IE Circular No. 78-09 - Arcing of General Electric Company Nema Size 2 Contactors

CR78009 

                               UNITED STATES 
                      NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                         WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 

                               MAY 31, 1978 

MEMORANDUM FOR:     B. H. Grier, Director, Region I 
                    J. P. O'Reilly, Director, Region II 
                    J. G. Keppler, Director, Region III 
                    K. V. Seyfrit, Director, Region IV 
                    R. H. Engelken, Director, Region V 

FROM:               Norman C. Moseley, Director, Division of Reactor 
                      Operations Inspection, Office of Inspection and 
                      Enforcement 

SUBJECT:            IE CIRCULAR 78-09 - ARCING OF GENERAL ELECTRIC
					COMPANY NEMA SIZE 2 CONTACTORS 

The subject circular is transmitted for issuance by close of business within
three days after date of this letter. The Circular should be issued to all 
holders of Reactor Operating licenses or Construction Permits. Also enclosed
is a draft copy of the transmittal letter. 


                                        Norman C. Moseley, Director 
                                        Division of Reactor Operations 
                                          Inspection  
                                        Office of Inspection and Enforcement 

Enclosures: 
1.  Draft Transmittal Letter 
2.  IE Circular 78-09 

CONTACT:  V. D. Thomas, IE 
          49-28180  
.

(Transmittal letter for IE Circular 78-09 to each holder of an NRC Operating
License or Construction Permit.) 

                                                      IE Circular No. 78-09 
Addressee: 

The enclosed IE Circular No. 78-09, is forwarded to you for information. No 
written response is required. Should you have any questions related to your 
understanding of this matter, please contact this office. 

                                        Sincerely, 


                                        Signature 
                                        (Regional Director) 

Enclosures: 
1.  IE Circular No. 78-09 
2.  List of IE Circulars 
      Issued in 1978 
.

                             UNITED STATES 
                      NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 
                   OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT 
                         WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 

                               June 5, 1978 

                                                      IE Circular No. 78-09 

ARCING OF GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY SIZE 2 CONTACTORS 

During routine preventive maintenance of a nonsafety related motor starter 
at Millstone Unit No. 2, the movable contacts in a General Electric Company 
(GE) NEMA Size 2 contactor (Part No. CR206D000EEH) were found to have been 
burned. Binding in the movable part of the contactor prevented a good 
electrical contact with the stationary contacts resulting in arc-burn 
damage. GE indicated the cause to be oversized copper tip support binding in 
the phenolic tip carrier. GE reportedly modified their tooling to correct 
for the manufacturing problem and inspected the contactor spare part kits in 
their warehouse for oversized tip supports. 

The Northeast Nuclear Energy Company subsequently inspected the remaining GE
NEMA Size 2 contactors installed at this facility and replaced oversized tip
supports in three safety related and five other contactors. 

All holders of an operating license or a construction permit should be aware
that the above described GE contactor may be installed in safety related 
systems at their facilities and give consideration to assuring that these 
contactors do not have oversized tip supports which could cause poor 
electrical contact. You may want to also review your spare parts inventories
for the plant to assure that similar contactors are not being held for use 
in safety related systems. Your review of this matter should consider 
whether corrective or preventive actions need to be implemented at your 
facility to alleviate the contact problems as discussed. 

No written response to this Circular is required. If you require additional 
information regarding this matter, contact the Director of the NRC Regional 
Office. 

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