired Pressure Vessels (USBR, 2001) 673kb
The purpose of this document is to provide inspection and testing guidelines for unfired pressure vessels that meet or exceed the requirements of ASME/ANSI/NB codes.
- FIST Volume 2-10, Maintenance, Inspection, and Testing of Electric and Hydraulic Elevators (USBR, 2004) 271kb
An overview of requirements for maintenance of elevators at Bureau of Reclamation facilities
Electrical Maintenance
- FIST Volume 3-2, Testing and Maintenance of High Voltage Bushings (USBR, 1991) 122kb
Operating records show that about 90 percent of all preventable bushing failures are caused by moisture entering the bushing through leaky gaskets or other openings. Close periodic inspection to find leaks and making repairs as needed will prevent most outages due to bushing failures.
- FIST Volume 3-3, Electrical Connections for Power Circuits (USBR, 1991) 315kb
Operating experience with high-voltage power systems has shown that defective electrical connections are involved in many circuit or equipment failures. This chapter is designed to be used as a guide in the assembly and preventive maintenance of efficient electrical connections for power circuits.
- FIST Volume 3-6, Storage Battery Maintenance and Principles (USBR, 1997) 3.15MB
The purpose of this section is to outline the duties and responsibilities for routine operation and care of vented lead-acid batteries. Section 2 contains detailed information on lead-acid battery principles.
- FIST Volume 3-7, Painting of Transformers and Circuit Breakers (USBR, 1991) 84kb
Aims to address the misunderstanding which exists regarding the cooling effect that can be obtained by painting transformers.
- FIST Volume 3-8, Field Test Procedure for Protective Relays (USBR, 1991) 902kb
At all new protective relay installations, the relays should be adjusted in accordance with the settings determined for the application, after which, tests should be made to determine if the actual operating characteristics check with the adjustments made.
- FIST Volume 3-9, Methods for Coordinating System Protective Equipment (USBR, 1991) 340kb
A guide to addressing the coordination of more sophisticated protective devices, including fuses, circuit breakers, and relays of various types, with older style devices.
- FIST Volume 3-10, Watt-Hour Meter Maintenance and Testing (USBR, 1992) 1.59MB
The intent of this volume is to provide general information on theory, checks, tests, adjustments, and records which will serve as a simple and convenient ready-reference guide for testing and servicing meters in the field. This volume is confined to the type of watt-hour meter most commonly used on Reclamation power systems - the 2-, 2-1/2-, and 3-element alternating current, induction watt-hour meter rated at 115 volts and 2.5 or 5 amperes used with instrument transformers for metering relatively large blocks of power.
Maintenance of Power Circuit Breakers
& Power Circuit Breaker Problems
- FIST Volume 3-16, Maintenance of Power Circuit Breakers (USBR, 1992) 186kb
The maintenance of circuit breakers deserves special consideration because of their importance for routine switching and for protection of other equipment. Electric transmission system breakups and equipment destruction can occur if a circuit breaker fails to operate because of a lack of preventive maintenance.
- FIST Volume 3-17, Power Circuit Breaker Problems (USBR, 1992)
A compilation of various circuit breaker problems.
Miscellaneous Electrical Volumes II
- FIST Volume 3-18, Replacing Glaze Burned Insulators (USBR, 1991)
It is recommended that damaged or suspected damaged transmission line and station insulators be immediately replaced to reduce the probability of in service failures.
- FIST Volume 3-30, Transformer Maintenance (USBR, 2000) 2.8MB
This document is to provide guidance to Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) powerplant personnel in maintenance, diagnostics, and testing of transformers and associated equipment.
- FIST Volume 3-31, Transformer Diagnostics (USBR, 2003) 2MB
This document is intended to establish recommended practice as well as to give general advice and guidance in testing and diagnosing oil-filled power transformers to establish their condition, identify problems, and provide potential remedies. This document applies to oil-filled power transformers (500 kilovoltamperes [kVA] and larger), owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). Specific technical details are included in other documents which are referenced in this document.
- FIST Volume 3-32, Transformer Fire Protection (USBR, 2005) 299kb
This volume establishes consistent practices for transformer fire suppression systems and provides technical background and references.
General Maintenance
- FIST Volume 4-1A, Maintenance Scheduling for Mechanical Equipment (USBR, 1995) 2.27MB
The main reason for setting up a preventive maintenance program is to prevent unscheduled outages from failure of equipment. Due to the wide variety of equipment in use today, an all encompassing maintenance guide applicable to every piece of equipment is not possible. This publication is intended to provide general information on the maintenance of some of the most common equipment found in power plants.
- FIST Volume 4-1B, Maintenance Scheduling for Electrical Equipment (USBR, 2001) 1.13MB
This document is intended to establish recommended practice, as well as to give general advice and guidance, in the maintenance of electrical equipment owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation. Specific technical details of maintenance are included in other documents which are referenced in this document.