The Control Tool lets you perform actions on devices. It is typically brought up from the Viewer, although it can also be brought up from an event in the Work Agenda window. The actions you can perform on devices include tagging a device, placing a note on a device, repredicting an outage upstream or downstream from a device and opening and closing a device.

Control Tool topics include:

For related topics, see also:

The Control Tool lets you perform device operations based on the current status of the device. For example, if a device is already open, you can close it. If the device is closed, you can open it. You can operate all or some of the phases of a device (if the device is a multi-phase device).

You can access the Control Tool from the Viewer by double-clicking a device or by selecting a device and then clicking the Control Tool button () on the Viewer toolbar. If you click the Viewer drawing area without selecting a device, the system selects the nearest device.

The name of the device and its type are displayed at the top of the Control Tool. When operating in Real Time with Web Switching enabled, the tool recording the steps will also be displayed at the top of the Control Tool. Tools that record steps include Switching Sheets, Standalone Safety Documents, Event Details Steps tabs, and the Miscellaneous Log. The recording tool label will be hidden in Study mode if no tool is actively recording Study actions.

The left side of the Control Tool provides a set of buttons with options that you can perform; the options that appear differ depending on the type of device that the Control Tool was opened from (pipe, valve, pump, cable, conductor, transformer, fuse, and so on).

Control Tool operations and functions are performed by clicking their corresponding buttons. The following table describes common Control Tool buttons and the actions that they perform.

 

If an event is associated with a selected device, you can find it in the Work Agenda window using the Control Tool's Highlight Event button. You must have the correct view of the Work Agenda window open in order to see the highlighted event (for example, the In Progress list).

To view documents associated with a device, complete these steps:

For instructions on associating documents to devices, see “Associating Documents with Devices”; note that this function is available only to administrative users.

The Control Tool allows you to place notes on devices. Notes may be created or opened by clicking the Control Tool Note... button, which will open the Notes dialog box. Existing notes for the selected device are listed in the Notes pane.

The Notes dialog box displays the following fields and buttons:

You can create one or more notes for a device using the Control Tool. Once you save a note, a note symbol displays in the Viewer next to the device. If you create multiple notes for a device, the number of notes is displayed in parentheses next to the note symbol.

To enter a note, complete these steps:

To edit an existing note from the Control Tool, complete these steps:

You can delete a note once it no longer applies to the device or the event.

To delete a note, complete these steps:

You can use the Control Tool to access attribute information for a device. Attributes include physical and reference information about a device, such as location and manufacturer.

To view device attributes using the Control Tool, complete these steps:

See also “Viewing Device Attribute Information from the Viewer”.

You can view the calls associated with an event in the Viewer by clicking the Toggle Call Display button. A symbol appears attached to any transformers serving customers that have calls associated with the event. If there were multiple calls with the same "clues" then a number will appear in parentheses next to the call symbol. To hide the symbols, open the Control Tool from the device and click the Toggle Call Display button again.

To view the customers on and downstream from a device, click the Control Tool Customer List… button. The Event Details window opens showing the Trouble Info tab's Customers views, which lists all customers on and downstream from the device.

If the selected device is de-energized, the list will display all customers downstream from it in the nominal model configuration. From this page, you can initiate a ping request, as well as monitor previous ping results. See “Using the Trouble Info Tab” for more information.

You can open or close a device in the Viewer to reflect the current state of the device in the field. The Control Tool's available device operation options depend on the status of the device. For example, a Control Tool opened from an open device will only allow you to close the device. In real-time mode, you must have authority over the control zone where the device is located in order to operate the device.

If a device has multiple phases and you only want to open or close one of the phases, you can select which phase you want to operate using the toggle buttons in the Operate Phases section on the right side of the Control Tool.

 

The Control Tool opens with the All phases check box selected whether the device is single phase, two phase, or three phase. You can select one or more phases to perform actions. If you attempt to perform open or close operations on phases that have already been operated, the system will offer to correct the phase selection for you.

To open one or more phases on a device:

You can undo an Open operation, which is different than closing a device. With the Undo Open operation, any RDO that would have been restored will revert back to a predicted outage. As a result, no restore time is set for the associated event and the event remains active.

To close one or more phases on a device:

Many Operate options, such as Open or Close, will have an Instruct version (for example, Instruct Open). These do not perform the action in the model, but instead place an Instruct condition in the model, which indicates that another party (usually a crew) has been instructed to perform the action.

