IP phone in electrical substation

[mike-brooks]

We're in the process of rolling out a Cisco IP phone system, replacing an ancient Verizon Centrex (key sets, Charlie's Angels style speakerphones, etc).

One of the plant locations is an electrical substation with two 230 KV feeds coming into it.  There is a rotary phone in the substation pulpit which is slated to be replaced.  I was talking with a plant electrical engineer about this location and he told me that the phone in there is on a "Lynch transformer" which he said isolates the phone in the event of an electrical fault.  This was apparently necessary for safety reasons because of the enormous fault currents available at this substation.  If there is a fault, the Lynch transformer is supposed to protect anyone who may be on the phone at the time, both at the substation as well as upstream from the substation.

The IP network feeding the substation is coming in on all dielectric fiber, so upstream is not a concern.  However we are concerned about rolling out an IP phone that is connected directly to an Etherent switch port.

Does anyone have experience with an IP phone deployment where electrical hazards are present like this electrical substation or motor control centers, etc.?

[nathanielmanzi · Accepted solution]

Hi Mike,

See the Cisco 2500 CGS for substation related IEEE standards compliant access switches - http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps10978/index.html

You will also need to source a ruggedized IP phone. A company called CTIUSA used to make a ruggedized 7925, but they appear to have been purchased by another company and I can't find a link to the phone they make.

See the following white paper on 'smart grids'. http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps10967/ps10977/white_paper_c11_603566.pdf

Within our company (remote minesite and refinery), we decided on using VGs to provide FXS access in the substations. The copper is isolated and protected. This is a cheaper and more effective option to operate and maintain, for us at least. But your requirements may be different.

Hope this helps!

[compactsubstation]

A compact substation is a smaller, less expensive, off-the-shelf modular version of the traditional substation. It’s designed for customers who need to fit a substation into a small space such as behind a retail store or on top of a garage. It’s built to the same safety standards as a conventional substation but has a smaller footprint and lower cost. A compact substation has low-voltage, medium-voltage and high-voltage switching capability. It’s built to the same safety standards as a conventional substation but has a smaller footprint and lower cost. It has breakers, transformers, low-voltage switchgear, a control room and the same level of equipment needed to serve customers. It’s designed to be modular and easily expandable.