OPERATOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
UPDATED 2026-2027
# Term Definition
1 Drop in load, drop in temperature,true leak
What conditions will lead to a rise of
pressure in pumphouses?
2 Slow circulationduring the day, static pressure during the
When are slow circulation and static night
pressure utilized inpump houses?
3 Circulation
What is the most common way of
cooling feeder cables?
4
How does rapid circulation differ from
Rapid circulationutilizes air-type blowing radiators
regular circulation?
5
When do you crack the bypass valve When the feeder is tobe put on reduced pressure (30-
(manual relief valve)? 60psi)
6 no
Can you do operational checks on
crossover valves with anin-service
pump house?
7
What conditions will cause a crossover
Loss of AC, a fault,relay operations, loss of pressure
valve to close?
8 What do flow meters do? Show loss of oil onoutlet of ladders
9
What is the purpose of insulating To prevent theionization of feeder pipes/make them
phlanges? touchable
10 The isolation valve. Reopen it if pressure falls steadily,
What valve do you close prior to doing
butmake sure pump is off
a drop check, andwhat if pressure dips
heavily?
,11 The isolation valve. Reopen it if pressure falls steadily,
What valve do you close prior to doing
butmake sure pump is off
a drop check, andwhat if pressure dips
heavily?
12 To prevent pressuredrop when the pump is off
What is the purpose of a check valve?
13
What kinds of pumps are in PURS units They are positivedisplacement pumps and operate at 10-
and what is theirrating? 12 gpm.
# Term Definition
14 Manual bypass valve
Which valve is used for testing and for
setting relief valvevalues?
15 Reduced pressurerelief valve
Which valve reduces pipe pressure for
emergency maintenancework?
16 60psi at 70 degreesFahrenheit
What is the setting on rupture disks?
17 What do BICC reservoirs do, how much
oil is in each tank,how does it move oil Prevent potheadpressures from dropping into a vacuum
into the potheads? where moisture could get in. They have 30 gallons of oil
in each one. Nitrogen transfers the oil.
18 Alarm goes off andfeeder is immediately deenergized
When BICCs force oil into potheads to
slow pressure loss,what happens?
19 What is the purpose of slow circulation
To provide thermalsmoothing, which gets rid of hot
in MAC plants?
spots along a cable circuit. Hot spots limit the power
transfer capacity.
20 Length of the cablecircuit, volume of dielectric fluid in
What affects the settings of the timers the circuit, ampacity fluctuations
on the pumps in apump house?
, 21 What should you check if a leak is
suspected? Low tank level alarm,heavy nitrogen usage, pump
ratcheting, full moat, transfer of oil to adjacenttank,
manholes out in yard, circulating plants
22 What do corona shields do?
Stop the “coronaeffect,” which is the dielectric
breakdown of air
23 What is the function of potheads?
Electrical connectionbetween underground cable and
overhead bus. Seals cable oil system as a sort of
endcap.
24 5amps
At what amperage do most
Current Transformers operate?
25 120v
At what voltage do most
Potential Transformers operate?
# Term Definition
26 Short-circuit thesecondary side
What must be done when isolating a
CT?
27 Condensers that lowerPT primary voltage
What are inside of Bushing Potential
Devices?
28 What things are connected to AC Light
Transformer coolingequipment; Tap changer motors;
and Power?
fire pumps; test equipment; d.c. rectifiers;pump
houses; air and gas compressors; station lights and
heaters
29
What is the purpose of a phase check? To test cross-phasingon Light and Power transformers
30 For removing them fromservice
Why do AC load boards have main
disconnect switches?
UPDATED 2026-2027
# Term Definition
1 Drop in load, drop in temperature,true leak
What conditions will lead to a rise of
pressure in pumphouses?
2 Slow circulationduring the day, static pressure during the
When are slow circulation and static night
pressure utilized inpump houses?
3 Circulation
What is the most common way of
cooling feeder cables?
4
How does rapid circulation differ from
Rapid circulationutilizes air-type blowing radiators
regular circulation?
5
When do you crack the bypass valve When the feeder is tobe put on reduced pressure (30-
(manual relief valve)? 60psi)
6 no
Can you do operational checks on
crossover valves with anin-service
pump house?
7
What conditions will cause a crossover
Loss of AC, a fault,relay operations, loss of pressure
valve to close?
8 What do flow meters do? Show loss of oil onoutlet of ladders
9
What is the purpose of insulating To prevent theionization of feeder pipes/make them
phlanges? touchable
10 The isolation valve. Reopen it if pressure falls steadily,
What valve do you close prior to doing
butmake sure pump is off
a drop check, andwhat if pressure dips
heavily?
,11 The isolation valve. Reopen it if pressure falls steadily,
What valve do you close prior to doing
butmake sure pump is off
a drop check, andwhat if pressure dips
heavily?
12 To prevent pressuredrop when the pump is off
What is the purpose of a check valve?
13
What kinds of pumps are in PURS units They are positivedisplacement pumps and operate at 10-
and what is theirrating? 12 gpm.
# Term Definition
14 Manual bypass valve
Which valve is used for testing and for
setting relief valvevalues?
15 Reduced pressurerelief valve
Which valve reduces pipe pressure for
emergency maintenancework?
16 60psi at 70 degreesFahrenheit
What is the setting on rupture disks?
17 What do BICC reservoirs do, how much
oil is in each tank,how does it move oil Prevent potheadpressures from dropping into a vacuum
into the potheads? where moisture could get in. They have 30 gallons of oil
in each one. Nitrogen transfers the oil.
18 Alarm goes off andfeeder is immediately deenergized
When BICCs force oil into potheads to
slow pressure loss,what happens?
19 What is the purpose of slow circulation
To provide thermalsmoothing, which gets rid of hot
in MAC plants?
spots along a cable circuit. Hot spots limit the power
transfer capacity.
20 Length of the cablecircuit, volume of dielectric fluid in
What affects the settings of the timers the circuit, ampacity fluctuations
on the pumps in apump house?
, 21 What should you check if a leak is
suspected? Low tank level alarm,heavy nitrogen usage, pump
ratcheting, full moat, transfer of oil to adjacenttank,
manholes out in yard, circulating plants
22 What do corona shields do?
Stop the “coronaeffect,” which is the dielectric
breakdown of air
23 What is the function of potheads?
Electrical connectionbetween underground cable and
overhead bus. Seals cable oil system as a sort of
endcap.
24 5amps
At what amperage do most
Current Transformers operate?
25 120v
At what voltage do most
Potential Transformers operate?
# Term Definition
26 Short-circuit thesecondary side
What must be done when isolating a
CT?
27 Condensers that lowerPT primary voltage
What are inside of Bushing Potential
Devices?
28 What things are connected to AC Light
Transformer coolingequipment; Tap changer motors;
and Power?
fire pumps; test equipment; d.c. rectifiers;pump
houses; air and gas compressors; station lights and
heaters
29
What is the purpose of a phase check? To test cross-phasingon Light and Power transformers
30 For removing them fromservice
Why do AC load boards have main
disconnect switches?
