Free checklist
Power distribution unit (PDU) annual maintenance checklist
The annual power distribution unit service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against NFPA 70B, NEC (NFPA 70). Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 6
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The electrician on the annual de-energized service, coordinated with a scheduled shutdown.
When in the schedule
Once a year during a planned outage, since torqueing terminations and opening the transformer section means the unit has to come down.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
De-energized inspection
- 2 photos
Terminations torqued and marked
Lugs and terminations torqued to the manufacturer's published values, torque-mark applied so the next tech sees they were done.
- 1 photo
Bus, lugs and insulators inspected
No discoloration, pitting or heat tracking on bus joints, lugs and standoffs, connections clean and tight.
Transformer section
- 1 photo
Transformer connections and ventilation checked where fitted
Winding and tap connections tight, no heat discoloration, cooling openings clear and the section blown out clean.
Grounding and protection
- 1 photo
Grounding and bonding verified back to the source
Ground and bonding connections tight and continuous, enclosure and neutral references confirmed as intended.
- 1 photo
Breakers exercised while de-energized
Branch and main breakers operated through their travel, any that feel stiff or won't seat flagged for replacement.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Terminations 'checked' by wiggling instead of torqued, so a creeping loose connection is never actually found.
- Transformer section skipped because it needs a shutdown, and its ventilation stays choked with dust year on year.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 6 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this power distribution unit (pdu) annual checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering de-energized inspection, transformer section, grounding and protection. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The electrician on the annual de-energized service, coordinated with a scheduled shutdown.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year during a planned outage, since torqueing terminations and opening the transformer section means the unit has to come down.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 6 of the 5 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a power distribution unit (pdu) annual inspection?
- Terminations 'checked' by wiggling instead of torqued, so a creeping loose connection is never actually found. Transformer section skipped because it needs a shutdown, and its ventilation stays choked with dust year on year.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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