Safe maintenance in a hazardous area requires more than checking for an Ex logo. International OEMs, machine builders, integrators and factories working in Turkey must match the complete equipment marking, certificate, manufacturer instructions and site zone classification before any intervention. Farad Otomasyon supports industrial sites in Istanbul, Tuzla, Gebze, Cayirova and Dilovasi as a local field-service and technical coordination partner.

Prepared by the Farad Technical Team · Updated 2 September 2026 · Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Define the Ex maintenance scope before opening equipment

Create an asset register for motors, enclosures, sensors, cable glands, junction boxes and control panels. Record the hazardous-area zone, gas or dust group, temperature class or maximum surface temperature, EPL/category, permitted ambient range and certificate reference. Directive 2014/34/EU requires clear marking for equipment intended for potentially explosive atmospheres. The IECEx system uses international standards such as the IEC 60079 series and independent conformity assessment. Neither reference makes a device universally suitable: the evaluated configuration must match the real installation.

Inspection frequency should reflect risk, operating hours, contamination, vibration, corrosion and the technical file. A single generic interval for every device is rarely appropriate.

Inspect without compromising the protection concept

Visual inspection

Confirm that markings remain legible. Check housings, specified fasteners, earth connections, stopping plugs, cable glands, seals and signs of overheating. On Ex d enclosures, flamepath surfaces and manufacturer-specified bolts are critical; they must not be painted, ground or replaced with arbitrary hardware.

Detailed inspection

After safe isolation under the plant permit system, inspect terminals, manufacturer-specified torque, protective-conductor continuity, insulation condition and operating temperature. For Ex i intrinsically safe circuits, verify the field device, barrier, cable parameters and segregation as one system. Replacing one component with a similar-looking model can invalidate the entity calculation.

Field scenario: repeated overheating of an Ex motor

Consider a ventilation motor that heats up after several hours while current stays close to the nameplate value. The correct response is not an immediate motor replacement. First compare ambient temperature with the marked Tamb range, clean cooling surfaces without damaging the coating, inspect airflow, mechanical load and alignment, and verify drive parameters. Compare the measured surface temperature with the permitted class and document the result. If the marking, certificate or conditions of use do not match, keep the equipment out of service until an engineering assessment is completed.

Practical Ex maintenance checklist

• Confirm the latest zone classification and hazardous substance.
• Record the complete nameplate and certificate details.
• Match group, temperature class, EPL/category and ambient range.
• Inspect cable glands, stopping plugs, seals and protective earthing.
• Look for corrosion, loosening, vibration, dust and overheating.
• Use only parts permitted by the manufacturer documentation.
• Record defects, measurements, corrective work and the next inspection date.

Common mistakes that create hidden risk

Typical failures include fitting an ordinary cable gland to an Ex enclosure, mixing metric and NPT threads, losing a certified stopping plug, modifying a flamepath, damaging the earth connection and changing a component without checking the certificate. Farad Otomasyon personnel have completed Ex 000 awareness and Ex 004 maintenance training referenced to ATEX 2014/34/EU and 1999/92/EC. This does not represent product certification, notified-body status, Ex 003 installation authority or Ex 005 overhaul authority.

Frequently asked questions

Can Ex equipment be repaired on site?

Only within the permitted scope, competence and documentation. Work that changes the construction or protection concept requires separate assessment and appropriate authority.

Is an Ex logo sufficient?

No. Check the full marking, certificate, special conditions of use and suitability for the classified area.

Does IECEx certification make equipment suitable for every plant?

No. Certification covers an assessed configuration; suitability depends on the actual zone, substance and installation conditions.

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