A Sydney-based company asked Thermal Scanners to check their electrical equipment due to occasional power outages. They wanted to prevent any electrical issues causing downtime or expensive repairs. Our expert came to the site and thoroughly examined the business’s electrical systems using electrical thermal inspection technology.
Finding the Issue:
The expert found a heat-related problem with a circuit breaker in an electrical panel during the inspection (see image below). Using a thermal imager, they discovered an unusually high temperature, which showed the circuit breaker’s cable connection was getting too hot. The expert informed the maintenance manager and suggested an immediate fix to prevent further damage or safety risks.
The business manager approved the repair, and an on-site electrician quickly addressed the issue. After examining the circuit breaker, the electrician found a loose connection causing the heat problem. They tightened the connection and tested the circuit breaker to ensure it worked properly.
Verifying the Fix:
The expert performed another thermal inspection 20 minutes later and confirmed that the issue was resolved. The thermal imager showed a normal temperature, meaning the circuit breaker was no longer overheating. Thermal Scanners gave the business owner a detailed report of the repair, including before and after thermal images, and suggestions for maintaining the system to prevent future issues.
This case study highlights the value of regular electrical thermal inspections to find potential problems and avoid costly downtime or safety risks. Detecting and quickly fixing the heat issue in the circuit breaker prevented more damage and safety hazards. The business owner was pleased with the inspection and repair process and now knows their electrical systems are working well and efficiently. Thermal Scanners serves many clients across different industries in the Greater Sydney area.
Are you tired of managing costly electrical system failures and unexpected downtime? As a business owner or facility manager, it’s essential to keep your electrical system running smoothly for your success. Regular electrical thermal inspections can help. With advanced thermal scanning technology, Thermal Scanners can identify potential issues before they become major problems, saving you time and money in the long run. In this post, we’ll demonstrate how regular electrical thermal inspections can help you enhance efficiency, improve system performance, and ensure the safety of your staff and customers. Let’s explore how this powerful tool can benefit your business.
Understanding the Basics of an Electrical Thermal Inspection
Electrical thermal inspection is a non-invasive method of inspecting electrical equipment and components, which can identify potential faults or failures before they occur. The process involves using infrared cameras to detect temperature variations in electrical systems, which can indicate to us potential issues.Normally humans are unable to see into the infrared spectrum and instead have a very narrow field of vision as shown below. However, with special equipment we are able to detect and convert this infrared data into a visual image.
Normal field of vision for humans:
Image showing Visible Light spectrum
What are the common problems in electrical systems?
Underrated cables / equipment
Rust and degradation
Unbalanced loads
Loose terminations
Malfunctioning equipment
Compared to visual inspections or load testing, electrical thermal inspections are more effective at identifying potential problems early on, before they can cause significant damage or downtime. By conducting regular electrical thermal inspections, businesses can improve electrical system performance.
The Benefits of Electrical Thermal Inspection for Preventive Maintenance
Electrical thermal inspections are an excellent tool for businesses to perform preventative maintenance on their electrical systems. By using infrared cameras to detect temperature variations in electrical equipment, potential problems can be identified before they cause major damage or downtime. There are many benefits to conducting regular electrical thermal inspections as part of a preventative maintenance program.
Thermal Imager used by Thermal Scanners
Top 5 benefits to conducting electrical thermal inspections
Early detection of potential issues before they become major problems
Improved safety for workers and equipment
Reduced energy consumption and costs
Increased equipment lifespan and reduced maintenance costs
Improved compliance with regulations and standards
By taking advantage of the benefits of electrical thermal inspections, businesses can improve the reliability and efficiency of their electrical systems. Preventative maintenance can reduce costs, extend the lifespan of equipment, and ensure compliance with safety and industry standards. Overall, electrical thermal inspections are an excellent investment in the long-term success of a business.
Common Electrical System Issues That Can Be Detected with an Electrical Thermal Inspection
Electrical thermal inspections are a powerful tool for identifying common electrical system issues that can cause major problems if left undetected. Some common electrical system issues that can be detected with an electrical thermal inspection include:
Loose connections – electrical connections that are loose or corroded can cause increased resistance and heat, leading to equipment failure or fire.
Overheating – when electrical components are working too hard, they can generate excess heat, leading to equipment failure and potential fire hazards.
Insulation defects – faulty insulation can cause electrical leakage, leading to overheating and the potential for electrical fires.
Load imbalances – uneven electrical loads can cause equipment to overheat and fail prematurely.
