Troubleshooting: A Technician's Guide, Second Edition (ISA Technician Series)

✍ Scribed by William L. Mostia Jr.

• Publisher: ISA
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 232
• Edition: 2
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Troubleshooting loops and systems is something all technicians must do, but that few truly master. This newly revised edition draws on the author’s long experience as an instrument and electrical engineer and his maintenance expertise to provide a detailed look at the skills and knowledge required for troubleshooting. Interspersed with a wealth of practical detail and real-world examples are Mostia’s no-nonsense discussions of what a good troubleshooter needs to know. He provides an in-depth discussion of the basic logical framework that underlies all troubleshooting as well as advanced troubleshooting techniques. He also explores the causes of failures and the techniques that engineers and technicians use to trace them down. This new edition covers troubleshooting methods, both basic and advanced, hints and troubleshooting aids, troubleshooting safety, basic maintenance concepts, information about training, and the developing troubleshooting skills. It also includes numerous examples of troubleshooting problems in mechanical systems, process connections, pneumatic systems, electrical systems, electronic systems, and valves. Mostia also explores test equipment, programmable electronic systems, communication circuits, transient problems, and software.

✦ Table of Contents

000......Page 1
Front Matter......Page 2
Dedication......Page 4
Table of Contents......Page 0
Table of Contents......Page 5
1.1 Experience......Page 12
1.1.3 Learning from Experience......Page 13
1.4 Classroom Instruction......Page 14
1.6 Logic and Logic Development......Page 15
1.8 Quiz......Page 16
2.1 A Definition of Failure......Page 18
2.2 How Hardware Fails......Page 19
2.2.1 Measures of Reliability......Page 20
2.2.2 The Wear-Out Period......Page 21
2.3 How Software Fails......Page 22
2.4 Environmental Effects on Failure Rates......Page 23
2.4.3 Humidity......Page 24
2.6 Systematic Failures......Page 25
2.7 Common-Cause Failures......Page 26
2.9 Summary......Page 27
2.11 References......Page 28
3.1 Overt and Covert Failures......Page 30
3.2.1 Failure Direction......Page 31
3.3 Directed Failure States......Page 32
3.4 What Failure States Indicate......Page 33
3.6 Quiz......Page 35
3.7 References......Page 36
4.1 Logical/Analytical Troubleshooting Framework......Page 38
4.2 Specific Troubleshooting Frameworks......Page 39
4.3 How a Specific Troubleshooting Framework Works......Page 44
4.4 Generic Logical/Analytical Frameworks......Page 46
4.5.1.3 Communication......Page 48
4.5.1.5 Degree of Generality......Page 49
4.5.2.4 Inspection......Page 50
4.5.3 Step 3: Analyze the Information......Page 51
4.5.3.3 "What, Where, When" Analysis......Page 53
4.5.4 Step 4: Determine Sufficiency of Information......Page 54
4.5.4.2 The Iterative Process......Page 55
4.5.6.1 Specific versus General Solutions......Page 58
4.6 An Example of How to Use the Seven-Step Procedure......Page 59
4.6.6 Step 6: Test the Proposed Solution......Page 60
4.8 Why Troubleshooting Fails......Page 61
4.8.3 Failure to Look in the Right Places......Page 62
4.8.4 Dimensional Thinking......Page 66
4.10 Quiz......Page 67
4.11 References......Page 69
5.1 Why Use Other Troubleshooting Methods?......Page 70
5.3 Fault Insertion Method......Page 71
5.5 "Circle the Wagons" Method......Page 72
5.6 Trapping......Page 74
5.7 Complex to Simple Method......Page 75
5.9 Intuition......Page 76
5.10 Out-of-the-Box Thinking......Page 77
5.12 Quiz......Page 78
6.1 General Troubleshooting Safety Practices......Page 80
6.2.2 Lack of Knowledge......Page 82
6.2.6 Errors by Others......Page 83
6.3.1.1 Electrical Shock......Page 84
6.3.1.2 Damage from the Release of Electrical Energy......Page 86
6.3.2 General Practices When Working with or near Energized Circuits......Page 87
6.3.4.1 Accessibility and Heights......Page 88
