Applications of Infrared Thermometers & Cameras in Electrical Inspection Industry

Overview

The electrical inspection industry safeguards people and property by ensuring electrical systems in buildings and facilities comply with safety regulations and function properly. Qualified inspectors visually examine and test electrical components, identifying potential hazards like faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, and overheating equipment. They play a crucial role in preventing electrical fires, protecting public safety, and ensuring buildings adhere to relevant building codes.

Depending on specific features and functions, GAO Tek’s Infrared thermometers and cameras are sometimes referred to as non-contact thermometers, thermal scanners, heat detectors, pyrometers, thermal imagers, radiometers, emissivity scanners, radiant thermometers, temperature guns, and thermal sensors.

Furthermore, GAO Tek’s Infrared thermometers and cameras are further grouped into:

Automotive, Data processing, Fire rescue, Handheld, Heavy duty, High accuracy, High performance, High precision, Industrial, Alarm, Auto power off, Avg record, Emissivity, Laser aiming, Medical, Non-contact, Outdoor, Rugged, Surface temperature, and Wireless

GAO Tek’s Infrared thermometers and cameras have the following applications in the electrical inspection industry:

Temperature Monitoring: GAO’s infrared thermometers offer a quick and non-contact way to measure the temperature of electrical components like circuit breakers, transformers, and motors. This helps identify potential problems like overheating, loose connections, or impending failures before they become critical.
Identifying Loose Connections: Loose connections can increase resistance, leading to localized heating. GAO’s infrared cameras can visualize these “hot spots,” allowing inspectors to pinpoint loose connections before they spark or cause more extensive damage.
Inspections in Tight Spaces: Electrical panels and switchgear can be cramped and difficult to access with traditional tools. GAO’s infrared cameras can “see” through glass panels or small openings, enabling safe and efficient inspections without needing direct physical contact.
Predictive Maintenance: Regularly monitoring electrical components with GAO’s infrared tools can help establish thermal baselines. Deviations from these baselines over time can indicate potential issues, allowing for preventative maintenance before failures occur.
Moisture Detection: Moisture intrusion can damage electrical components and increase the risk of short circuits and corrosion. GAO’s infrared cameras can detect moisture ingress by identifying areas with cooler temperatures, as water has a higher thermal conductivity than air.
Documentation and Reporting: GAO’s infrared cameras can capture thermal images that visually represent temperature readings. These images can be included in inspection reports, providing valuable documentation for clients, further analysis, and future reference.

More information on infrared thermometers and cameras and their applications in other industries can be found on

Infrared thermometers and cameras

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Environmental

Systems in the Electrical Inspection Industry Utilizing Infrared Thermometers and Cameras

Here are some popular systems in the electrical inspection industry using infrared thermometers and cameras:

Fluke TiS Thermal Imagers:

These professional-grade cameras offer high resolution, advanced features, and rugged construction, making them suitable for demanding electrical inspections in various applications.

Testo Industrial Infrared Thermometers:

Testo offers a wide range of infrared thermometers specifically designed for industrial applications, known for their accuracy, reliability, and ease of use.

HIKVISION Infrared Thermal Cameras:

Hikvision provides a comprehensive line of infrared thermal cameras, known for their affordability, user-friendly interface, and integration with various software platforms.

CEM Instruments DiaScan Thermal Scanners:

DiaScan scanners are specifically designed for electrical inspections, offering features like automatic hotspot detection and real-time temperature analysis.

FLIR Systems Ex series Thermal Imaging Cameras:

FLIR Ex series cameras are intrinsically safe for use in hazardous environments, making them ideal for electrical inspections in facilities handling flammable materials.

Amprobe Industrial IR Thermometers:

Amprobe offers a variety of industrial-grade infrared thermometers with features like laser targeting, data logging, and emissivity adjustment capabilities.

GAO Tek’s targeted markets are North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada.

