Transformer Oil Testing & Analysis

Transformer oil testing gives you insight into the true condition of your high-voltage equipment so you can make intelligent, cost-effective transformer management decisions.

SDMyers recommends annual testing of dielectric liquid samples to provide critical data that pinpoints issues, diagnoses potential problems, and prevents failures from occurring. The standardization of NFPA 70B in 2023 means annual liquid sampling and testing is now a minimum requirement for transformer maintenance. However, depending on the criticality of your high-voltage equipment, more frequent or additional testing may be needed. Consult an SDMyers transformer specialist to determine the best solution for your organization.

SDMyers follows strict safety protocols to ensure the safety of personnel and to protect the equipment. Those safety policies are informed by our experience and industry standards, such as those issued by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for protecting against Arc Flash.

The primary use of dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is a routine monitoring liquid test for electrical equipment. Incipient fault conditions — disruptions in the normal electrical and mechanical operation of electrical equipment — cause the insulating liquid to break down, generating combustible gases. Our transformer specialists can interpret the profile of dissolved gases to diagnose whether fault conditions exist and determine the severity of those faults.

SDMyers has over 50 Field Inspection Technicians (FITs) working nationwide to pull liquid samples for customers. They rely on 300 hours of expert training and follow strict safety protocols to protect the equipment they are working on and ensure their safety from electrical hazards. Liquid samples are sent directly to our analytical testing lab, where the internal condition of the transformer is documented, analyzed, and diagnosed.

SDMyers accepts mail-in samples from customers. Electrical contractors or customers can send samples to our analytical testing lab, which offers a regular turnaround time of 7-10 business days. Priority rush shipping is available upon request with a surcharge. To ensure mail-in samples are acceptable for testing, we recommend following all sampling and packaging procedures and completing an accurate field copy report. Liquid testing order forms and more information about mail-in samples for transformer oil testing are available from SDMyers customer service.

Infrared (IR) thermography is a non-intrusive preventative maintenance inspection technique used to detect patterns and differences in thermal radiation. Combining infrared thermography with liquid sampling and DGA testing dramatically improves the accuracy of diagnosing potential issues as early as possible. Our transformer specialists cross-reference any temperature anomalies detected by the thermography with the results of the liquid analysis to provide a complete assessment of the transformer's health. In the 2023 release of NFPA 70B, annual IR scanning is now a standard for electrical equipment maintenance.