Retrofitting Jobs
POLARIS provides professional electrical retrofitting services to modernise ageing electrical infrastructure, control panels, and automation systems in industrial and commercial facilities. Many plants operate with electrical panels and control systems that are decades old — relying on obsolete switchgear, discontinued components, outdated relay logic, and overloaded busbars that compromise safety, efficiency, and reliability. POLARIS retrofitting services replace outdated equipment with modern, standards-compliant components while maximising reuse of existing enclosures and infrastructure — minimising disruption and project cost. Our retrofitting scope covers switchgear replacement, PLC and control system upgrades, busbar augmentation, protection relay modernisation, energy metering installation, and complete panel revamping. POLARIS plans all retrofitting work with minimal downtime impact through detailed outage planning and pre-fabrication of replacement assemblies.
Key Features
- Switchgear replacement — contactors, MCCBs, ACBs, and protection relays with modern equivalents.
- PLC and control system upgrade from obsolete relay logic or discontinued PLC platforms.
- Busbar augmentation and replacement for increased load capacity in existing panels.
- Protection relay modernisation with numerical relays for improved fault discrimination.
- Energy metering and power quality monitoring installation in existing distribution panels.
- Panel interior revamping including wiring replacement, labelling, and cable management.
- VFD installation for energy saving on existing fixed-speed motor drives.
- LED lighting retrofit for energy efficiency improvement on existing lighting systems.
- Outage planning and pre-fabrication for minimum production downtime during retrofitting.
- As-built documentation update and post-retrofitting testing and commissioning.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should a facility consider electrical panel retrofitting instead of replacement?
Retrofitting is preferred when the existing panel enclosure and busbar structure are in good condition but the switchgear, relays, or control components are outdated or failing. If the existing infrastructure meets the load requirements but only the components inside need upgrading, retrofitting offers significant cost savings over full panel replacement.
What are the typical signs that an electrical panel needs retrofitting?
Signs include frequent nuisance tripping of circuit breakers, inability to source spare parts for installed switchgear, overheating of busbars or components, outdated relay logic that cannot be modified for new processes, non-compliance with current electrical safety standards, and insufficient protection coordination for the existing load.
How does POLARIS minimise production downtime during electrical retrofitting?
POLARIS pre-fabricates replacement switchgear sub-assemblies, pre-wires marshalling panels, and plans all activities requiring power shutdown to be completed within agreed outage windows — typically during scheduled maintenance shutdowns or weekends. This reduces actual outage time required for retrofitting to an absolute minimum.
Can POLARIS upgrade relay-based control panels to PLC-based automation?
Yes. POLARIS has extensive experience in replacing conventional relay-based control panels with modern PLC-based automation systems. This includes PLC selection, programming, HMI development, rewiring, and commissioning — often within the existing panel enclosure space with modifications.
Does POLARIS provide updated electrical drawings after retrofitting?
Yes. POLARIS provides complete as-built electrical drawings, updated schematic diagrams, panel GA drawings, and terminal schedules after every retrofitting project. This ensures the client has accurate documentation reflecting the actual post-retrofitting state of the electrical system.