Tulip Contacts Heating Explained: Silver Plating Wear, Hotspot Diagnosis & Replace-Now Criteria

Tulip contact overheating in medium-voltage switchgear is rarely “just load.” It’s usually an interface problem: contact force, silver plating condition, fretting debris, alignment, or a damaged mating surface. This video breaks down how tulip contacts work, why silver plating matters, how to read IR hotspot patterns, and how to decide between monitor / service-now / replace-now—without guesswork.

In this guide you’ll learn:

What a tulip contact does in MV drawout connections (stabs, spouts, primary plug-in joints)

Why silver plating helps—and what it can’t fix

How contact resistance turns into heating (and why hotspots repeat)

IR scan setup that produces comparable results (load current, steady-load time, phase comparison)

Field inspection workflow: visual + mechanical engagement + controlled re-seat + re-test

Replacement criteria and what evidence prevents repeat failures after swapping parts

What to include in an RFQ-ready “replacement data pack” (photos, duty, thermal evidence, fit notes)

Useful references & resources:

XBRELE VCB Parts & Contacts (tulip contact replacement scope): https://xbrele.com/switchgear-parts/v...

Epoxy contact box context (contamination/tracking around the interface): https://xbrele.com/epoxy-contact-box-...

Vacuum arc interruption basics (operator context vs interface heating): https://xbrele.com/vacuum-arc-interru...

Silver in connector applications (technical reference): https://advancedplatingtech.com/wp-co...

Keywords:
tulip contacts, tulip contact heating, switchgear hotspot, contact resistance heating, silver plating wear, MV switchgear maintenance, drawout breaker primary connections, fretting corrosion, IR thermography switchgear, tulip contact replacement criteria, medium voltage switchgear troubleshooting

If you want help matching the correct tulip contact replacement or stopping repeat overheating, share your thermal images, duty current, and contact band photos with XBRELE.

#mediumvoltage #switchgear #maintenance #engineering #thermography #vacuumcircuitbreaker