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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