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Covers and Panels: Should They Really Be Taken Off?

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One of the main challenges thermographers face during infrared electrical inspection procedures is having to remove protective covers and panels housing the equipment. While these panels are necessary from a work safety perspective, they can cause problems during a thermography inspection.

Infrared technology works more effectively when there is a clear line of sight to the equipment. When thermographers have to take the time to remove panels and covers, it takes them longer to complete the inspection, which costs businesses more money. But how necessary is it really to remove the panels? Read on to find out the importance.

Find The Source of the Problem

Thermographers can get decent images when they bypass the process of removing covers and panels. Essentially, they can see if there is a potential issue or temperature difference, but it’s virtually impossible to determine the source of the issue. Once the panel is removed for the thermographic imaging equipment, you will get a clearer picture of the underlying issue. This allows for more targeted repairs at the actual source of the problem rather than guessing at what may be causing the issue.

Cost Savings of Keeping Covers and Panels On

The longer an infrared electrical inspection takes, the more money a business will have to spend on the survey. This is one of the reasons why companies tell the thermographers to leave the covers and panels on and do the best job they can in order to save money. While this is a good short-term money-saving technique, it can obviously lead to much larger issues in the long-term.

Since thermographic imaging technology has to be clear of obstructions to be completely effective, thermographers can’t do their jobs to the best of their ability when they are limited. When companies choose to take shortcuts by not removing covers and panels, they are actually putting the business at greater risk of electrical fires and equipment malfunctions later on.

Precision and Accuracy is Critical With IR Testing

Every thermographic image taken by a thermographer tells a story about a particular piece of equipment. Without a clear view of the equipment, thermographers have to guess at what is happening in a certain situation. The main solution is to remove the covers and panels to ensure there are no obstructions so clear thermal imaging can be taken.

Another alternative businesses are choosing is to install infrared windows. These windows allow thermographers to do the most effective job without having to take the time to remove panels and covers. Companies will have to spend some money upfront to install the infrared windows, but the windows will pay for themselves over time after several inspections take place.

Infrared Consulting Services knows exactly how to be most efficient and effective when it comes to a thermography inspection. To learn more about how infrared technology works, or to book your inspection appointment, be sure to contact us.

thermographic scanning

Cost of Electrical Systems Fire (and How to Prevent Them)

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Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year in property damage as a result of fires in industrial environments. These fires can be caused by a number of factors, but one thing they all have in common is they can be prevented. It’s easy to understand the benefits of infrared inspection for companies, especially when used as a disaster prevention tool.

The scary thing about electrical systems fires is you may not even know something is wrong until it’s too late. By incorporating thermographic scanning into your regular maintenance budget, you’ll be able to put your company in a safer spot.

Causes of Electrical Systems Fires

Electrical equipment is going to be hot in most cases. Fires can occur when dust, dirt or grease is covering the equipment. Those particles provide fuel for a fire to continue burning, rather than being short-lived if the equipment were clean. Other causes of electrical fires include:

  • Overloaded circuits
  • Exposed or damaged wiring
  • Overloaded outlets
  • Worn extension cords
  • Static discharge

With the high-paced work occurring in industrial workplaces, it can be difficult to spot a potential electrical issue. However, all it takes is a little spark from one of these components to cause a potentially devastating fire. That’s why many companies are leaning on IR thermography to identify any possible issues so they can be fixed before a disaster occurs.

Preventing Electrical Systems Fires With Thermographic Scanning

It’s obvious how to avoid fires started by some of the most common causes, like replacing damaged wires or extension cords. However, these are just temporary fixes, for the most part. Instead, the best way to prevent electrical systems fires in your workplace is to incorporate regular thermographic scanning into your schedule.

With a thermal imaging survey, you don’t even have to shut down your operations most of the time. A thermographer can come to your workplace and give you a comprehensive view of what may need to be fixed or replaced. Infrared thermography detects heat and moisture and is clearly identified on the survey. When these spots show up, it’s a clear indication that something isn’t how it should be and needs immediate attention.

Have a Plan in Place 

The great thing about IR thermography is companies are able to detect problems they didn’t even know they had. This is especially important when it comes to electrical equipment. Have a plan in place to have a thermal imaging survey conducted quarterly, or at least a couple times each year.

