What components can and should be inspected?
Essentially the entire electrical system including
transformers, switchgear, distribution centers, sub-feed panels, distribution
panels, bus ducts, motor control centers, disconnects, variable frequency
drives, power correcting banks, etc. If the equipment is accessible it
can, and should be inspected.
Why Perform an Annual Infrared Electrical/Mechanical
Survey?
An annual infrared electrical/mechanical survey
is the most cost-effective method of predictive maintenance that you can
perform on your systems. It will help you quickly and efficiently find
the areas that are most in need of your maintenance dollars. Finding problems
at an early stage allows repairs to be made before they cause a failure
or serious damage. Infrared surveys must be conducted under load to find
potential problems, thereby avoiding costly shutdowns or after hours work.
When should an inspection be done?
In general, once a year is a good rule of thumb,
however the load may very on a building's systems as the seasons change.
Different parts of a facility need to be inspected at different times of
the year. Buildings that support data centers or critical equipment should
be inspected twice a year.
Examples of problems detected with an infrared
camera are:
Loose fuse clip assemblies ? Phase imbalance,
very important on three phase motors and balancing lighting loads to reduce
the demand on electrical meters ? Harmonic feedback, detected on the neutral
leg ? Maladjusted bolt-lock switches, (Critical equipment) ? Loose disconnect
knives/receivers ? Overload conditions ? Faulty breakers ? Bad Bus Bar
and Bus Riser Connections ? Life Safety Equipment, Emergency transfer switches,
generator connections if running under load ? Mechanical equipment like
motors, bearings, conveyors, transducers, reduction gear units etcetera.
How Can Savings Be Realized With an Infrared Electrical
Mechanical Survey?
Reducing safety hazards in the workplace reduces
injuries and lost time from work as well as keeping a lower workman's compensation
insurance rate. Accurate diagnosis of the problem, results in time being
saved making the repairs and reduces the cost of buying extra parts to
"shotgun fix the problem". If you initialize preventative maintenance before
equipment is damaged and can just clean and tighten loose connections you
may avoid replacement altogether. Allowing time to order the necessary
parts rather than replacing whole components in emergency situations and
you can scheduling when the repair should be made saving on parts as well
as overtime rates. Improved tenant satisfaction by letting them know when
to expect outages over a night or on a weekend, helps keep them from wanting
to move when there lease is up.
Is infrared used just for electrical/mechanical
systems?
Infrared is a predictive maintenance tool for
much more then just electrical/mechanical systems. Energy audits of the
building envelope can detect where heating or air conditioning is escaping.
On certain flat roofs Infrared is an excellent tool for locating entrapped
moisture in the insulation of the roofing system. It is used to locate
moisture in synthetic stucco, locate broken hot water line beneath concrete
floors, and leaks in glycol snowmelt systems. The list goes on and on.
Infrared is a tool that has many applications. If there is a thermal difference
(hot or cold) then this tool might be what you have been looking for.
Written by
Dale Southworth