Instructed actions display the Look Ahead and other warnings and errors, but, if the action is being recorded in a switching sheet, the Look Ahead and associated errors and warnings display data as if the instructed steps in that sheet were already completed, which allows you to instruct actions in the Control Tool that are dependent upon instructed actions in the current sheet. This will also give you the correct customer count as if the instructed steps were already executed. This considers all instructed steps in the single active sheet only if recording is on and the mode matches the Control Tool's, and then applies them to the model in the order that they were instructed (using the Instructed Date field). The instructed actions can then be completed in the sheet or in the Control Tool's Instructed Actions pane.

The Instructed Actions pane provides a way of recording results of instructed actions from the Control Tool rather than through a Switching Sheet, Standalone Safety Document, Event Details Steps tab, or the Miscellaneous Log. When an action is instructed, the pane's buttons are enabled so you can record the response.

To record instructed actions results:

You may also click the Show Sheet button to open an associated Emergency Switching Sheet, Standalone Safety Document (if one exists), active Event Details Steps tab, or the Miscellaneous Log if there is not an existing Emergency Switching Sheet or Standalone Safety Document.

You can tag devices in the Viewer that are physically tagged in the field. Tags placed on devices in the system prevent users from performing Open or Close operations on the device. When you place a tag on a device, a tag symbol appears attached to that device in the Viewer. You can place multiple tags on a single device.

Many tag types can be added by selecting a Place Tag option or an Instruct Place Tag option in the Control Tool's Tag... menu. Certain tag types allow you to add information to the tag prior to placing it; these editable tags have an ellipsis (...) in their Place Tag... and Instruct Place Tag... Control Tool options, and will open the Tag dialog box, which contains the editable fields.

The Tags dialog box allows you to create and edit editable tags. The Tags dialog box displays the following fields and buttons:

To create an editable tag, complete these steps:

To place a non-editable tag on a device:

To remove a tag from a device:

To edit an editable tag type on a device:

When you open a Control Tool from certain devices or conductors (for example, fuse or wire), the ground function is available. Grounding a device grounds all parts of the circuit connected to the grounding point. The Look Ahead dialog box warns you if the grounding action will create a live, grounded circuit. The grounded circuit is highlighted in the Viewer and indicated by a grounding symbol at the selected device or midpoint of the selected conductor.

To ground a device, complete these steps:

You can only remove a ground from the device or conductor on which the grounding was applied. To remove a ground from a device, complete these steps:

The Control Tool for a Primary or Secondary ATO switch provides a function to disable or enable ATO functions. Disabling either ATO switch prevents the system from automatically throwing-over or auto-returning the pair of switches.

To place a tag on a device:

The ATO switches can now be operated manually, energization can change, and the system will not automatically operate either ATO switch.

To re-enable the ATO switch:

Once both ATO switches are enabled, the system will once again set the ATO switches to their correct positions, based on the energization.

ADMS Projects that include the "smart" modeling of network protectors will benefit from power flow results that detect the trip and/or reclose conditions on network protectors. In these scenarios, the ADMS engine will trip or reclose the device as appropriate. However, the Network Protectors can be placed in partially/fully disabled in the field and the NMS supports this through the use of "Manual" and "Disabled" modes.

For SCADA driven Network Protectors, that is those with a SCADA open/close status point, Manual and Disabled modes only affect Study mode behavior and Feeder Load Management forecasts.

For non-SCADA driven Network Protectors - that is those without a SCADA open/close status point; Manual and Disabled modes also affect real-time behavior.

To place a network protector in manual mode:

To place a network protector in disabled mode:

To place a network protector in disabled mode:

The buttons on the submenu will reflect the current status of the device. For example, the Disable button will desensitized if the device is already disabled.

The Manual and Disabled modes can also be driven from SCADA measurements. If the device has a SCADA point that indicated it is disabled, for example, then the user options to re-enable a device (or move it to manual mode) will not be available if the device is disabled from SCADA.

In addition to creating an open point, you can insert a jumper on an overhead conductor or between overhead conductors; you can also place emergency cables between underground devices. The jumper is an active part of the model and fully operable. You can open and close jumpers as well as place tags and notes on a jumper.

Model Edits initiated from the Control Tool will be recorded as steps into a switching sheet recording Real Time actions. If no switching sheet is actively recording Real Time actions, then the action will be recorded into the Miscellaneous Log. The actions will also show up in the User Log. If the model edit fails, then the step will be marked as Failed. Model Edit operations can only be initiated from the Control Tool. Web Switching does not support initiating model edits from a switching step.