Not only will these surveys create a safer work environment, but they could save your company thousands, if not millions, of dollars by avoiding potentially devastating fires. A regular survey, along with general maintenance and awareness on a daily basis, will go a long way in ensuring your company doesn’t have to deal with an electrical fire.

To learn more about the technicalities of infrared thermography, or to schedule your next survey, be sure to contact us.

infrared thermography

Are Your Ovens, Kilns and Furnaces Leaking Heat?

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Heat waste is one of the biggest problems large companies face. Sometimes the leaking is so minimal it’s difficult to detect without the right equipment. Infrared thermography is essential in detecting heat loss coming from things like ovens, kilns and furnaces.This comes as a surprise to many companies, as some people think IR testing is mainly for moisture detection and electrical surveys. However, these surveys are incredibly accurate when detecting hot spots and even the tiniest leaks in equipment, potentially saving your organization tens of thousands of dollars annually.

This comes as a surprise to many companies, as some people think IR testing is mainly for moisture detection and electrical surveys. However, these surveys are incredibly accurate when detecting hot spots and even the tiniest leaks in equipment, potentially saving your organization tens of thousands of dollars annually.

How IR Testing Detects Leaking Heat

When an IR thermography survey is conducted, the infrared equipment detects temperature differences in machinery and systems that could indicate heat leaks, clogged lines or other issues. Detecting these leaks will not only save money, but depending on the severity of the leak, could also help prevent a costly shutdown. A small problem now could turn into a larger problem later on, so any type of heat leak must be addressed immediately.

The best part about thermographic scanning is that nearly all heat sources and machinery can be scanned at one time. This means production doesn’t have to be interrupted and the scanning process won’t take long.

 

The bottom line: Companies can save money and resources by using certified thermographers instead of their own maintenance personnel to detect individual heat leaks.

Potential Sources of Heat Loss

Any time your company conducts thermographic scanning, you’ll likely find some areas needing to be addressed. Patching up the faulty equipment is just as important as finding the sources of the heat loss. The heat leaks could be the result of an insulation breakdown, for example. So if you would patch only the small portion of the machine where the heat leak is coming from, you’d be overlooking a larger issue.

Heat loss can come from a variety of sources, including excessive gear or bearing temperatures, insulation issues, moisture buildup and more. Finding the source of the issue and fixing it is the best way to save costs and prevent further issues from developing.

Consequences of Leaked Heat

There are obvious cost consequences when your machinery is leaking heat. Ovens, kilns and furnaces produce heat at high temperatures, so even the slightest heat leak will cause the machines to work harder. The unnecessarily harder work means they are running less efficiently and wasting energy in the process.

A small heat leak could have a large trickle-down effect if not addressed promptly. The worst-case scenario is the furnace or oven breaks down completely, forcing your company to shut down a portion of the production process.

The importance of infrared thermography when looking for possible heat leaks can’t be overstated. Companies can’t afford to ignore signs of possible heat leaks, even if they seem minor when discovered.
If you’ve never conducted an IR test at your facility, now is the time. Don’t wait! Contact us to schedule an appointment.

Let the experts handle electrical testing.

Four Signs You May Have Electrical Problems – and What to Do About Them

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Electricity is something you never want to mess with unless you’re trained and experienced. Electrical shock and fires are common in households and businesses across the United States. However, most accidents can be prevented with proper care. Sometimes the average homeowner can diagnose and fix an electrical problem, but other times you have to have specific electrical testing equipment. Here are four signs you may have electrical problems and what you need to do about them.

Electrical Outlet Isn’t Working

If a certain electrical outlet isn’t working, you can do a little electrical testing on your own to see where the problem lies. Try out some of the other outlets and see if they are working. If they are, you know the problem is confined to just that single outlet and can replace it accordingly. If multiple outlets aren’t working, you probably have a tripped breaker and need to reset it.

Sparks from Electrical Outlets

Sometimes an outlet will give off a tiny spark immediately when you plug something in. However, if you see sparks after the device has been plugged in for a few seconds, you have a problem. The outlet could be generating too much heat and melt some of the insulation protecting the wires. When the wires are exposed, the chances for an electrical fire increase. Replace the electrical outlet immediately if you start seeing sparks from it.

