A switchgear or control gear includes: at least one first compartment; at least one second compartment; a plurality of main switchgear or control gear components including a main busbar system, a three position linear or rotational movement disconnector, a circuit breaker, and at least a first part of an insulated cable connection; and a plurality of auxiliary switchgear or control gear components including a disconnector drive and a circuit breaker drive. The plurality of main switchgear or control gear components are housed in the at least one first compartment. The plurality of auxiliary switchgear or control gear components are housed in the at least one second compartment. When one or more of the plurality of main switchgear or control gear components is energized, the at least one first compartment is hermetically sealable or maintainable at an internal air pressure greater than ambient air pressure.

A pre-fabricated electrical apparatus has: a main housing configured to enclose electrical equipment in use; a splice compartment mounted, or integrally formed, external to and adjacent the main housing; a conductor passage defined between the main housing and the splice compartment; and in which the main housing and splice compartment are configured to, in use, permit a conductor to extend from a first conductor termination point, defined within the main housing, to a second conductor termination point, defined within the splice compartment, with the second termination point having a temperature rating that is higher than a temperature rating of the electrical equipment. A method includes: prefabricating, at a prefabrication facility, an electrical apparatus by mounting or integrally forming a splice compartment adjacent an external part of a main housing; and installing the electrical apparatus at an end user facility, which is remote from the prefabrication facility.

A pre-fabricated electrical apparatus has: a main housing configured to enclose electrical equipment in use; a splice compartment mounted, or integrally formed, external to and adjacent the main housing; a conductor passage defined between the main housing and the splice compartment; and in which the main housing and splice compartment are configured to, in use, permit a conductor to extend from a first conductor termination point, defined within the main housing, to a second conductor termination point, defined within the splice compartment, with the second termination point having a temperature rating that is higher than a temperature rating of the electrical equipment. A method includes: prefabricating, at a prefabrication facility, an electrical apparatus by mounting or integrally forming a splice compartment adjacent an external part of a main housing; and installing the electrical apparatus at an end user facility, which is remote from the prefabrication facility.

In an operation, the modular electrical power distribution panel (MEPP) is built and assembled with accessories of additional electrical components, instruments, and lighting controls installed in the MEPP. The MEPP can further include bus bars for circuit breakers to attach to as well as electrical rails constructed to allow one or more instruments that will be mounted in the MEPPs to electrically connect to the electrical rails. The MEPP rests on a floor and is supported through its frame from a ground up to be a free standing panel. The MEPP, the bus bars, electrical rails and accessories are modular shippable in five modular pieces or less that meet requirements set by a nationally recognized testing laboratory approval as assembled as a whole unit; and thus, eliminate a need for a second laboratory approval as the whole unit when assembled for a first time at a work site.

In an operation, the modular electrical power distribution panel (MEPP) is built and assembled with accessories of additional electrical components, instruments, and lighting controls installed in the MEPP. The MEPP can further include bus bars for circuit breakers to attach to as well as electrical rails constructed to allow one or more instruments that will be mounted in the MEPPs to electrically connect to the electrical rails. The MEPP rests on a floor and is supported through its frame from a ground up to be a free standing panel. The MEPP, the bus bars, electrical rails and accessories are modular shippable in five modular pieces or less that meet requirements set by a nationally recognized testing laboratory approval as assembled as a whole unit; and thus, eliminate a need for a second laboratory approval as the whole unit when assembled for a first time at a work site.

The invention relates to a method for wiring electrical components of an electrical switchgear arranged on a mounting plate, comprising: providing a design of a switchgear comprising at least location information and orientation information about a plurality of electrical components of the switchgear on a mounting plate and wiring information about a plurality of electrical wirings between every two of the electrical components; optically detecting an actual arrangement of the electrical components on the mounting plate and matching the location information and orientation information to the actual arrangement; and automatically wiring the electrical components in a wiring order and according to the wiring information and the matched location information and orientation information.

The invention relates to a method for wiring electrical components of an electrical switchgear arranged on a mounting plate, comprising: providing a design of a switchgear comprising at least location information and orientation information about a plurality of electrical components of the switchgear on a mounting plate and wiring information about a plurality of electrical wirings between every two of the electrical components; optically detecting an actual arrangement of the electrical components on the mounting plate and matching the location information and orientation information to the actual arrangement; and automatically wiring the electrical components in a wiring order and according to the wiring information and the matched location information and orientation information.

Systems, apparatus, methods, and techniques of assembly of discrete modules of a control panel are disclosed. The modules can be independently wired, tested, and installed into a control panel. Module definitions are defined specifying components to perform the electrical function, a mechanical arrangement of the components, electrical connections, and logical interactions of the module. A bill of materials can be generated based on a designation of a set of modules for a control panel and the module definitions. Modularly assembled control panels are disclosed. An assembly frame is described herein for temporarily mounting components of a module for independent assembly of a control module and for eventual removal and installation into a control panel frame. The assembly frame may include a faceplate frame and side frames and temporary mounting features.

An interlock system for a switchgear cabinet of a drawout switchgear device includes a guide rail in the cabinet to align rollers supporting the drawout switchgear device. A stop plate is spring biased toward a blocking position to block the rollers from rolling off the guide rail. A deflector surface on the stop plate receives a contact force from a fastener hook of a lift truck, to move the stop plate and unblock the rollers. The fastener hook then anchors the lift truck to the cabinet after the stop plate has moved away from the blocking position. A bridging guide rail mounted on the lift truck, aligns with and abuts the guide rail in the cabinet to allow the drawout switchgear device to be safely rolled into or withdrawn from the cabinet by an unassisted service person operating the lift truck.

Techniques are described for electrical equipment management. Embodiments include a method for electrical equipment refit management, comprising: receiving a selection of an order of an existing electrical equipment system to disassemble and, in response, retrieving and providing a plurality of disassembly instructions; performing an iterative disassembly process to manage the disassembly of the existing electrical equipment system. A selection of an order of a refit electrical equipment system to assemble is received and, in response, retrieving and providing a plurality of refit instructions; An iterative assembly process is performed to manage the assembly of the refit electrical equipment system. Digital artifacts of the refit electrical equipment system are recorded during performance of the plurality of refit instructions as part of the iterative assembly process. A final assembly report for the refit electrical equipment system and stored together with a unique identifier corresponding to the assembled refit electrical equipment system.