Circuit breaker issues – faulty circuit breakers can cause equipment to operate at the wrong voltage, leading to increased energy consumption and equipment failure.
Loose cable connection on circuit breaker
By detecting these issues early with an electrical thermal inspection, businesses can take corrective action and prevent major damage or downtime.
Electrical Thermal Inspection vs. Traditional Inspection Methods
There are two main options for inspecting electrical systems: electrical thermal inspection and traditional inspection methods. While both can be effective, businesses should consider some key differences between the two when choosing which is best for their needs.
Electrical thermal inspection uses infrared cameras to detect temperature variations in electrical equipment. It’s non-invasive and can detect hidden issues that visual inspection may miss. Traditional inspection methods, on the other hand, are more comprehensive and may include load testing to identify issues not caught by thermal scanning alone.
To help you better understand the differences between these two inspection methods, the following comparison table outlines some key points to consider:
Criteria
Electrical Thermal Inspection
Traditional Inspection Methods
Methodology
Uses infrared cameras to detect temperature
variations in electrical equipment
Typically involves visual inspection and/or load testing
Invasiveness
Non-invasive
Can be invasive depending on the type of testing performed
Hidden Issues
Can identify hidden issues that may not be apparent
through visual inspection
May not identify hidden issues that can be detected through
thermal scanning
Speed
Can be performed quickly and efficiently
May take longer to complete depending on the scope of testing
Cost
Can be more cost-effective than traditional
inspection methods
May be more expensive depending on the type and scope of testing
Is an Electrical Thermal Inspection right for your business?
Deciding whether to choose electrical thermal inspection or traditional inspection methods depends on your business’s specific needs. If you want a non-invasive, cost-effective way to detect hidden issues in your electrical system, electrical thermal inspection may be the right option for you. However, if you require a more comprehensive inspection that includes load testing and other types of assessments, traditional inspection methods may be a better fit.
Electrical thermal inspections are beneficial for businesses across different industries. Thermal Scanners can identify potential issues early on, reducing the risk of equipment failure, downtime, and safety hazards. Additionally, regular electrical thermography maintenance can help extend the life of electrical equipment and lower overall maintenance costs. As technology advances, we can expect more developments in the electrical thermal inspection industry. By investing in regular electrical thermal inspections, businesses can enhance their performance, safety, reduce maintenance expenses, and avoid legal and regulatory issues.
Electrical Thermography is the detection of heat within electrical components, terminations and wiring of electrical infrastructure such as switchboards. The detection of the heat is completed with the use of an infrared scanner which is a specialised camera. The camera creates an image that can be interpreted by a trained operator to quickly identify problem areas, components or connections.
Electrical Thermography is utilised to examine the health of the electrical systems through a non-invasive and non-destructive testing method that is completed whilst the power is active. It helps to identify hotspots that can indicate potential problem areas where dangerous failures such as fires may occur. As Electrical Thermography is a non-contact method of fault finding, there is no interruption to the power supply or shutdowns required to complete the work.
What causes the problems in electrical systems?
Underrated cables/equipment
Rust and degradation
Unbalanced loads
Loose terminations
Malfunctioning equipment
In this example, a three-pole circuit breaker was found to be operating at close to its maximum temperature limit. This was most likely due to the use of an underrated component for the amount of load required within the circuit. If this problem had not been identified there was a very real risk of having this fail during the operation of the warehouse causing a costly shutdown while the problem was identified and rectified.
Three Pole Circuit Breaker at Elevated Temperature, Detected Through Electrical Thermography
What are some of the benefits of Electrical Thermography?
Planning downtime for repairs during non-peak times to avoid interruption
Identify overloaded circuits or underrated cables
Reduce the cost of repairs by only replacing faulty components
Minimise the risk of fire and damage due to failure of components
Ensure the longevity of components through balanced loads
Obtain insurance and reduce the premiums
Now that we understand some of the benefits of having Electrical Thermography completed on our electrical systems, we need to also understand what infrastructure and boards should be scanned.
What Boards need to be scanned?
Switchboards
Fuse boxes
Control panels
Mechanical services boards
Power factor correction units
Main Switch Boards (including all panels and sections)
Sub-boards
What happens once the Electrical Thermography is completed?
When Thermal Scanners complete the Electrical Thermography work, the on-site technician will inform the site contact/manager of any major problems identified during the scan. From here insurance compliant report is completed that will detail all thermal anomalies on site and provide an overall picture of the health of your electrical infrastructure by providing at least 10% of all boards captured and analysed. The report is then checked for accuracy and quality by our head office before being sent off within a one-day turnaround window.