Breaker Keeps Tripping

Now we are getting into areas requiring more advanced knowledge and skills. If your breaker continues to trip after you reset it, there’s usually a reason behind it. Don’t continue to reset it because you could cause severe damage to your system. Instead, you may have to call on an expert to do some electrical thermography testing to determine why the breaker won’t reset. When you’re dealing with the main electrical system, you don’t want to risk electrical shock or worse.

Lights Are Too Dim, Too Bright or Flickering

Sometimes the light will dim or brighten when you plug in other appliances. That is completely normal. However, if there’s no real reason they should be dimming, brightening or flickering, you know there’s a problem with your electrical system. While this may seem like a small problem, it could require electrical testing by a professional to see where the problem lies.

Electricity is not something the average homeowner should deal with. Instead, contact us at Infrared Consulting Services for all your electrical testing needs!

Electrical thermography was changed by the NFPA.

What Impact Could the NFPA Leave on Electrical Thermography?

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For an organization with no regulatory power, the NFPA sure is influential. When it comes to infrared thermography, no other organization has generated more of an impact over the last few decades than the NFPA. It all starts with two documents that have completely changed the face of electrical thermography.

Since the NFPA doesn’t have any regulatory power, they rely on other organizations to give their recommendations some legs. When OSHA adopted the recommendations from the NFPA documents, it created a huge demand for infrared cameras in the United States and worldwide.

Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance

This is the first document from the NFPA to leave an impact on the IR thermography industry. It goes into detail about the importance of preventive maintenance, which could reduce overall costs, increase safety and even provide a boost in production. The document goes on to state the conditions under which a routine thermography inspection should be conducted, especially with newer equipment or any type of change in the current systems in place. This may seem like a common sense rule of thumb, but it wasn’t a standard until the NFPA took a stand.

Workplace Electrical Safety

This is the second document from the NFPA, which discusses the types of protective equipment people must wear when working with live equipment. Different types of equipment require people to be a certain distance away or wear a certain amount of gear to protect them. If you don’t comply with these standards, you are putting yourself and your company at risk of being fined for violating them.

The new performance procedures for electrical thermography inspections have completely changed the industry. Companies are able to manufacture and distribute new infrared technology in many shapes and sizes, and it’s all due to the standards set forth by the NFPA.

At Infrared Consulting Services, we can help your company comply with the strict standards and regulations set in motion by the NFPA. Our professionals provide businesses with the highest quality IR thermography inspection services to help keep your property safe and also help you save money. Contact us today to learn how we can work together to improve your standards and processes when it comes to infrared thermography preventive maintenance.

Save money and energy with an electrical infrared survey.

How Can an Electrical Infrared Survey Save Money and Energy?

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Businesses nowadays are looking for ways to save a dollar any chance they get. However, some companies are unwilling to spend even a little bit of money upfront to prevent a larger issue from potentially happening down the road. When it comes to electrical inspections, the expenses a business pays upfront are well worth the cost when compared to a major repair to systems and equipment. So how can you save money and energy by getting routine electrical inspections? Let’s dive into the details.

Inspections Detect Hot Spots Before They Cause Problems

With the help of electrical thermal imaging, an operator can actually see problems in equipment before they escalate. The main reason equipment fails is because there is an electrical issue, including overloaded circuits, bad fuses, loose connections or even defective breakers.

When something isn’t working properly, chances are the temperature will be higher than it would be during normal operation. That’s when the thermographic imaging equipment will detect the bad spot and prompt the operator to evaluate the problem.

Saving Money and Energy

You will pay a little bit to get preventive maintenance inspections, but think about how much you’re saving in the long run. If you have faulty equipment running at a higher temperature than it should, it’s using a lot more energy to operate normally. As a result, you will be spending more money in energy costs, which can quickly add up.

Also, if you don’t have routine maintenance done by way of an electrical infrared survey, you are putting your company at risk of paying a significant amount of money to replace a completely defective piece of equipment. When you’re talking about systems that make your company operate smoothly, you may end up losing more than money, depending on the severity of the issue.

Are Electrical Inspections Worth It?

If you’re interested in making sure the normal day-to-day business operations run without a hitch, it’s worth it to complete an electrical infrared survey periodically. You would likely only need to have the inspection completed two or three times each year, but the long-term benefits speak for themselves.

Contact us with any questions you may have about the thermographic imaging process and how we can help keep your business functioning in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible!

