KEY POINTS
- Define the upgrade and affected loads before agreeing a shutdown window.
- Specify temporary supply and return-to-service responsibilities separately.
- Make test records and updated drawings part of the quotation.
An MSB or MDB upgrade needs a defined equipment scope and an agreed shutdown plan. Before requesting a price, identify the circuits affected, the loads that must remain available, the proposed replacement and the evidence required before return to service. The duration depends on those details and the site conditions.
Decide what the quotation should cover
Separate a breaker replacement, an assembly modification and a complete board replacement. They involve different interfaces and checks. Provide the board nameplate, available single-line diagram, equipment schedules, previous test records and photographs taken under the site’s access procedures.
IEC 61439-1 provides general rules for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies. Agree the applicable assembly requirements with the designer and manufacturer. A replacement component’s rating alone does not establish the suitability of the modified assembly.
Prepare the shutdown brief
| Decision | Information to agree |
|---|---|
| Affected operations | Circuits, production areas, building systems and responsible owners |
| Work boundary | Equipment retained, removed, modified or replaced |
| Outage window | Access time, authorised work period and operational restart constraints |
| Temporary supply | Essential loads, equipment responsibilities and connection design |
| Go or no-go review | Required approvals, equipment readiness and unresolved issues |
| Return to service | Tests, witnesses, acceptance criteria and authorising person |
This is a procurement checklist. The appointed electrical team must develop the site-specific isolation and work procedure; it should not be improvised from an online guide.
Review connections as well as the board
Ask whether the proposal includes cable terminations, routes, existing protection settings and interfaces to monitoring or building controls. Schneider Electric’s conductor-sizing guidance treats cables and protective devices as a coordinated design problem. A larger breaker is not evidence that an existing feeder can carry more load.
For a facility that remains occupied, record which services share the affected distribution. An electrical renovation or A&A project may require several work stages before the final changeover.
Agree the handover before placing the order
Include the revised single-line diagram, circuit identification, equipment schedules, test results and outstanding-item list. Ask who records final protection settings and who accepts the installation. Keep any future corrective work separate from the agreed acceptance decision.
ETES’s TERRA project reference documents breaker assembly and modification. It demonstrates that work package, without establishing responsibility for the entire data centre. Share your board details and operating constraints when discussing an ETES switchboard upgrade.
Common planning questions
Can the shutdown be completed in one night?
That cannot be promised before the scope, access, equipment readiness and testing requirements are reviewed. Ask for the proposed sequence and the conditions that would change the programme.
Is temporary generation always included?
No. Confirm supported loads, equipment, connection arrangements, operating responsibilities and costs explicitly in the proposal.
ETES services for this work
References & further reading
Primary publications used in this guide. Confirm the requirements and editions applicable to your project.
Send ETES your site location, equipment details and planned schedule. Our team can discuss the work required.
Talk to our team