The Control Tool's Model Edits... context menu allows you to select from the following jumper types.

The Model Edits... Prompt options (for example, In-line Jumper Prompt, Tap Generator Prompt, and so on) allow you to enter details about the jumper with the Enter Model Attributes dialog box; see “Entering Model Attribute Values” for details.

After the crew informs you what type of jumper they will insert, you can make the change in the system. To insert a jumper, complete these steps:

Like devices, you can open and close (Disconnect and Connect) jumpers. To open or close a jumper, complete these steps:

Once a jumper has been removed in the field, you can remove the jumper from the system. This removes the jumper and fully restores the conductor. To remove a jumper, complete these steps:

To perform a tap edit:

The Enter Model Attribute Values dialog box allows you to edit a set of attributes for the model edit you are placing. The dialog box is opened automatically when you choose a Prompt option or you may open it for a Temporary Generator that has been added to the model.

Once you have made changes to the attributes, click OK to place the model edit or click Cancel to abort the model edit.

You can force the system to manually repredict a predicted outage either upstream or downstream from the current system predicted device. This is typically done when a crew finds that the problem is not at the predicted device.

Clicking the Repredict Upstream button manually repredicts the outage to the next predictable upstream device. Clicking the Repredict Downstream button manually repredicts the outage to downstream devices based on outage prediction rules. When repredicting downstream, the system distributes the event to one or more devices. If a specific configuration rule (regroupAfterManualMoveDownstream) is disabled, then Repredict Downstream will manually repredict the outage to the next predictable downstream device(s) instead of using outage prediction rules. Once a predicted outage is manually repredicted upstream or downstream, it will be made stable (see “Working with Stable Predictions”). Specific configuration rules (movableAfterManualMove and stableAfterManualMove) can change whether the repredicted outages are made stable or non-movable.

For example, a crew finds that a predicted service outage (indicated by the "PSO" symbol) at a transformer is not actually where the trouble is located. Using the Control Tool, you can repredict the outage upstream to the switch. When you repredict the outage, the switch displays a PDO (predicted device outage) symbol. The original predicted service outage displayed in one of Work Agenda's Trouble Events list windows changes to a predicted device outage located at the switch.

You can create a momentary outage by simulating a momentary interruption in the system. Momentary interruptions occur when a recloser operates and does not lock out. The Create Momentary… button is only enabled on Control Tools opened from reclosing devices. To create a momentary outage, complete these steps:

The Control Tool's aggregate device actions operate multiple devices with a single action. These actions are only available when the devices have been modeled for aggregate actions. When modeled, the Control Tool's Operate... function has a Secondary Device Actions submenu with the aggregate actions.

The Look Ahead dialog box provides information concerning the results of performing a requested device operation. The Look Ahead dialog box uses system status and topology tracing to "look ahead" of the requested operation and determine its consequences.

The Look Ahead dialog box displays whenever you attempt to perform an action that would result in the distribution system status or topology changing (that is, a switching operation). Once you have looked at key information in the Look Ahead dialog box, you may perform or cancel the operation.

This section includes the following topics:

The Look Ahead dialog box displays whenever a switching operation is initiated from the Control Tool in energized or de-energized portions of the distribution system. The Look Ahead dialog box displays a warning if an operation will create or break loops or parallels. Counts, conditions, and abnormal device information are not available when dealing with loops and parallels.

If the operation will outage or restore the system, additional data is gathered and displayed in the Look Ahead dialog box. The information displayed depends on the results of performing the operation. A tab is enabled only if table information is available. You cannot open or close a device until you view any abnormal devices or conditions (see “View Abnormal Tab”).

The following flow diagram below shows the basic logic of the Look Ahead dialog box.

The Look Ahead dialog box contains tabs and tables that display event and device-related information. The information provided on the Look Ahead dialog box are described below:

When operating in Real Time with Web Switching enabled, the step recording tool will also be displayed at the top of the Look Ahead Dialog. Step recording tools include Switching Sheets, Standalone Safety Documents, Event Details Steps tab, and the Miscellaneous Log. This label will be hidden in Study mode if no tool is actively recording Study actions.

The Drop Count tab displays the number of customers affected by the device operation. This tab provides information for Total Customers and total Critical Customers, with sub counts for four groups of critical customers.

The Pickup Count tab displays the number of customers affected by the device operation. This tab provides information for Total Customers and total Critical Customers, with sub counts for four groups of critical customers.

