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 ***
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Tuesday, March 09, 2021