Distribution Transformer condition monitoring
Oil-immersed and dry-type distribution transformers, 15kV–35kV class. Fieldiq monitors vibration, oil temperature, and load telemetry to detect incipient winding faults, thermal aging acceleration, and DGA-proxy signals weeks before failure.
What Fieldiq monitors on distribution transformers
Distribution transformer failures account for 18–23% of sustained outage minutes in ERCOT-area IOU filings. Fieldiq's transformer model is designed to give asset reliability engineers actionable lead time, not just post-failure confirmation.
-
Vibration signature analysis
Core and winding looseness produce characteristic vibration signatures at 2× and 4× power-frequency harmonics. Fieldiq detects developing looseness before it progresses to thermal faults or oil contamination.
-
Oil temperature trending and thermal aging
Continuous oil temperature monitoring with IEEE C57.91 thermal aging calculation. Elevated temperature accelerates insulation degradation in ways that operation-count limits miss — especially in heat-wave loading events.
-
Load-cycling context
Load-current history is integrated into the thermal model. A transformer running at 95% nameplate during a week-long heat wave accumulates aging that a 5-minute interval temperature sample will not capture accurately.
-
DGA-proxy signals
While Fieldiq does not perform direct dissolved gas analysis, the thermal and vibration signatures it monitors serve as early proxy indicators for the incipient fault conditions that DGA catches later in the degradation sequence.
Supported transformer configurations
| Parameter | Supported range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Insulation type | Oil-immersed (ONAN/ONAF), dry-type | Separate model variants for insulation class |
| Voltage class | 15kV – 35kV distribution | Primary voltage range |
| kVA range | 10 kVA – 2,500 kVA | Per-size baseline calibration |
| Mounting configuration | Pad-mount, pole-top, subsurface | Geo-tagged per asset record |
| Monitored signals | Vibration (Hz), Oil temp (°C), Load (kVA) | Minimum: temp + load for reduced-sensor deployment |
| Model calibration period | 30 days | Pilot period establishes asset-specific baseline |
Start with a transformer fleet pilot
A mid-size investor-owned utility serving 380,000 customers across the Gulf Coast is monitoring 600+ distribution transformers with Fieldiq. Pilots typically start with 50–100 assets on 2–3 representative feeders.