The ATO Customers tab displays the number of customers affected by automatic ATO operations as a result of the device operation. These customers are not listed in the Counts table.

On loss of the primary feed:

On restoration of the primary feed:

Similarly to the Counts table, the ATO Customers table provides information for total Critical Customers with sub counts for three types of critical customers, Interrupting Current (phase), and Total Customers.

The first column shows data for the total counts. The following three columns show data for each individual phase (A, B, and C), with the last set showing counts for multi-phase customers. The counts for the individual phases (A, B, C) and multi-phase will add up to the counts in the "total" columns (that is, A+B+C+Multi-Phase=Total).

The rows displayed in the counts table include Crit Customers, EMR Customers, MED Customers, KEY Customers, Interrupting Current and total customers. Click on the View ATO Custs button to access ATO Customer information from any of the other views.

The View Conditions tab shows any special conditions currently active on the circuit, including crew locations, tags, notes, and so on. If conditions are present, you must view the conditions table to complete the operation. Click on the View Conditions tab to access condition information.

The Conditions table displays the following columns:

The View Abnormal tab displays data about abnormal devices on the same feeder as the device to operate. An “abnormal device” is any device that is not in its nominal state (for example, an open device that is normally closed).

The Abnormal table displays the following columns:

The View Critical tab shows customers classified as critical (for example, emergency, medical, key) that would be impacted by the proposed device operation.

The Critical Customers table displays the following columns:

The View Cap. and Reg. tab displays capacitors and regulators on the same feeder as the device to operate. The View Cap. and Reg. table displays the following columns:

The Violations tab displays a list of all violations reported by Power Flow the last time Power Flow was run on this device. If Power Flow has not been run or no violations were encountered, this tab is grayed out.

Click the Run Power Flow button on the Look Ahead dialog box to run Power Flow. The Power Flow results are displayed at the top of the dialog box. If violations are encountered during the run, the Violations Changes tab is enabled and the violations are listed in the violations table.

The Violations table displays the following columns:

Three context menus enable filtering of the table data:

Each violation change has a specific background and font color-code:

See Chapter 13, Power Flow for more information.

The View DER tab displays data about distributed energy resources (DER) on the same feeder as the device to operate.

The DER table displays the following columns:

DMS Settings tab displays the list of feeders involved in the operation with their DMS settings, such as FLISR Mode Disabled (see “DMS Settings” for details). The settings are configured using the Configuration Assistant Feeder Management tab; see “” for details. The tab includes the following information:

The tab is enabled for real time mode and allows user to change the settings for Optimization and FLISR for any or all of the involved feeders from this tab. The changes to DMS settings can be saved by clicking the Save button (). This will also send a message to Power Flow services (PFService, FLMService, FLTService, and VVOService), to reload the feeder settings for processing on its applications. The settings can be refreshed or reloaded by clicking the Refresh button ().

You can choose which columns to display in the table. To select columns to display, follow these steps:

If a SCADA control is instructed and subsequently fails to be executed by the SCADA system or times out waiting for the back indication, then the Control Failure Dialog Box opens warning you that the control request has failed.

The Control Failure Dialog Box indicates that the control to the device failed and gives an indication as to the reason for the failure.

The Manage Documents window allows Administrative users to create and remove associations between modeled device and documents that are stored in the Oracle Utilities Network Management System.

To open this window, select Manage Documents... from the Web Workspace Tools menu.

The Manage Documents window displays the following fields and buttons:

To associate a document with a device, complete these steps:

To remove an association between a document and a device, complete these steps:

You can enter damage assessment for a device. Damage assessment incidents are not included in counts for the event. The damage assessment trouble code has an associated clue symbol Damage Assessment clue symbol (letters 'DA' in a red circle), which will be displayed in Viewer at the damage location.

When you enter damage assessment information, you can select one or more crew types needed to repair the reported damage.

If multiple damage assessments exist for an event, the system will calculate the estimated repair time by adding together estimated repair times from each active damage assessment.

To enter damage assessment information for a device, complete the following steps:

When you perform actions in the Control Tool while you are recording in Web Switching Management, the system automatically populates fields in the associated switching sheet as follows:

The Instructed Actions area below the date field displays a list of actions that have been instructed on the selected device. The drop-down list allows you to select an instructed action to complete.

The Show Sheet... button displays the sheet that contains the selected instructed action so you can execute the actions from Web Switching Management.