Part 21 Report - 1998-561

ACCESSION #: 9808070214 FAX MESSAGE Tel. (281) 348-1800 Fax (281) 348-1293 Westronics E-Mail - Westron @ Westronics.com _2_Pages counting this cover page 2200 North Park Drive, Suite 100 Kingwood, TX 77339-3804 THIS IS A 10CFR PART 21 NOTIFICATION Contacts: Robert T. Agee Quality Assurance Manager Larry Zett Service Manager August 5, 1998 US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Subject: Westronics Model 1200AC and 1200BC Recorders This letter is a notification of a defect associated with Westronics 1200AC and 1200BC recorders built under the Westronics 10CFR50 Appendix B Program. On or about July 23, 1998, Westronics determined that three Westronics Series 1200A Commercial Grade recorders had exhibited an anomaly whereby the bar-graph displays went blank or froze, potentially presenting erroneous information to the operator. Also, the internal "beeper", which annunciates key strokes while programming, might sound. The Westronics Series 1200A and 1200B recorders are 1/2 Din, programmable recorders which contain door mounted alphanumeric and bar-graph displays. This anomaly is associated with numerous repetitive openings and closures of the recorder door, which may cause strain related fractures in the flat- conductor cable routed to the door-mounted display. After the failure, the recorder continues to measure and process data correctly, and to alarm on process signals that have exceeded normal boundaries. The recorder pens also indicate signal levels correctly. However, the data which is measured and recorded may not match the data which is displayed on the alphanumeric and bar-graph displays. There have been no reported field failures of safety related Series 1200 (1200AC or 1200BC) recorders. Although the anomaly has been identified in Commercial Grade recorders only, Westronics is sending this notification to all customers who have purchased 1200AC and/or 1200BC recorders. The scope of this notification includes fourteen (14) safety related recorders, of which thirteen (13) are Westronics Series 1200AC and one (1) is a Westronics Series 1200BC. The following is the list of safety related recorders which could potentially contain the defect, including Serial Number, Westronics Ship Date, Customer, Location Shipped To, and Purchase Order. Recorder Serial# Ship Date Customer Shipped To Purchase Order 123AC1019 07/10/99 Duquesne Light Beaver Valley D162900 123AC1020 07/10/98 Duquesne Light Beaver Valley D162900 123AC1021 07/10/98 Duquesne Light Beaver Valley D162900 123AC1022 07/10/98 Duquesne Light Beaver Valley D162900 123AC1023 07/10/98 Duquesne Light Beaver Valley D162900 123AC1024 07/10/98 Duquesne Light Beaver Valley D162900 121BC7042 07/01/99 Entergy Riverbend Sta. RB972301 121AC1025 07/07/98 Entergy Ark. Nuclear One 973287 121AC1026 07/07/99 Entergy Ark. Nuclear One 973287 121AC1027 07/07/98 Entergy Ark. Nuclear One 973287 122AC1028 07/07/99 Entergy Riverbend Sta. RB980091 122AC1029 07/07/98 Entergy Riverbend Sta. RB980091 123AC1030 07/07/98 Entergy Riverbend Sta. RB980091 123AC1031 07/07/98 Entergy Riverbend Sta. RB980091 A design modification is being developed which will provide a larger bend radius for the flat conductor cable, thereby reducing the likelihood of cable fracture due to strain. Westronics will provide additional details in the written report to follow. Should you have any questions regarding the above, please contact the undersigned. Sincerely, Robert T. Agee Quality Assurance Manager GENERAL INFORMATION or OTHER EVENT NUMBER: 34607 LICENSEE: WESTRONICS NOTIFICATION DATE: 08/05/98 CITY: KINGWOOD REGION: 4 NOTIFICATION TIME: 15:25 [ET] COUNTY: STATE: TX EVENT DATE: 06/23/98 LICENSE#: AGREEMENT: Y EVENT TIME: 00:00[CDT] DOCKET: LAST UPDATE DATE: 08/05/98 NOTIFICATIONS WILLIAM JOHNSON RDO NRC NOTIFIED BY: AGEE TOM MOSLAK RDO1 HQ OPS OFFICER: CHAUNCEY GOULD VERN HODGE NRR EMERGENCY CLASS: NOT APPLICABLE 10 CFR SECTION: CCCC 21.21 UNSPECIFIED PARAGRAPH EVENT TEXT WESTRONICS OF KINGWOOD, TX. IS REPORTING A PART 21 DEFECT IN CERTAIN RECORDERS THEY MANUFACTURE. THEY HAVE DETERMINED THAT THREE WESTRONICS SERIES 1200A COMMERCIAL GRADE RECORDERS EXHIBITED AN ANOMALY WHEREBY THE BAR-GRAPH DISPLAYS WENT BLANK OR FROZE, POTENTIALLY PRESENTING ERRONEOUS INFORMATION TO THE OPERATOR. THE INTERNAL "BEEPER", WHICH ANNUNCIATES KEY STROKES WHILE PROGRAMING, MIGHT SOUND. THIS ANOMALY IS ASSOCIATED WITH NUMEROUS REPETITIVE OPENINGS AND CLOSURES OF THE RECORDER DOOR, WHICH MAY CAUSE STRAIN RELATED FRACTURES IN THE FLAT- CONDUCTOR CABLE ROUTED TO THE DOOR-MOUNTED DISPLAY. AFTER THE FAILURE, THE RECORDER CONTINUES TO MEASURE AND PROCESS DATA CORRECTLY, AND TO ALARM ON PROCESS SIGNALS THAT HAVE EXCEEDED NORMAL BOUNDARIES. THE RECORDER PENS ALSO INDICATE SIGNAL LEVELS CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, THE DATA MEASURED AND RECORDED MAY NOT MATCH THE DATA WHICH IS DISPLAYED ON THE ALPHANUMERIC AND BAR-GRAPH DISPLAY. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTED FIELD FAILURES OF THE SAFETY RELATED SERIES 1200(1200AC AND 1200BC) RECORDERS, HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER IS NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THESE RECORDERS. THE 1200AC AND 1200BC RECORDERS HAVE BEEN SHIPPED TO THE FOLLOWING NUCLEAR FACILITIES: BEAVER VALLEY, RIVER BEND STATION AND ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE. *** END OF DOCUMENT ***

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