Test station assemblies for monitoring cathodic protection of structures and related methods
A test station assembly for monitoring a cathodic protection system of a buried or submerged structure includes a housing including an inner chamber a connector, and an opening. In addition, the test station assembly includes a pole to connect to the connector such that an electrical conductor extending through the pole and connected to a coupon assembly is configured enter into the inner chamber. Further, the test station assembly includes a face plate to attach to the housing to at least partially cover the opening and an electrically conductive test post to connect to the face plate. Still further, the test station assembly includes a cap to cover the test post outside of the inner chamber. The cap includes an internal passage to receive the test post therein, and an opening into the internal passage to receive a probe of a voltmeter therethrough to contact the test post.
1 . A kit to provide enhanced monitoring at a test station assembly of a cathodic protection system of an at least partially buried or submerged structure, the kit comprising:
a container;
a probe positioned in the container and configured to connect to a measurement device; and
a plurality of caps positioned in the container, each of the plurality of caps is configured to connect to a respective test post of a plurality of test posts of a face plate of the test station assembly and, when connected to the test posts, to substantially cover the test posts, each of the plurality of caps including an opening of a size to allow passage of the probe therethrough, thereby to facilitate measurement of voltage detected by a coupon assembly when (a) positioned proximate the structure and (b) attached to the test posts, wherein each cap of the plurality of caps includes a recess that extends into an inner end of the cap and a bore that extends from the recess through the cap to the opening in an outer end of the cap, wherein the recess is configured to receive a nut of the respective test post so that the inner end of the cap abuts the face plate when connected to the respective test post.
2 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein the face plate is positioned in the container and includes the test posts, wherein the face plate is configured to connect to a housing of the test station assembly, the housing to receive electrical conductors attached to the test posts to electrically connect the test posts to the coupon assembly, and wherein the housing of the test station assembly is positioned in the container.
3 . The kit of claim 2 , wherein the housing and face plate are positioned in the container as a single component.
4 . The kit of claim 3 , wherein the electrical conductors are positioned within the container.
5 . The kit of claim 2 , wherein a number of the plurality of caps positioned in the container correspond to a number of the test posts included on the face plate.
6 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of caps comprises one or more colors and include a label, and wherein one of the one or more colors and the label are configured to indicate a corresponding portion of the coupon assembly.
7 . The kit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of caps comprises one or more colors and include a label, and wherein one of the one or more colors and the label are configured to indicate a corresponding portion of the coupon assembly.
8 . A kit to provide enhanced monitoring at a test station assembly of a cathodic protection system of an at least partially buried or submerged structure, the kit comprising:
a container;
a probe positioned in the container and configured to connect to a measurement device;
a face plate positioned in the container and including one or more test posts, the face plate configured to connect to a housing of the test station assembly, the housing to receive electrical conductors attached to the one or more test posts to electrically connect the one or more test posts to a coupon assembly, and
a plurality of caps positioned in the container, each cap of the plurality of caps is configured to connect directly to a test post of the one or more test posts of the face plate of the test station assembly and, when each cap is connected to the test post of the one or more test posts, to fully cover the test post of the one or more test posts on the face plate except through an opening in each cap, each cap of the plurality of caps includes the opening sized to allow passage of the probe therethrough, thereby to facilitate measurement of voltage detected by the coupon assembly when (a) positioned proximate the structure and (b) attached to the one or more test posts, wherein each cap of the plurality of caps includes a recess that extends into an inner end of the cap and a bore that extends from the recess through the cap to the opening in an outer end of the cap, wherein the recess is configured to receive a nut of the respective test post so that the inner end of the cap abuts the face plate when connected to the respective test post.
9 . The kit of claim 8 , wherein the housing and face plate are positioned in the container as a single component.
10 . The kit of claim 9 , wherein the electrical conductors are positioned within the container.
11 . The kit of claim 8 , wherein a number of the plurality of caps positioned in the container correspond to a number of the test posts included on the face plate.
12 . A kit to provide enhanced monitoring at a test station assembly of a cathodic protection system of an at least partially buried or submerged structure, the kit comprising:
a container;
one or more probes positioned in the container, each of the one or more probes configured to connect to a measurement device; and
one or more caps positioned in the container, each of the one or more caps is a single unit configured to connect directly to a test post of one or more test posts of a face plate of the test station assembly and, when connected to the test posts, to substantially cover the one or more test posts, each of the one or more caps including an opening of a size to allow passage of a probe of the one or more probes therethrough, thereby to facilitate measurement of voltage detected by a coupon assembly when (a) positioned proximate the structure and (b) attached to the one or more test posts, wherein each cap of the one or more caps includes a recess that extends into an inner end of the cap and a bore that extends from the recess through the cap to the opening in an outer end of the cap, wherein the recess is configured to receive a nut of the respective test post so that the inner end of the cap abuts the face plate when connected to the respective test post.
13 . The kit of claim 12 , wherein the face plate is positioned in the container and includes the one or more test posts, wherein the face plate is configured to connect to a housing of the test station assembly, and wherein the housing is configured to receive electrical conductors attached to the one or more test posts to electrically connect the one or more test posts to the coupon assembly.
14 . The kit of claim 13 , wherein the electrical conductors are positioned within the container.
15 . The kit of claim 13 , wherein a number of the one or more caps positioned in the container correspond to a number of the one or more test posts included on the face plate.
16 . The kit of claim 13 , wherein the one or more caps comprises one or more colors and include a label, and wherein one of the one or more colors and the label are configured to indicate a corresponding portion of the coupon assembly.
17 . The kit of claim 12 , wherein the face plate is configured to connect to a housing of the test station assembly, wherein the housing and the face plate are positioned in the container as a single component.
18 . A kit to provide enhanced monitoring at a test station assembly of a cathodic protection system of an at least partially buried or submerged structure, the kit comprising:
a container;
a probe positioned in the container and configured to connect to a measurement device;
one or more electrical conductors positioned in the container;
a housing of the test station assembly positioned in the container;
a face plate positioned in the container and including one or more test posts, the face plate configured to connect to the housing of the test station assembly, the housing configured to receive the one or more electrical conductors attached to the test posts to electrically connect the one or more test posts to a coupon assembly, and
a plurality of caps positioned in the container, each cap of the plurality of caps is a single unit configured to connect directly to a test post of the one or more test posts of the face plate of the test station assembly and, when each cap is connected to the test post of the one or more test posts, to fully cover the test post of the one or more test posts on the face plate except through an opening in each cap, a number of the plurality of caps positioned in the container correspond to a number of the test posts included on the face plate, wherein each cap of the plurality of caps includes the opening sized to allow passage of the probe therethrough, thereby to facilitate measurement of voltage detected by the coupon assembly when (a) positioned proximate the structure and (b) attached to the one or more test posts, wherein each cap of the plurality of caps includes a recess that extends into an inner end of the cap and a bore that extends from the recess through the cap to the opening in an outer end of the cap, wherein the recess is configured to receive a nut of the respective test post so that the inner end of the cap abuts the face plate when connected to the respective test post.
19 . The kit of claim 18 , wherein the housing and face plate are positioned in the container as a single component.
20 . The kit of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of caps comprises one or more colors and include a label, and wherein one of the one or more colors and the label are configured to indicate a corresponding portion of the coupon assembly.