Reveal problems with a thermal imaging survey.

Why Do I Need Infrared Testing for My Manufacturing Facility?

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Manufacturing plants need infrared testing.

Infrared testing can help manufacturing plants.

Reveal problems with a thermal imaging survey.

A thermal imaging survey can reveal problems.

If you’re in the manufacturing business, you may have heard of infrared testing, but haven’t used it for a number of reasons. Maybe you aren’t sure of all the benefits, or you haven’t had time to make the change from traditional inspections to infrared testing. Whatever your reasons, there are many more benefits to consider when hiring an infrared testing service for your commercial facility.

What Does Infrared Testing Do?

Certified Thermographers conduct a thermal imaging survey on your equipment to scan it for any potential problems. They will use their own equipment to record yours photographically. This photograph is monochromatic, and the intensity of the shades correspond with the specific temperatures of your equipment. When a piece of equipment begins to malfunction, the first sign is usually a spike in temperature that is often undetectable otherwise. This sudden and severe rise in temperature can signal any number of problems, including:

  • Faulty components
  • Poor internal connectivity
  • Imbalances
  • Exposed circuitry
  • Energy overload

No matter the source of a problem, too much heat coming from a device is often the first and biggest sign complete failure looms in the future. This can occur in any piece of equipment, regardless of age.

How Does Infrared Testing Solve My Problems?

  1. Problems are Identified Early – By hiring an inspection professional to take a look at your equipment, they can easily pinpoint problems you may be experiencing. Best of all, these inspections can detect problems before they truly start, making them an excellent preventive tool. This allows you to catch problems before they can unfold into something more severe, which can save you lost productivity and costly repairs down the road.
  2. Machinery is Maintained More Efficiently – By allowing you to take care of the problem early, you will be eliminating the steep costs associated with repairs, which can add up to thousands of dollars. You will also be avoiding downtime within your facility, which means you won’t be losing valuable productivity. Also, your machinery will last much longer.
  3. Production Won’t be Halted – Another benefit comes in the form of how these inspections are performed. Electrical thermal imaging is not invasive. Traditional methods may halt your production for several hours but your team will be able to carry on a normal work day while the infrared testing takes place. This means there will be no interruption in workflow for your daily operations and you will be able to review the results at your convenience.

For an easier and more cost-efficient option for your commercial inspection, infrared testing could be the best choice for your manufacturing company. For more information on how this important preventive testing measure can ensure maximum productivity, contact us.

Electrical Thermal Imaging Boosts Electrical Functionality

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If you work in a commercial facility that depends on the functioning of electrical equipment, you know the importance of keeping everything in working order. Something can go wrong too easily and quietly, leaving you with a major loss of productivity to deal with, as well as hundreds or thousands of dollars in  repair costs. Did you know there’s an easy way to prevent this kind of catastrophe in your workplace? It comes in the form of electrical thermal imaging and can save you and your facility hundreds thousands of dollars potentially spent on repairs.

How Do Infrared Scans Work?

Infrared scanning, otherwise known as thermographic imaging, is meant to help detect problems in electrical equipment and other components and areas of a building that are otherwise undetectable by the average human senses. When you request an infrared scan, you’ll be hiring someone to take thermal imagery of your machinery for the sake of spotting any potential issues within them. These pictures are monochromatic and are meant to read the temperature given off by the depicted equipment. The hotter an object is, the stronger the variance from dark to light will be. This will be yours and your inspector’s first clue to any signs of trouble.

What Can Thermographic Imaging Tell Me About My Equipment?

All functioning electrical equipment conducts heat as it operates. However, it is beyond our senses to determine how much or how little heat a piece of equipment is giving off. This is where electrical testing and inspection comes in. The first sign of trouble in any electrical device is giving off far more heat than it should. If your equipment is escalating to much higher temperatures than normal, you likely have a serious problem waiting in the wings. The devices used during an infrared scan will be able to easily detect how high a temperature your facility’s equipment is reaching and provide you with a thermogram. The professional in charge of administering your scan will also be able to give you advice on the next steps you should take to resolve the problem.

Why Is This Important?