6.3.4.3 Eye Hazards......Page 89
6.3.7 Chemical Hazards......Page 90
6.4.1 Classification Systems......Page 92
6.4.1.1 NEC Article 500 Traditional Division Classifications......Page 93
6.4.1.2 Zone-Based Area Classification......Page 94
6.4.2 Area Classification Standards......Page 96
6.4.2.1 Class I, Division 1......Page 97
6.4.2.2 Class II, Division 1 Areas......Page 101
6.4.2.3 Class I, Division 2 Areas......Page 102
6.4.2.6 Adjacent Areas......Page 103
6.4.3.1 General Requirements......Page 104
6.4.3.3 Completing Work in a Hazardous Area......Page 105
6.5.1.1 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)......Page 106
6.5.2.4 Scaffold Status and Inspection Tags......Page 107
6.5.3.3 Confined Entry Permit......Page 108
6.5.4 Loop Identification and System Interaction......Page 109
6.5.5 Safety Instrumented Systems......Page 110
6.5.6 Critical Instruments......Page 111
6.7 Quiz......Page 112
6.8 References......Page 116
7.1 Hand Tools......Page 118
7.2.1 Volt-Ohm Meters (VOM)......Page 119
7.2.2 Digital Multimeters......Page 120
7.2.3 Oscilloscopes......Page 121
7.2.5 Thermometers......Page 123
7.2.6 Insulation Testers......Page 124
7.2.7 Ground Testers......Page 125
7.2.10 Circuit Tracers......Page 126
7.2.14 Portable Recorders......Page 127
7.3.1 Clamp-on Amp Meters......Page 129
7.3.4 Noncontact Proximity Voltage Detectors......Page 130
7.3.7 PhotoTachometers and Stroboscopes......Page 131
7.3.9 Infrared Thermometer Guns and Imaging Systems......Page 132
7.4 Simulators/Process Calibrators......Page 133
7.5 Jumpers, Switch Boxes, and Traps......Page 134
7.7 Accuracy of Test Equipment......Page 136
7.9 Quiz......Page 137
7.10 References......Page 139
8.1.1 Mechanical Field Recorder, Example 1......Page 140
8.2.1 Pressure Transmitter, Example 1......Page 141
8.2.4 Flow Meter (Orifice Type)......Page 142
8.3.2 Pneumatic Transmitter, Example 2......Page 143
8.3.4 Pneumatic Transmitter, Example 4......Page 144
8.4.1 Electronic 4-20 mA Transmitter......Page 145
8.4.2 Computer-Based Analyzer......Page 146
8.4.4 Relay System......Page 147
8.5.1.2 Electronic 4-20 mA Transmitter, Example 2......Page 149
8.5.1.4 Electronic 10-50 mA Transmitter/Recorder......Page 150
8.5.2.1 Electronic TC/V Transducer......Page 151
8.5.3.1 Erratic Control Loop, Example 1......Page 152
8.5.4.1 Transmitter Cable Shield......Page 153
8.5.4.2 Temperature Transmitter......Page 154
8.6.1 Valve Leak-by, Example 1......Page 155
8.7.1 Low Reading on Flow Transmitter......Page 156
8.7.3 Plant Material Balance Off......Page 157
8.8.3 PLC Pump Out System......Page 158
8.9.2 RS-232, Example 2......Page 159
8.9.4 RS-485, Example 2......Page 160
8.9.7 Communication Loop Has Noise Problems......Page 161
8.10.1 DCS with PC Display......Page 162
8.10.3 Printer Periodically Goes Haywire......Page 163
8.11.1 PLC-Controlled Machine Trips......Page 164
8.12.1 Flow Meter, Example 1......Page 165
8.13.1 Level Meter (D/P), Example 1......Page 166
8.13.3 Level Meter (Radar)......Page 167
8.13.4 Level Meter (Ultrasonic Probe)......Page 168
9.2 Process Connections......Page 170
9.3 Pneumatic Systems......Page 171
9.4 Electronic Systems......Page 172
9.5 Grounding......Page 173
9.8 Programmable Electronic Systems......Page 174
9.9.1 General Considerations......Page 176
9.9.2 Modbus......Page 179
9.10 Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS)......Page 180
9.12 Electromagnetic Interference......Page 181
9.13 Valves......Page 183
9.14 Miscellaneous......Page 184
10.2 Maintainability......Page 186
10.2.3 Testability......Page 187
10.3 Drawings......Page 188
10.4 Tagging and Identification......Page 192
10.7 Maintenance Management Systems......Page 193
10.9 Direct Vendor Access......Page 194
10.12 Quiz......Page 195
Appendix A: Answers to Quizzes......Page 198
Appendix B: Relevant Standards......Page 200
Appendix C: Glossary......Page 202
C......Page 222
D......Page 223
E......Page 224
F......Page 225
I......Page 226
M......Page 227
O......Page 228
P......Page 229
S......Page 230
T......Page 231
Z......Page 232