There has been a recent trend of insurance companies requesting for businesses and companies to complete thermal imaging of their electrical boards within their operations to either receive insurance or reduce premiums, so why is that? Thermal imaging can help locate electrical faults and problems before they cause a major failure such as a fire or loss of operations.
How Does It Work?
Thermal Imaging works by using a special type of camera that detects infrared radiation and converts this into temperatures. Using these cameras, qualified and licensed thermographers are able to detect faults on electrical components before they fail. Some of these faults can include:
Loose / improper terminations
Faulty components
Overloaded circuits
Unbalanced loads
Undersized connections and cables
Each of these above mentioned faults will create a different thermal pattern on the electrical equipment so it is vital that you utilize thermographers who are licensed and experienced in order to correctly examine and identify if a fault exists. The below photo shows a circuit breaker with the red phase having a large elevation in temperature indicating either a loose / improper termination or an unbalanced load.
Termination or unbalanced load Fault on circuit breaker
Insurance Requirements.
When your insurance company requests Thermal Imaging of your electrical equipment there are a few things that are required to ensure that you receive an insurance compliant thermal scan, these include:
Licensed thermographer with a minimum of Level 1 qualifications,
Insurance compliant report that notes and details all thermal exceptions,
Detailed scope of works that includes location and description of on-site boards and equipment.
Many electricians offer to complete Thermal Imaging however, often they don’t hold at minimum a level 1 thermography qualification and as such insurers may require this to be completed again by a thermographer. Further, many smaller and non specialised companies may not produce reports that meet insurance standards.
At Thermal Scanners we ensure that all our field staff are certified thermographers with a minimum of a level 1 qualification and all our reports are checked for quality in our head office before issuance. This ensures that all work completed is inline or exceeds insurance requirements to give our clients peace of mind.
Contact us today for a quote or for more information on insurance Thermal Imaging.
Thermal Scanning is the use of a thermal imager to detect heat energy, which can then be converted into a visible image (for more detail see What Is Thermal Scanning). One of the major applications for thermal imaging is to verify the health of electrical systems, leading to early detection of faults, even before the human eye can see them.
Why can thermal scanning be used on electrical systems?
Thermal scanning can be utilised on any electrical system as it creates heat energy as a waste byproduct, or sometimes even as the main purpose such as a heater! Both heat and electrical energy are measured in the same way; joules of energy or watts if we account for time. The amount of energy is directly proportional to the amount of voltage and current being used.
Thus, when we examine a 20 Amp fuse operating at more than 20 Amps of current with a thermal camera, we can see the elevated temperature when compared to other similar components. In this case the amount of current was verified by attaching a clamp meter and measured at 30 amps; indicating that either the fuse needs to be resized or the load rebalanced to ensure an optimal electrical configuration.
Electrical Thermal Scanning of an over-loaded Fuse
What benefits are there of getting thermal scanning completed on my electrical infrastructure?
As mentioned, thermal scanning is able to pick up issues before they become apparent to the naked eye. Some of these benefits include:
Minimising the risk of fire and damage due to failure of components,
Which ensures peace of mind for you as the owner.
Reduce cost of repairs by only replacing faulty components,
When the location of a fault is known the component can be replaced or repaired quickly without having to replace multiple items!
Scheduling in shutdowns so they can be completed with other works,
As we find faults early, this allows problems to be fixed with other routine maintenance.
Preventing unexpected loss of power,
When components fail they can either do so by catching fire, exploding or just failing. Some of these are worse than others, but all will result in the loss of power potentially costing millions of dollars in down time.
Identify overloaded circuits or under rated cables, and
When cables and fuses aren’t rated properly the chances of failure increase, however thermal scanning can detect these problems quickly and efficiently.
Ensuring longevity of components through balanced loads.
Unbalanced loads are one of the more common problems in electrical, where the phases haven’t been balanced causing excessive heat generation through specific components.
Thermal imaging can detect a range of different problems with electrical infrastructure which can range from the obvious overheating components to something as simple as loose and poorly terminated connections. Some of the major ones we encounter on a daily base include:
Loose terminations,
Underrated cables,
Rust and degradation,
Unbalanced loads, and
Malfunctioning equipment.
To help put into perspective how bad some of these faults can be even before failure, we have provided an image of one of the worst thermal faults we have ever found with a peak temperature above 500°C!
Even in the above photo (without feeling the heat), it would be extremely difficult to detect this fault without the use of thermal imaging, even though this component is about to fail and potentially catch fire!
