Condition monitoring lets you avoid surprise outages while spending maintenance money where it matters. The challenge is execution. These are the five common failure points—and how to close them.
Every asset has failure modes that call for specific indicators. For transformers, examples include dissolved gases, bushing power factor/capacitance, winding hot-spot temperature, load and tap-changer behavior, and partial discharge (PD). Picking indicators that do not map to likely failure modes leads to noisy data and little action.
The most effective approach involves tying each indicator to a specific failure mode and using platforms that can ingest multiple sensors on the same asset. Systems like QTMS – Qualitrol Transformer Monitoring System excel here because they consolidate DGA, fiber optics, PD, and bushing PF data into a unified view. This integration eliminates the blind spots that come from monitoring individual parameters in isolation.
Technology must match the risk and the physics of the failure mode. Consider the difference between multi-gas online DGA (GC-based) for critical transformers versus single-gas H₂ monitoring for fleet screening, or UHF PD for transformers/GIS versus on-line bushing PF/capacitance for insulation degradation. Mismatched tools reduce sensitivity and delay intervention.
The solution lies in aligning your monitoring technology with both failure mode physics and asset criticality. For instance, Serveron TM8 delivers comprehensive multi-gas analysis for crown-jewel transformers where early detection matters most, while TM1 provides cost-effective single-gas screening across broader fleet populations. Adding targeted Bushing Monitoring or Transformer/GIS PD monitoring on high-impact assets creates layered protection without over-investing in lower-risk equipment.
Sparse coverage or infrequent sampling blinds you to trends and rate-of-change alarms. Critical transformers, GIS, and large motors/generators benefit from continuous monitoring; lower-risk units can be screened with simpler devices to trigger follow-up. For dry-type transformers, dedicated temperature/fan control monitors reduce thermal stress and nuisance trips.
The key is right-sizing your coverage strategy: deploy continuous monitoring on crown-jewel assets while using economical H₂ or submersible single-gas units to screen the wider fleet. This tiered approach ensures nothing falls through the cracks while keeping costs manageable. Plants and data centers particularly benefit from dedicated dry-type monitoring through systems like the Qualitrol 118 Intelligent Transformer Monitor, which prevents thermal damage and reduces unnecessary shutdowns.
Collecting data is not enough. You need baselining, ROC thresholds, cross-sensor correlation, and actionable alarms—plus expert review when patterns are ambiguous. Many operations invest heavily in sensors but neglect the analytics infrastructure that turns raw data into maintenance decisions.
Centralized analytics software with clear dashboards and alarm logic addresses this gap, but human expertise remains crucial for interpreting edge cases and unusual patterns. The most successful programs combine robust Condition Monitoring Software with experienced analysts who can distinguish between normal variations and genuine degradation. When your internal team encounters ambiguous patterns, Xpert Services provides the deep analytical support needed to make confident decisions.
Data-driven alarms that do not lead to planned work add no reliability. Without formalized triggers—such as DGA gas ratios/ROC, bushing PF drift, or PD severity thresholds—condition monitoring becomes an expensive data collection exercise rather than a maintenance tool.
The solution involves defining response playbooks and pre-approved actions that convert monitoring insights into concrete maintenance activities. This might include scheduled work orders, detailed inspections, or planned outage windows. When bandwidth becomes a constraint, field support can bridge the gap between detection and action. Establishing clear escalation paths to Qualitrol field and analysis teams ensures that critical findings receive appropriate attention even when internal resources are stretched thin.
The most reliable condition monitoring programs treat data as the beginning of the maintenance conversation, not the end of it.