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infrared detection technology

Importance of Evaluating Distribution Lines and Substation

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Working in a high voltage environment comes with a lot of risks. One minor mistake could lead to an employee become injured badly. Companies are beginning to realize the importance of using infrared detection technology in their overall maintenance plan. Not only will infrared surveys give employees a safer work environment, but they will also ensure systems run more efficiently.

Distribution lines and substations are important to evaluate accurately, so having an experienced infrared thermographer conduct a survey is critical. Here are some of the main benefits of infrared inspection when it comes to these components.

Reliability and Safety of Systems

With the high voltage equipment used in industrial environments, regular evaluation of different components is critical for safety and overall reliability of various systems. Whether it’s transformers, regulators, switches or any other component, infrared detection technology can help ensure they run efficiently and safely.

Like with other electrical testing, infrared thermography can identify points where temperature is hotter than in other areas. Most importantly, these surveys can identify heat where heat shouldn’t be. A rise in temperature in some of these components make them work harder, meaning they are less energy efficient and cost more money to operate. Plus, they are a potential hazard for fires or explosions if not operating efficiently.

Predictive Maintenance Can Prevent Disasters

When it comes to substations and distribution lines, predictive maintenance can prevent major disasters from occurring. Any given substation has hundreds, or even thousands, of different connections. If even one of these connections is faulty, it could lead to a broken machine, a dangerous environment or even a costly shutdown.

With the non-invasive infrared detection technology, these connections can be evaluated without having to put a halt to production. The technology used can determine faulty contacts or connections much better than the human eye, so most companies consider it a worthy investment. The best part about electrical testing with IR technology is it not only identifies current issues, but it can also predict future problems before they occur.

Avoid Costly Shutdowns

From a business standpoint, the last thing any company wants to do is shut down due to an equipment failure. With regular evaluation of distribution lines and substations, these costly shutdowns can be avoided. Some companies make the mistake of avoiding the use of infrared consulting services because of the upfront cost. However, the long-term risk is greatly reduced when you know your systems are functioning properly.

In addition to the reduced risk, the surveys essentially pay for themselves when you think of the money companies would have to pay for a replaced machine or a shutdown. A thousand dollars here and there is much better than paying hundreds of thousands of dollars later on to fix a major problem.

At Infrared Consulting Services, we have experienced infrared thermographers to conduct surveys on any of your distribution lines and substations. Be sure to contact us for an evaluation.

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!

Prevent problems with an infrared inspection.

How Can an Infrared Inspection Help You Fix Electrical Issues?

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Look for overheating issues with an infrared inspection.

An infrared inspection identifies potential problems.

Prevent problems with an infrared inspection.

An infrared inspection can prevent problems.

How familiar are you with electrical thermography? It is an invaluable tool for those any commercial facility, as it easily detects issues with your equipment through careful temperature readings and enables you to create a plan of action should any signs of malfunction be found. You may be wondering just how this could be true. In this blog, we’ll be going over just how infrared inspection works and how it can be used to save you valuable equipment, time and money. There are a number of different equipment types that electrical thermography can detect problems with, including:

Transformers

One of the ways in which infrared inspection equipment can be used is for the transformers in your facility. Transformers are important to your facility’s operation and equipment, as without it your equipment wouldn’t be able to function whatsoever—yet most facility managers neglect to have the transformers in their facility properly inspected by a professional thermographer. When an infrared inspection is performed on your transformer, the inspector’s device will measure the amount of heat coming from the transformer’s cooling tubes. Problems may be developing with the transformer if any of the tubes are disparate in temperature from the rest. Normally there will be an even amount of heat flowing between them all.

Fuses

A broken fuse can display problems in one of two ways—both of which can only be detected through electrical thermography. A fuse that has completely blown will have gone cold. Meanwhile, a fuse that is on the verge of blowing will appear much warmer than usual. This is a sign that the fuse cannot handle much more energy and investigated

Wires

Electrical problems can occur most frequently and easily in your facility’s wiring. A certified thermographer will be able to detect issues with the wiring with little trouble, as the major warning sign for faulty wiring is excessive heat. During the electrical testing process, the inspector will most likely compare the faulty wire to other wires connected to similar machinery. This type of discovery can signal any number of problems. Regardless of the root of the problem, having electrical testing performed allows you to take quick action to solve the issue before it escalates.

MCC (or Motor Control Centers)

The different sections of an MCC may denote trouble, which could mean problems for your facility and its equipment. A thermographic inspector will be able to inspect each part of the MCC for any potential problems, which will display similar symptoms to the many others we described above.

Overall, the way infrared inspection works is very simple on the surface, but the positive effects are numerous. To learn more about how electrical thermography can help your facility, contact us!