Siemens 8DJH-36 36kV Ring Main Unit shown with ring switch, fused panel and circuit breaker

Back in July 2017, we took to the road seeing customers between Kaitaia and Invercargill with a 36kV 8DJH. That panel showed a circuit breaker and ring switch. We are doing this again in September but this time with a special demo unit with circuit breaker, fused switch and ring switch. The demo unit is cut open at front and back allowing customers to see the internal switching mechanisms of all panels.

In comparison to primary 1000 A rated equipment, the 8DJH-36 is a highly cost-effective range which now includes several predefined, lower cost, single SF6 gas block configurations. These include the versatility to allow future extensions of panels to the left or right-hand side.

The 8DJH-36 is rated 36 kV (20 kA 3 sec) with a bus current rating of 630 A. The range includes:

• Ring switches
• Cable to bus panels
• Transformer fused T-offs
• Circuit breakers
• Air-insulated billing/metering panels – arc rated (with option for cable connection left, right or both)
• Bus section
• Ability for VTs to be mounted in the switchgear panel (a special extra panel for VT’s is not required)
• Automation for remote control – including earth switches if desired

The 8DJH-36 is being used for outdoor-to-indoor conversion of 33 kV switching stations locally in New Zealand, and for mobile substations. For many of New Zealand’s smaller substations, where a 630 A rating is sufficient, 8DJH-36 offers considerable savings in capital cost compared to traditional primary switchgear.

An outdoor enclosure option provides even more possibilities for the 8DJH-36 to be used in outdoor substation refurbishments. See the Siemens website for further 8DJH-36 information.

Siemens DIGSI 5 web server fault recorder remote engineering access

SIPROTEC 5 relays running firmware version 7.9 or later can have a web server enabled on any of their Ethernet interfaces. Via the DIGIS 5 setting file, the web interface must be enabled with read only or read/write access selected. Password protection can also be applied.

The web server then allows a connection to be made to the relay using a normal web browser (Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and others).

Web functions provided by the server include the ability to:

• Monitor measured values and status point
• Read or update existing setting values
• Download log files in CSV format
• Download fault records in CFG format

Item 2 will be of particular interest to technicians during commissioning, as it allows a setting value to be changed without the need to reload the entire setting file and the restart that normally results.

The web server offers an alternative method to access information from the SIPROTEC 5 relays, without the use of DIGSI 5 software. We have published DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0022 to briefly describe this tool (The information in V7.9 of the SIPROTEC 5 Operating Manual is very good, especially with regard to security options).

With this new web server and other features/changes with DIGSI 5 V7.9 software we have updated Quick Notes:

• DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0004 – DIGSI 5 versions, Firmware and Device Driver versions
• DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0008 – Get Setting & Fault Records from a relay
• DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0009 – DIGIS 5 connection via Ethernet
• DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0010 – All about Short and Long Codes
• DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0017 – Changing a Project from being plug-and-play
• DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0019 – Loading firmware

DIGSI 5 Version 7.9 new "connect to device"

With DIGSI version 7.9, there is a simplified method available when connecting to a relay via Ethernet. Rather than having a setting file with the IP address loaded, or scanning an Ethernet port, the new ‘Connect to device’ option allows a specific device IP address to be entered for an immediate connection.

See page 8 of ‘DIGSI 5 Quick Note 0008 – Get Setting & Fault Records from a relay' for an example. This can be found in the Protection section of our website Technical Library.

Tekron Configuration Tool (V4.5.1.0)

Version 4.5.1.0 of the Tekron configuration tool has recently been released. This provides a few bug fixes applicable for Transpower applications. There is a range of other minor new features and fixes, detailed in the Release notes. Please use 4.5.1.0 for any setting changes on Tekron TCG 01-E/G and NTS 03-G clocks.

A new tool is available to help with the TCG 01-E. If the clock has been set to gain its IP address from a DHCP server, but it cannot discover a server, it reverts to an IP address of 0.0.0.0. However, that is an IP address that can’t be reached – so the TCG 01-E DHCP recovery tool is available to help should you encounter that.

Please see this Tekron web page to access the:

• Tekron Configuration tool
• Tekron Configuration tool manual
• Tekron release notes
• TCG 01-E DHCP Recovery tool

The Tekron Configuration tool has a schedule feature, which allows a connected laptop to record a long term-view of satellite reception. The recommendation is to undertake a 12-hour survey – being one full rotation/sweep of GPS satellites. The survey should be part of your commissioning to check for good satellite visibility. We also recommend repeating this every couple of years to confirm that new nearby buildings, tree growth, or other rooftop-mounted equipment is not obstructing the GPS antenna view since the last check.

The survey allows ‘blank spots’ in the GPS reception to be identified and average signal strength to be checked to confirm optimum antenna placement.

Tekron GPS antenna view