It’s always better to solve problems before they start, especially when you work in a commercial facility where valuable production time and funds are on the line. With the help of electrical thermal imaging, you have the ability to take care of any issues with your equipment before they escalate into something worse. This will also help to keep your facility as stable as possible by making sure everything is in working order and enabling you to take action with malfunctioning equipment early. If you decide to take up having routine inspections performed, you will then have a method of normal maintenance that will allow you to take care of problems even more easily.

We hope you will consider taking up this valuable preventive measure. If you have any questions or concerns about infrared inspections, feel free to contact us for more information.

Find problems with an electrical infrared survey.

Why Is an Electrical Infrared Survey Important?

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Find problems with an electrical infrared survey.

An electrical infrared survey helps you find problems.

Use infrared problem prevention to your advantage.

Infrared problem prevention is a necessity.

Working electrical equipment is highly important to every commercial facility. However, people often assume because their equipment is functional, there is no need to look into existing problems. In fact, functional equipment is often interpreted as a sign of a lack of problems. Unfortunately, this can be far from the truth. There are a number of reasons you should look into requesting an electrical infrared survey, which span from safety precautions to issues of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Electrical Testing Can Prevent Accidents and Safety Threats

Normally engineers build electrical equipment in such a way it only uses a specific amount of voltage power. When the equipment works as it should, it will only use that amount of power, no more and no less. However, when equipment begins to malfunction, the voltage it needs to operate properly and safely can dip below the required amount. This low voltage condition can cause damage to motors and equipment.

Electrical Testing Preserves Energy and Your Budget

Infrared problem prevention doesn’t stop with just protecting your and your staffs’ physical safety. When equipment uses more power than it should, you are also at risk of much higher utility bills than expected, which eats away at your budget and can actually be the first sign of a problem. It never hurts to be economical. In fact, taking measures to cut down on energy consumption helps not only your company’s costs, but its energy footprint. Businesses are rapidly trying to go “green,” which means cutting down on the amount of energy they use and thereby increasing their day-to-day efficiency. You can hire infrared inspection services to make sure you are running efficiently.

At Infrared Consulting Services, we make infrared inspection services our business and perform them for a wide variety of purposes. If you’re in need of an electrical inspection, we can provide that for you. We hire only the most qualified professionals, who will be able to help pinpoint any problem areas in your commercial facility and talk with you about the best solutions. For more information on what we do, contact us.

Thermographic Scanning Means Accurate Inspections

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It’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when precious time and money are on the line. When it comes to the efficiency of your manufacturing plant, you want to be especially safe. Even the smallest malfunction can cost hundreds or thousands in repairs, as well as time that could be better used on industrial work, meaning more money lost. Electrical thermography is perhaps the best and safest type of preventive measure available in this day and age. It is performed in countless factories across the country.

What Is Electrical Thermography?

Electrical thermography is also known as infrared scanning or thermographic scanning. It is a means of detecting the temperature in electrical systems. A sudden or severe rise in temperature can be one of the first signs of malfunction in a piece of equipment and, when detected, can often lead to the prevention of these problems before they manifest into something worse. You can therefore use the data collected from a thermographic scan to repair any problems with your manufacturing equipment while they are still small. This means considerable savings for your company in terms of finances and production time. The cost of a thermography inspection is ultimately much better and more worthwhile than the cost of the potentially extensive repairs you’ll have to seek out if you let your machinery run to the point of breaking down.

Find problems before they turn serious with thermographic scanning.

Thermographic scanning can find problems before they become serious.

How Are Thermographic Scans Conducted?

When a certified thermographer arrives at your facility to conduct the reading, they will  do so with equipment designed to detect infrared signals, which are indicated by colored signals that cannot be traced with average human sight. Readings range from red to yellow by the severity of heat. These inspections can take place outdoors or indoors, depending on the location of your equipment.

Thermographers check everything from the main switchgear, plant electrical distribution down to lighting panels and safety switches for hot spots and overloads. Should any problems be detected, your hired thermographer will give you a report on their discoveries and make suggestions on how to get them repaired before they worsen and lead to complete malfunction.

Consider Infrared Consulting Services, Inc. for your next thermography inspection. We employ only the most qualified professionals to perform your readings and offer you their expert reports and advice. Our readings are always exhaustive and our inspection equipment is kept up-to-date to ensure our readings are as accurate as possible. To learn more about our services or schedule a reading for your facility, contact us.