Part 21 Report - 1998-160

 
 

ACCESSION #: 9801230118



THOMAS & BETTS

16228 FLIGHT PATH DRIVE

BROOKSVILLE, FL 34609

TEL(352)799-480-0 *FAX(352)799-9537

                                        Thomas & Betts



                                        January 12, 1998



Document Control Desk

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, DC 20555



REF: 10CFR PART 21 NONCOMPLIANCE REPORT



To whom it may concern:



PECO Energy Company's, Limerick Station reported an Agastat [Registered

Trademark] EGPI004 relay failed to operate as intended on November 29,

1997.  Subsequent analyses of PECO's storeroom by their Corporate

Laboratory, Thomas & Betts' in-process orders and an on site surveillance

by a PECO team on January 6 - 8, 1998 resulted in the following

conclusions.



1.   Insufficient solder as measured against IPC-A-610B, type 2 was the

     cause of failures.



2.   Soldering discrepancies included one (1) intermittent connection

     through an eyelet and two (2) no solder on one component lead.  Two

     (2) of the conditions could result in the relay not operating as

     specified and the third would not protect against a line voltage

     surge, if required.



3.   Insufficient solder joints were discovered in three (3) different

     manufacturing date codes (9721, 9739 and 9743).  The date code is

     the week of manufacture and is an integral part of the serial

     number.



4.   Soldering of the ETR14X,X,X,004 (X,X,X= operating voltage, timing

     adjustment, timing range) has also been included in this

     notification since they are soldered on the same line.  However,

     there have been no functional failures reported on any ETR relays to

     date.  Short term corrective action has been implemented and the

     plan for the long term corrective has been established.



Notification will be given to all customers that have purchased EGPI004

and ETR14XXX004 relays since the Agastat [Registered Trademark]

production line was moved from Punta Gorda, FL to Brooksville, FL. in

June 1996.  This will be done even though there is no evidence the issue

goes beyond the date codes listed above.



845 nuclear (EGPI004) and 348 nuclear (ETR14XXX004) relays were shipped

during this time frame.  There have been no other reported problems for

these relays during this period.





Robert Souden

Quality Manager



c:   Karl Nichter

     Anita Nobles-Arguelles

     Nuclear customers





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