An infrared scan can identify a hot electrical connection before it contributes to equipment damage or an unplanned shutdown, but only when the inspection is planned and documented correctly.
For Currentechnologies customers, infrared scanning supports safety, uptime, and defensible maintenance records. The goal is to give owners and field teams enough information to prioritize repairs, monitor developing conditions, and verify completed work.
Equipment Commonly Included
Infrared scan services may include electrical panels, switchgear, switchboards, disconnects, motor control centers, transformers, bus connections, breakers, and control cabinets.
Electrical equipment should be scanned under meaningful load whenever possible. A lightly loaded circuit may not generate enough heat to reveal a deteriorated connection or overloaded component. Fluke recommends inspecting equipment after it reaches steady-state conditions and, ideally, while carrying at least 40% of its typical load.
When covers or doors must be opened, access and electrical safety requirements should be planned in advance. OSHA’s electrical safety-related work practices limit work on exposed energized components to qualified personnel using appropriate precautions.
- Scan electrical equipment under meaningful load when possible.
- Connect thermal images to specific equipment names and locations.
- Document load and operating conditions at the time of inspection.
- Assign priority levels so repairs can be scheduled appropriately.
What the Technician Is Trying to Determine
The technician is looking for abnormal temperature patterns that may indicate loose or deteriorated connections, overloaded conductors, phase imbalance, corrosion, poor contact, damaged components, or restricted cooling.
A thermal image does not identify the cause by itself. Equipment load, ambient temperature, emissivity, reflections, equipment design, and comparison with similar components all affect how a finding should be interpreted.
Additional information about common electrical heat patterns is available in Electrical Infrared Testing: Finding Heat Before It Becomes Failure.
How Reports Should Guide Next Steps
The strongest reports are written for action. Each finding should be connected to the correct asset and include enough information for the maintenance team to locate the component and understand the recommended response.
A useful report should include:
- Equipment name, location, and identification number
- Thermal and reference photographs
- Load and operating conditions
- Measured temperatures and comparison points
- Priority or severity of the finding
- Recommended repair, monitoring, or follow-up action
The report should distinguish between conditions that need prompt evaluation, repairs that can be scheduled during a planned outage, and findings that can be monitored under comparable operating conditions.
The ANSI/NETA Standard for Maintenance Testing Specifications provides a broader framework for using field inspections and tests to evaluate electrical equipment for continued service.
Planning Follow-Up Scans
After a hot connection or component is repaired, a follow-up scan under similar load conditions can help confirm that the abnormal heating was corrected. Keep the original image, repair record, and follow-up result together.
Recurring scans also make changes easier to identify. When a facility uses an annual inspection schedule, comparable reports can show whether conditions are stable or moving in the wrong direction. The appropriate interval should reflect equipment criticality, operating conditions, previous findings, and the facility’s maintenance program.
Related program-planning guidance is available in Thermographic Scanning for Preventive Electrical Maintenance.
Preparing for the Inspection
Before scheduling an infrared scan, gather equipment lists, one-line drawings, previous reports, known hot spots, completed repairs, and typical load information. Identify equipment that may require special access or coordination with production and safety personnel.
If a scan follows an abnormal reading or failed inspection, retain the earlier report and photographs so the technician can compare the current condition with the original concern.
Infrared findings may also support related electrical testing, including Ground Fault System Testing for Safer Electrical Distribution, when the concern involves breakers or protective systems.
How This Connects to Currentechnologies Services
For related service information, review Currentechnologies’ Infrared Inspections services.
To discuss infrared scan services, inspection routes, reporting requirements, or a recurring electrical maintenance program, contact Currentechnologies.
