HIGH RATE OF FAILURES OF RC
DAMPING PANEL RESISTORS IN
VCB & MEDHA SIV
FAILURES YEAR WISE
VCB DAMPING PANEL
2023-24 2024-25 2025-26(up to
Sep)
00 01 07
FAILURES YEAR WISE
MEDHA SIV
2023-24 2024-25 2025-26(up to
Sep)
00 00 03
FAILURES OF RESISTOR IN RC DAMPING PANEL OF
VCB & MEDHA SIV
• In Conventional Locomotives across the TFWA winding, RC damping panel (two sets of
RC networks — (R = 4.7 Ω, 500 W) and (C = 25 µF, 600 VAC) connected in series) are
provided to suppress switching surges and harmonics.
• Recently it has been observed that the failure rate of RC damping panels is showing an
alarmingly increasing trend. Multiple instances of panel overheating have been found.
• The Resistor in the RC network available at the input of MEDHA SIV also are found to be
overheated and burnt leading to SIV earth fault.
• Similar RLC Damping Panel is available in 3-Phase Locomotive where there is no
Overheating mark noticed till date.
• These Locomotives are checked and found no other abnormalities except over heating
of resistors and all locos are provided with GLA.
Comparison of RC Damping Panel used in various makes or SIV & VCB
R (ohm) C (uF) R eff Impedanc Remarks
(ohm) e at 50 Hz
(ohm)
VCB RC 4.7 , 500 W 25 9.4 254 Two resistors in series so
Damping Panel combined value of 9.4 ohm.
Medha SIV 6.8 , 625 W 15 3.4 212 Two resistors in parallel so
effective resistance value is
3.4
Other make SIV NA NA NA - NA
3 Phase Loco 22 , 80 W 0.22 22 14437 RLC circuit where L is 100 mH
Circuit Diagram of various Damping panel
Conventional Loco RC across RC across auxiliary winding in RLC surge suppression
auxiliary winding Medha make SIV circuit across BUR Winding
COMPARISON OF IMPEDANCE CHARACTERISTIC OF DAMPING CIRCUIT
• The chart shows that the impedance of the damping panel of Conventional Loco VCB & Medha SIV
is very low compared to three phase loco in the range of 750 - 2150 Hz which would infer the
higher value of current across it compared to three phase locos.
• The impedance of damping panel present in the SIV is much lower compared to that of the
conventional loco damping panel in higher frequency range
PROPORTIONAL VOLTAGE DROP AND POWER DISSIPATION IN CONVENTIONAL , 3 PHASE & IN MEDHA SIV
• The Ratio of the voltage drop across the resistance in the damping panel to the voltage across the
whole panel also shows higher drop in conventional loco panel & Medha SIV panel compared to
Three phase locos.
• The Power dissipation across the resistor which is getting overheated also shows that there is
huge difference in the range of 750 - 2250 Hz.
• Hence it is requested to redesign the R&C values in Conventional loco & Medha SIV RC damping
panel to reduce the power dissipation.
• The voltage drop between conventional loco panel and Medha SIV shows that the drop is similar
for both up to 850 Hz and further higher frequencies there is a steep increase in the Medha SIV
which impacts its performance more due to excess dissipation.
Conclusion
• The failures in case of VCB Damping Panel resistors and Medha SIV are only faced in the recent
past after the isolation of Harmonic Filter in Three Phase Locomotives as per RDSO MS.
• The RC values are to be redesigned so as to reduce the power dissipation in the specified
frequency range to prevent overheating.
FAILURE PHOTOS
THANK YOU
2025-26 MEDHA SIV FAILURES
Loco No: 22287 Loco No: 22268 Loco No: 27482
DOF: 30.07.25 DOF: 06.08.25 DOF: 15.09.25
RC panel RC panel RC panel
overheated overheated overheated
Line failure Line failure (Non Shed detected
featured
2023-24 FAILURES
OHE
EQPT SURGE
S LOCO SIV SIV DEFECTS EQPT DATE FAILURE MAX
SL Ico DOF SCH ARRES
NO NO MAKE LIFE DETECTED MAKE OF O/H TYPE VOLTA
NO TER
GE
NIL
2024-25 FAILURES
OHE
EQPT SURGE
S LOCO SIV SIV DEFECTS EQPT DATE FAILURE MAX
SL Ico DOF SCH ARRES
NO NO MAKE LIFE DETECTED MAKE OF O/H TYPE VOLTA
NO TER
GE
RESISTANCE HEATED 04.03.25
1 27584 SIEMENS 16 Y NIL MONOLITE 02.02.23 30-04-2025 SPL Line 28.9 KV CGL
IN ENROUTE TOH
2025-26 FAILURES
OHE
EQPT SURGE
LOCO SIV EQPT DATE OF FAILURE MAX
S NO SIV MAKE DEFECTS DETECTED SL Ico DOF SCH VOLTAG
ARRESTE
NO LIFE MAKE O/H TYPE
NO E R
20.05.23
1 27437 AAL 8Y RESISTANCE OVER HEAT NIL MONOLITE 20.05.23 02-05-2025 SPL Line NA CGL
IOH
RESISTANCE OVER HEAT IN 08.04.24
2 27906 SIEMENS 5Y NIL MONOLITE 07.01.22 11-06-2025 SPL Line 29.7 KV CGL
ENROUTE IOH
DURING SCHEDULE RESISTANCE 13.02.21
3 28026 SIEMENS 16Y NIL MONOLITE 13.02.21 23-07-2025 IA2 Line NA NIL
OVERHEAT NOTICED TOH
DURING SCHEDULE RESISTANCE 07.05.22
4 24607 AAL 13Y NIL MONOLITE 07.05.22 31-07-2025 IA2 Line NA ABB
OVERHEAT NOTICED POH
DURING SCHEDULE RESISTANCE 22.12.23 Shed
5 27467 MEDHA 13Y NIL MONOLITE 22.12.23 20-8-25 IB 29KV CGL
OVERHEAT NOTICED IOH detection
03.05.25
SIEMENS DURING SCHEDULE RESISTANCE Shed
6 28028 2Y NIL MONOLITE 18.03.23 21-08-25 IOH IB 29.1KV NA
2x130 OVERHEAT NOTICED detection
26.03.25 shed
7 24653 MEDHA 6Y RC PANEL1 BURST CONDITION NIL ZEONICS 24.03.23 20-08-2025 27.8KV ABB
TOH detection
