UNIVERSITY UPGRADE CASE STUDY

Trinity’s Multi-Panel Solution For A University Switchboard Upgrade

A challenge that many Electrical Contractors and site managers encounter when procuring temporary power equipment is that rental solutions that aren’t standard-issue – for example, those with unusual voltages or configurations – can be hard to find.

Trinity Power meets the challenge of availability head on, with our large network of vendor partners and extensive in-house inventory that allow us to transcend common rental limitations. That’s why clients who require unusual and hard-to-find equipment call us – they know Trinity will find and deliver the best-fit equipment for their project, and customize it to suit their needs.

A recent project at a major Canadian university highlights Trinity’s commitment to delivering what our clients require, regardless of the specifications.

The Client: En Established Multi-Trade Contractor

For over 60 years, this leading North American multi-trade contractor has been providing comprehensive electrical, mechanical and civil services, including construction, retrofit maintenance and emergency response. They support their 1,100 skilled workers with a state-of-the-art computerized tooling and equipment warehouse which allows them to maintain the highest safety and quality standards.

The Challenge: A Small Footprint and a Non-Standard kA Requirement

Our client was upgrading the main low-voltage switchboard at a Canadian university in Ontario and needed to install a temporary panel to keep things running while the switchboard was being replaced.

Complicating the situation was a number of factors: while rental panels typically have low kA ratings, the main temporary breaker on this project would need to have a high kA rating to match the existing system; a standard I-line panel wouldn’t accept the number of breakers required; and the location on site where the temporary equipment had to be placed was too small for the equipment to fit as-is.

Our Approach: A Customized Multi-Panel System

Trinity’s experienced Temporary Power Specialists, along with our extensive inventory of distribution equipment, would be the key to meeting this challenge.

The Trinity team knew right away that a single panel wouldn’t do the job. In order to accommodate the number of breakers required, the best option would be a main panel with two sub-panels. With a quick search of our inventory, we located a unit that met the kA rating requirements for the site. We then worked with our client to remove the equipment from its frames so that it could be maneuvered successfully into the necessary location.

In total, Trinity provided:

• A 3000A 600V I-line panel
• 2 1200A 600V I-line panels
• A 1200A 600V dialable breaker disconnect
• A 1200A main I-line breaker
• 30 more I-line breakers, ranging from 15A to 800A
• 36 50 foot camlok cables

In addition to sourcing the equipment, the Trinity team provided our client with a single-line drawing that clearly indicated the panel and breaker layout. We also managed the freight, which included a truck and forklift to offload and load the equipment on site.

The Result: A Seamless Upgrade

With a solution designed to meet the site’s requirements sourced, customized and delivered by Trinity Power, our client was able to successfully complete their upgrade, while the university was able to conduct the business of education as usual.