via Chinese transformers not durable: Zent – DailyNews Live by Bridget Mananavire 6 APRIL 2014
Transformers imported from China were yesterday described by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority Enterprises (Zent) as of poor quality and irreparable.
Loveness Kunaka, Zent divisional manager manufacturing, told Energy minister Dzikamai Mavhaire that Zent were getting a raw deal from the Chinese.
“Some of the products from China are unrepairable (sic),” Kunaka told Mavhaire during a tour of Zent premises.
“There are some transformers that were imported through the ministry of Agriculture and installed at farms. Most of them were of poor quality and some have already come to us for repairs but we cannot repair them.”
She said the expected life-span of a transformer is 25 years, but the Chinese transformers are breaking down much earlier.
Mavhaire had asked whether the company was getting raw material for transformers from China, which the minister described as Zimbabwe’s “all weather friend”.
The Energy minister was touring Zent’s transformer manufacturing plant where some of the transformers are exported.
Zent said it was getting raw material from PME Power Solutions of India not China.
The company has around 4 000 transformers waiting to be repaired, which had blown up as a result of vandalism and lightning. Zesa last year lost $6 million worth of transformers to vandalism, particularly the illegal draining of oil, and from lightning strikes.
“We have the capacity to turn them into something workable but we are waiting for raw material,” Kunaka said, adding that they had already picked out 645 transformers for repairs from the lot.
Mavhaire advised the company to also contract the Chinese to make sure the transformers are quickly repaired.
COMMENTS
Come on guys. This is where we have to press our point. We have Apolitical who specializes in POWER SUPPLY. He must be vocal here and tell us what the problem is. Did someone in the MDC say order 0 transformers? Was a order done during the GNU? Come on you of HIGH IQ tell us.APOLITICAL, I will say to you once and once only. IF YOU ARE THE BIG TREE..WE ARE THE small axe. AND WE WILL CUT YOU DOWN. WE WILL CUT YOU DOWN. BE VERY AFRAID.
If you buy rubbish in return for bribes this is what happens
True! Buy German equipment, it’s the best quality, not Chinese junk!
This report is a bit confusing to me because its like we export transformers manufactured by Zent. I am going to assume that they assemble transformers with parts from China.If that is the case then they have to check the type of wire being supplied and its insulation material.It is absolutely necessary to use high temperature insulation material to avoid short circuits within the transformer turns.When the transformer vibrates cheap type of insulation will come off due to heat and rubbing due to vibrations.
It is a known fact that most of Chinese wire is substandard due to gauge and insulation material they use to cut costs.ZESA should always check their transformers station earth before the rains and after the rains to ensure that what has been broken due to direct lightening strikes is replaced before the next rain season.
The minister’s reply to a Zent concerned employ was typical of an ignorant politician who tries to cool things down with a useless suggestion to contract these culprits who are cheating this local company.
It reminds me of the saying ‘uzadliwa ngum China’. We all know about Chinese products.
They are probably manufactured for 60hertz and 480 volts or some other different value that we don’t use. Do not trust the rating labels, they always fudge it up.
Remember in this game its national interest first ,The Chinese will get as much out of us as possible. And its so easy for them with the zanu thieves in power.
All weather friends,my backside.!!!
“WHERE’S APO”????? TOO EARLY FOR zanupf to get out of bed in those leafy suburbs.!!!!!!!!!!!
Look east policy
The Chinese junk cant match the British South Wales electric transformers. Shall we continue looking east at this rate? Wake up Zanu Pf!
Don’t blame the chinese its them zanu crooks who opted for cheap things and pocket same cash for themselves. China has grades they produce for products meaning that our guys opted for cheap product yet on the contract its best quality as long as zanu is in control we will sufer big time every1 wants to make money through connections
Zhing zhong
zhanga zhiri zhangu ……. zhaa zhako ……
Serves you right