As Fully certified NICEIC Domestic Installers TM Hughes Electricians carry many tools on their vans. When we arrive at an electrical emergency, we need to diagnose faults as quickly as possible. This allows us to complete the job swiftly and keeps the price down for the customer.
One of our favourite tools is the Thermal Imaging Camera. Thermography allows us to detect overheating and faults within electrical systems instantly.
It’s not just electricians who use thermal imaging cameras, The Police, Fire Fighters and Plumbers also utilise this incredible technology. Thermography is used to catch criminals, get around blazing smoke-filled buildings, establish leaking pipes and detect electrical faults.
Sound interesting? it is, read on
What Is A Thermal Imaging Camera?
A thermal imaging camera is a handheld device housed in an extremely tough waterproof enclosure which’s made up of an amplifier, detector, digital display, optic system and signal processing. These components work in unison to process infrared radiation into light that’s recorded and analysed.
Gradients of heat are displayed in different colours so the Electrician can tell the difference between hot, cold and room temperature objects.
How Electricians Use Thermal Imaging Cameras
- A qualified Electrician with a full understanding of electrical measurements ensures the Electrical system is running under the correct load of electricity
- The fault areas scanned with the Thermal Imaging Camera.
- An image is captured which is analysed on the small screen of the camera or if necessary uploaded to a laptop or tablet, (larger sized images are easier to interpret than smaller images)
- Hot spots (areas of higher temperatures) picked up in the thermal imaging scan indicate loose connections, corroded cables, imbalances, RCD fuse issues, etc
- Faults detected during the scan are rectified, loose connections are corrected, cables and RCD’s are replaced as necessary, etc
- On completion, another scan is undertaken to check everything’s in full working order (hot spots should have disappeared)
Protect Your Home Or Business With Thermal Imaging
As you can see, the Thermal Imaging Camera is a handy tool. If your Electrical system hasn’t been 100% lately, and you feel you may have a fault somewhere give us a call. Our Thermal Imaging Camera will instantly detect any faults before they turn into failures. (This is especially important if you run a commercial operation, downtime costs businesses money).
A quick scan is cheap and will ensure you never suffer from an Electrical breakdown.