Part 21 Report - 1996-780

 
 
ACCESSION #: 9611060249

Farwell & Hendricks, Inc.

November 1, 1996

Document Control Desk
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, D.C. 20555
     via Operations Center

Telephone #: (301) 816-5100
Telecopy #:  (310) 816-5151

Subject: NOTIFICATION OF A POTENTIAL DEFECT PER 10CFR21

Dear Sir of Madam:

This facsimile notification of a potential defect is in accordance with
10CFR21, Section 21.21, Paragraph 3(i).

The following initial information is formatted per 10CFR21, Section
21.21, Paragraph 4:

     i.   Farwell & Hendricks, Inc. (F&H) at the address listed below is
          the organization informing the USNRC. John R. Hendricks, F&H
          Corporate Officer, of the same address is the specific
          individual informing the USNRC.

     ii.  The basic components supplied by F&H which contains the defect
          are MSD B255 latching relays with a DC unlatching coil.  The
          identification of the specific facilities to which F&H supplied
          these relays is not fully compiled at this time.  The specific
          facilities will be provided in a detailed report within the
          thirty (30) days as specified by 10CFR21, Section 21.21,
          Paragraph 3(ii).

     iii. F&H is the identification of the firm that supplied the basic
          components described above.

     iv.  The nature of the defect is that the relay becomes unlatched
          without the reset coil being energized.  PSE&G has identified
          eight (8) installed occurrences, all of which occurred in the
          "floor mounted" orientation.  This defect was not detected
          using standard bench testing practice.  Note that this defect
          could also occur in the wall mounted orientation.

          F&H is unable to evaluate the safety hazard which could be
          created by the defect as the potential effect is application
          specific.

     v.   The date on which the information of the defect was obtained
          and determined to be a generic issue was October 31, 1996.  An
          evaluation will be provided in the detailed report within the
          specified thirty (30) days.

4600 Fast Tech Drive o Cincinnati, Ohio 45245 o (513) 528-7900 o FAX
(513) 528-9292

Page 2

     vi.  The specific number and specific site locations of all such
          devices supplied by F&H are not fully compiled at this time.
          This information will be provided in the detailed report within
          the specified thirty (30) days.

     vii. The corrective action to be taken by F&H is to notify all
          purchasers of such devices within thirty (30) days.  Further
          corrective action to be taken, the responsible organization(s)
          and the length of time to complete the action cannot be defined
          by F&H at this time.

  viii.   Advice related to the defect that will be given to the
          purchasers is that the evaluation indicates that all B255 style
          relays with DC unlatch coils previously supplied commercially
          by MSD may also contain the defect described in iv. Above.

F&H will be providing a written report to the USNRC within thirty (30)
days as specified by 10CFR21.  The USNRC will receive the report NO LATER
THAN NOVEMBER 29, 1996.

Written By:

Mike Wooldridge
Engineering Manager

Roy A. Woeste
Quality Assurance

Reviewed and Reported By:

John R. Hendricks, P.E.
President

Farwell & Hendricks, Inc.
4600 East Tech Drive
Cincinnati, Ohio 45245

Telephone #: (513) 528-7900
Telecopy #: (513) 528-9292

cc:  Tom McHaffey, MSD
     Craig Bersak, PSE&G

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