Part 21 Report - 1996-360

 
 
LICENSEE: AMETEK/DIXSON             
        
SITE: AMETEK/DIXSON                         EN NUMBER:30312
DOCKET:                                  EVENT DATE: 04-16-96
RX TYPE:                                 EVENT TIME: 17:30
VENDORS:                                NOTIFY DATE: 04-18-96
EMERGENCY CLASS: N/A  REGION: 4 STATE: CO      TIME: 18:28
OPS OFFICER: JOHN MacKINNON           
10 CFR SECTION: CDEG  21.21(c)(3)(i)      DEFECTS/NONCOMPLIANCE

AMETEK/DIXSON PROSERIES BARGRAPH MODELS SA101A, SA202P, SN101P,  
AND SN202P UNITS CAN POTENTIALLY INDICATE AN ERRONEOUS UNDER     
RANGE CONDITION AT A VERY SPECIFIC INPUT POINT.                  
                                                                 
THE FOLLOWING PORTION OF THIS TEXT IS TAKEN FROM A FACSIMILE     
RECEIVED FROM AMETEK/DIXSON, LOCATED IN GRAND JUNCTION, CO.      
                                                                 
" ... AN APPARENT ANOMALY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE             
AMETEK/DIXSON PROSERIES BARGRAPH MODELS SA101P, SA202P, SN101P,  
AND SN202P.                                                      
                                                                 
THE INDICATION CAUSED BY THE ANOMALY IS AS FOLLOWS:              
                                                                 
DEPENDING ON THE CONFIGURATION OF THE SPECIFIC BARGRAPH, i.e.    
CURRENT OR VOLTAGE, THE UNIT CAN POTENTIALLY INDICATE AN         
ERRONEOUS UNDER RANGE CONDITION AT A VERY SPECIFIC INPUT POINT.  
EXAMPLE, IF THE UNIT IS CONFIGURED FOR 4/20mA RANGE, THE ANOMALY 
CAN OCCUR AT APPROXIMATELY 91% OF SPAN.                          
                                                                 
"WHEN THE CONDITION OCCURS, THE BARGRAPH WILL INDICATE A ZERO    
READING ON THE BARGRAPH PORTION, INDICATE DASHES ON THE DIGITAL  
DISPLAY PORTION, AND THE RELAYS (IF USED) WILL TRACK THIS        
INDICATION. THIS IS TYPICALLY A MOMENTARY CONDITION, AND THE UNIT
IMMEDIATELY RETURNS TO NORMAL OPERATION AFTER THE ANOMALOUS      
CONDITION STOPS.                                                 
                                                                 
THIS IS A VERY UNCOMMON CONDITION, AND IF THE CONDITION OCCURS,  
THE RESPONSE BY THE OPERATOR IS UNKNOWN TO AMETEK/DIXSON SINCE   
THE BARGRAPHS ARE USED IN VARYING APPLICATIONS. IT IS BELIEVED   
THAT AN INCORRECT RESPONSE WOULD BE THE WORST CASE CONDITION,    
HOWEVER, ITS LOW PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE AND VERY SHORT TERM   
DURATION WOULD TEND TO LIMIT THIS LIKELIHOOD."                   
                                                                 
AMETEK/DIXSON IS CURRENTLY NOTIFYING THE AFFECTED USERS (EXPECTED
COMPLETION DATE IS 4/22/96).                                     
                                                                 
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF POWER PLANTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE   
CLASS 1E "PRO" SERIES INDICATORS:                                
                                                                 
ENTERGY OPERATIONS: ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE                         
                                                                 
FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT: ST. LUCIE NPP                           
                                                                 
FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT: CRYSTAL RIVER UNIT 3                    
                                                                 
NORTHEAST UTILITY: MILESTONE SITE                                
                                                                 
OMAHA PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT: FORT CALHOUN STATION                
                                                                 
GEORGIA POWER COMPANY: PLANT HATCH