Remote Isolation Indicator / Field Isolation Indicator

RightSwitch is applicable where an isolating switch that is located on an MCC, within a switchroom, controls equipment located in the field, remote from the switchroom.

It is typical in this situation that the switch is one of many in the MCC and the electrical equipment is one of many in the field. It is therefore possible, through error, to switch off the wrong switch and work on unisolated and therefore energised equipment that could be operated remotely at any time.

RightSwitch Switch Identifier was designed to:

• Provide local indication of equipment power status in the field. Reassuring workers that the power is off during maintenance work
• Support both single or multiple isolation officer, lock out tagout verifications
• Provide RightSwitch LED transitions that coincide with isolation officer actions. Put simply, it allows robust identity checks even during simultaneous lockout procedures
• Extend the functionality of new and existing DeadEasy installations. Together DeadEasy and RightSwitch confirm that the correct switch has been correctly isolated.

RightSwitch is different to the competition because:

• RightSwitch is substantially cheaper and more flexible than using local isolators / local disconnects for local indication of isolation
• RightSwitch offers higher integrity and more flexibility than Attempt Start / Try Start methods for local indication of isolation

Yes. RightSwitch is an add on product to DeadEasy. It is simple to modify an existing DeadEasy installation to include RightSwitch or incorporate DeadEasy and RightSwitch into a new installation.

No, provided that two isolation officers are available, then the key switch and amber light need not be used so long as the field isolation officer witnesses LED transitions in the field at the same time that the switchroom isolation officer opened the isolator / disconnect. Radio communication between the two officers would facilitate synchronisation.

In the case of only one isolation officer, the MCC key switch relating to the equipment is operated which enables the amber LED function at the related field location. This approach ensures correct matching of the isolating switch and the equipment it controls. The purpose of the key switch is to ensure that the identification function is only being performed on the one drive at any one time. The key is trapped in the key switch when the switch is in the “on” position and the key is only released when turned “off”. In this way it’s not possible to identify the wrong switch should multiple simultaneous lockout tagouts be attempted.

Our design was based on this approach and our testing tells us yes, however there will always be an extreme case when there is just too much radiated noise. The unshielded twisted pair ( UTP ) cable is not being used by RightSwitch for data communication. As a result RightSwitch indication data cannot be corrupted.

As the Field indicator (Relocated DeadEasy HMI) is connected to the MCC indicator (RightSwitch HMI) via a UTP Ethernet cable, and in a typical industrial installation there may be multiple Field Panels in an area requiring connection to a common MCC, careful planning of the cable installation will reduce costs. Some things to consider when planning your installation include:

• Pull wires attached to tennis balls, tapes or sticks can be helpful in establishing the pulling route quickly. Tennis balls can be thrown once or multiple times along the route. Tapes or sticks offer rigidity allowing the installer to push horizontally or upwards to establish the route.
• Multiple cables can be pulled in as one by applying hook and loop fasteners, tape or cable ties to bundle the cables.
• Divide the route into sections to prevent over tensioning whilst pulling. For a short route, pull the cable in from the mid point in both directions. For a longer route consider multiple pulls to intermediate points along the route. Prevent cable twisting by laying the cable into figure 8 arrangements at each pulling point. When the cable has been pulled fully to the intermediate point, pick up the figure of 8 and flip it over. You can then pull to the next intermediate point without causing a tangle and twsiting.