In modern electric utilities, asset management is about maximizing the reliability and performance of equipment while minimizing outages and maintenance costs. Diagnostic testing of insulating fluids is a strategic tool to solve this dilemma. By integrating advanced diagnostics into asset management plans, utilities can make data-driven maintenance decisions (often called condition-based maintenance) instead of relying solely on age or time-based schedules.
TJ | H2b Analytical Services, a global leader in high-voltage insulating fluid and gas testing, has developed a suite of four proprietary diagnostic evaluations specifically to address assessment methods. These diagnostics, customized for transformers, load tap changers, and both oil and gas insulated breakers, are helping utilities pinpoint equipment condition and risks with scientific precision.
Here’s how they work—and why they matter.
TJ | H2b’s Proprietary Diagnostic Solutions
Each of TJ | H2b’s diagnostic services produces a condition rating (or health index) along with detailed analytics and recommended remediation actions. By incorporating these into maintenance strategies, utility engineers and managers can prioritize the right equipment for service at the right time, avoid unnecessary overhauls, and catch incipient problems early. In the sections below, we dive into each of the four proprietary diagnostics – what they are, how they work, and how they add value compared to conventional approaches.
1. Transformer Condition Assessment (TCA®)
TCA® is a comprehensive laboratory evaluation of transformer insulating oil (and related data) that goes well beyond a routine oil test. Think of TCA® as your transformer’s annual physical.
TJ | H2b built TCA® on the foundation of IEEE industry guides (such as IEEE C57.104 for DGA and C57.106 for oil quality), but importantly expanded the scope by looking at more fluid analyses, integrating equipment specifics and maintenance information,, and correlating multiple data points rather than looking at each in isolation. The TCA® also analyzes relationships between all analyses, and even historical trends across multiple samples to diagnose specific problems inside the transformer.
Why TCA® matters:
- Detects issues like overheating, arcing, or insulation decay before failure
- Helps prioritize which transformers need work (and which don’t)
- Reduces unexpected outages and extends asset life
Compared to basic lab testing? TCA® offers deeper insights and clearer action steps. TJ|H2b gives you a diagnosis + strategy.
2. Tap Changer Activity Signature Analysis (TASA®)
TASA® is TJ | H2b’s specialized diagnostic for load tap changers (LTCs), the mechanisms in transformers that adjust voltage taps, and which are notorious for requiring regular maintenance. TJ | H2b developed TASA® as a more robust approach: it combines DGA of the tap changer oil, insulating fluid quality tests, and particle analysis into a comprehensive signature of LTC condition.
From an asset management perspective, TASA® enables a shift from fixed-interval LTC maintenance to a condition-based approach. Many utilities traditionally service tap changers on a schedule (or after a certain number of tap operations) to prevent failures. This often results in unnecessary maintenance on LTCs that are in good condition, while some troubled units might fail in between intervals. TASA flips the script by indicating which tap changers need attention. This optimizes manpower and outage time – “maintenance activities can be better focused… reliability is enhanced, costs are reduced”.
Why TASA® matters:
- Spots wear out before failure
- Reduces unnecessary tap changer maintenance
- Prevents collateral damage to transformers
3. Breaker Oil Analysis (BOA®)
Oil-filled circuit breakers (OCBs) require periodic internal inspections to clean or replace arc-quenching oil and check contacts. However, pulling a breaker out of service for an internal overhaul is costly, labor-intensive, and carries safety risks, so utilities historically had to strike a balance – too frequent maintenance wastes resources, but too infrequent invites failures. Breaker Oil Analysis (BOA®) was designed to resolve this dilemma by assessing breaker condition without opening it up. BOA® involves sampling a small amount of insulating oil from the breaker tank and performing a battery of laboratory tests to determine the condition of the oil and the internal hardware. BOA® can diagnose issues like contact wear, excessive arcing, insulation degradation, or contaminant buildup inside the breaker.
The strategic impact of BOA® on asset management is enormous. Utilities that adopt BOA® as part of their circuit breaker maintenance strategy can move from blind, time-based overhauls to targeted maintenance driven by actual condition data. In practice, this has led to major reductions in maintenance workload.
Why BOA® matters:
- Catches signs of arcing, metal wear, and insulation breakdown
- Avoids unnecessary teardowns
- Improves safety and dramatically cuts costs
Compared to the old way? You save money, reduce outages, and keep staff safer.
4. Breaker Gas Analysis (BGA®)
As many utilities have replaced oil breakers with SF6₆ gas-insulated circuit breakers, TJ | H2b developed an analogous service for those: Breaker Gas Analysis (BGA®). SF6 breakers and gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) use sulfur hexafluoride gas for insulation and arc quenching. Normally, the gas is stable, but under electrical stress or arcing, SF6 can decompose into various reactive compounds. BGA® involves taking a precise sample of SF6 gas from the breaker and analyzing it in the lab for traces of these decomposition by-products, as well as measuring gas purity and other characteristics. TJ | H2b has even designed a special Gas Sampling Collection Unit (GSCU) to ensure high-purity samples with no contamination. Much like BOA® does for oil, BGA® detects internal faults or wear in a gas breaker by “reading” its SF6 chemistry.
In terms of asset management strategy, BGA® enables condition-based maintenance for SF6 breakers, paralleling what BOA® offers for oil breakers. Incorporating BGA® results into maintenance planning means that a gas breaker showing early signs of trouble can be scheduled for service or refurbishment at a convenient outage. Conversely, breakers that show clean gas results can be left in service, and their maintenance can be deferred safely.
Why BGA® matters:
- Identifies arcing, leaks, or insulation issues early
- Prevents costly in-service failures
- Reduces SF6 handling—good for compliance and sustainability
Integrating TJ|H2b Diagnostics with Utility Asset Management
Integrating this diagnostic data into asset management strategies means using the test results to drive maintenance schedules, capital replacement plans, and even operational decisions. Utilities that have adopted programs like TCA®, TASA®, BOA®, and BGA® often do so as part of a broader Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) or Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) initiative.
Each test above delivers unique value. But the true ROI comes from using them together as part of a utility’s asset management strategy.
With TJ|H2b’s diagnostics, utilities can:
- Build a prioritized maintenance plan based on actual equipment condition
- Reduce outage risk and emergency repair costs
- Optimize O&M budgets
- Prolong asset life while maintaining grid reliability
Competitor Comparison
It’s worth noting how TJ | H2b’s proprietary diagnostics compare to other approaches in the industry. Traditionally, utilities have relied on a mix of standard tests and guidelines, OEM recommendations, and their own experience to assess equipment. For example, dissolved gas analysis (DGA) and basic oil tests have been widely used for transformers for decades, guided by IEEE and IEC standards. However, these typically provide raw data and perhaps a generic interpretation based on industry norms. TJ | H2b’s TCA® differentiates itself by its depth of analysis and proprietary interpretive algorithms.
And while some competitors stop at basic oil or gas analysis using published industry standards, TJ|H2b’s proprietary programs are trusted by utilities worldwide for one reason: we reduce failures and maintenance costs. These diagnostics bridge the gap between raw data and practical maintenance action. We serve as a competitive benchmark in the industry for condition-based maintenance practices.
Take the Guesswork Out of Maintenance
Integrating TJ | H2b’s TCA®, TASA®, BOA®, and BGA® into utility asset management is about embracing a proactive maintenance philosophy backed by scientific analysis. Whether you’re responsible for 50 transformers or 500 substations, integrating these diagnostics into your strategy can transform how you manage risk, reliability, and resources.
