A useful transformer-monitoring pilot starts with the decisions your maintenance team needs to make. A dashboard demonstration alone cannot establish that the proposed equipment, connectivity and operating process will work at your sites.
This checklist helps procurement and operational teams prepare a technical discussion. It does not specify a universal monitoring package or confirm the capabilities of a particular device.
1. Build an asset inventory
Record transformer identifiers, ratings, mounting arrangements, locations and the equipment already installed. Identify existing meters and their documentation, available power for monitoring equipment, access arrangements and environmental conditions relevant to the installation.
Choose pilot assets that represent your operating conditions rather than only the easiest sites. State whether the purpose is to evaluate visibility, alert handling, installation effort or integration with an existing maintenance process.
2. Turn requested measurements into a matrix
| Requirement | Confirm with the supplier | Acceptance evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical readings | Required parameters, measurement source and interface | Comparison with an agreed reference method |
| Temperature | Measurement location, sensor and installation method | Timestamped readings and agreed checks |
| Asset location | How location is captured and maintained | Correct asset-to-location mapping |
| Alerts | Thresholds, recipients and escalation rules | Recorded tests using an approved method |
| Historical data | Retention, export format and access rights | Retrieval of the agreed sample history |
For every measurement, distinguish the quantity being requested from what the proposed hardware can actually provide. Ask for a written compatibility schedule. A requested interface or sensor should not be treated as supported merely because it appears in a tender.
3. Check connectivity and missing-data behaviour
Document the intended communication method and investigate coverage at the proposed sites. Ask how the system indicates stale data, what happens during an interruption and whether any records can be recovered afterwards. Confirm these behaviours through a controlled test rather than assuming uninterrupted connectivity.
Agree timestamps, asset identifiers and the time zone used for reports. If monitoring information will feed another system, obtain a sample export or interface description before treating the integration as part of the scope.
4. Define what happens after an alert
An alert needs an owner. Specify who receives it, who checks whether it is actionable, when a field visit is considered and how closure is recorded. Confirm who can change thresholds and how changes are documented.
Remote monitoring supports investigation and planning. It does not replace qualified electrical assessment, existing protection systems or the operator’s maintenance procedures. Predictive claims need evidence relevant to the equipment and conditions being evaluated.
5. Agree installation and support responsibilities
- Who performs the site survey and confirms compatibility?
- Who supplies sensors, communications and supporting equipment?
- What site access, approvals or planned outages are required?
- Who commissions the equipment and records the installed configuration?
- Who maintains hardware, connectivity and the dashboard?
- How are support incidents reported and escalated?
Ask for these responsibilities in the proposal, with hardware, installation, recurring services and support costs separated. Expansion should be assessed using the pilot findings, including installation effort and ongoing operating requirements.
6. Write the acceptance plan before the pilot begins
Specify the measurements to be checked, reference methods, test conditions, observation period, authorised testers and pass criteria. Include loss of communication, stale readings, user access and data export. Any simulated alert tests should use an approved procedure.
Finish with a review involving maintenance, IT and procurement. Record what worked, unresolved limitations and changes required before a larger rollout. A useful pilot report documents observations; it should not promise a reduction in failures without evidence.
Prepare a DTMS technical evaluation
Send your country, asset count, transformer types, required measurements and available interfaces. Explore the FiibixTech DTMS overview before discussing your scope.
Request a DTMS discussion