Complying with Government Regulations

GAO Tek’s infrared thermometers and cameras comply or help our customers comply with U.S. government regulations such as:

National Electrical Code (NEC)
NFPA 70E – Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulations
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Electrical Safety Publications
International Electrical Testing Association (NETA) Standards
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standards
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standards
State and Local Regulations

GAO Tek’s infrared thermometers and cameras comply or help our customers comply with Canadian government regulations such as:

Canadian Electrical Code (CEC)
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standards
National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Publications
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
Provincial Electrical Safety Codes
Provincial Regulatory Authorities
Municipal Building Codes
Industry-Specific Regulations

Case Studies of Infrared Thermometers and Cameras in the Electrical Inspection Industry

Infrared thermometers and cameras are sometimes called non-contact thermometers, thermal scanners, heat detectors, pyrometers, thermal imagers, radiometers, emissivity scanners, radiant thermometers, temperature guns, and thermal sensors.

Here are some practical examples of using infrared thermometers and cameras in the electrical inspection industry:

In the Northeast region of the US, Granite City Hospital, a 250-bed facility in New Hampshire, was experiencing intermittent electrical issues causing disruptions to critical medical equipment. Green Mountain Timber Mill in Vermont, a major lumber producer, was facing increasing downtime due to electrical component failures within their complex machinery.

Building Code Compliance at Grand Central Terminal (New York City, NY): During the renovation of a historic wing at Grand Central Terminal, CBRE | Engineering Services faced the challenge of ensuring electrical code compliance within the intricate and aged structure.

In the Midwest region of the US, Acme Manufacturing, a Chicago-based producer of industrial machinery, was experiencing intermittent equipment malfunctions and production delays. Green Tech Solutions, a Des Moines-based company specializing in sustainable energy solutions, faced challenges during a solar panel installation project on a large commercial rooftop. Traditional inspection methods were time-consuming and required physically accessing each panel, posing safety risks.

In Detroit, ensuring the safety of students and staff is paramount. As part of its annual maintenance plan, the Detroit Public School District partnered with RAM Electric & Data Services for electrical inspections in several schools.

In the South region of the US, Sunshine City Hospital, a leading medical facility in Florida, contracted ABC Electrical Services for a routine electrical inspection. Sunbelt Manufacturing, a major automotive parts supplier in Texas, encountered production slowdowns due to recurring electrical malfunctions on their assembly line.

Southern Sky Construction, a prominent builder in the Southeastern US, utilizes Amprobe industrial IR thermometers to streamline electrical inspections during construction projects. The compact and user-friendly thermometers allow them to quickly and safely measure the temperature of various electrical components throughout the building, ensuring proper installation and compliance with safety standards.

In the West region of the US, Sun Valley Lodge, a renowned ski resort in Colorado, contracted ABC Electrical Services for a routine electrical inspection of their facilities before the peak winter season. During the inspection, ABC’s technicians used infrared thermometers to identify temperature readings in several electrical panels.

Sun Valley Resort, a popular ski destination in Idaho, relies on Amprobe industrial infrared thermometers for their electrical safety inspections. The resort’s electricians utilize these tools to efficiently inspect electrical panels and equipment in challenging locations, like high ceilings or confined spaces.

In Canada, during a routine maintenance inspection at a Maple Leaf Foods processing plant, qualified electrician Sarah Jones suspected a potential issue with a large electrical panel. Suncore Energy maintains a large network of solar power installations across Canada. Regularly monitoring the health of these systems is crucial to ensure optimal performance and prevent potential failures.

GAO RFID Inc. RFID Hardware, a sister company of GAO Tek Inc., is ranked as a top 10 RFID supplier in the world. Its RFID, BLE, and IoT products have also been widely used in the electrical inspection industry. Articles about related industries are given below:

Construction industry

Utilities

Use of Infrared Thermometers and Cameras with Leading Software and Cloud Services in the Electrical Inspection Industry

GAO Tek has used or has facilitated its customers to use GAO’s infrared thermometers and cameras with some of the leading software and cloud services in their applications. Examples of such leading software and cloud services include:

Fluke Connect
Testo Cloud
HIKVISION Hik-Connect
Amprobe Cloud
IRwin by InfraTec
Electrical Inspection Software by Acoem
EagleView by UpCode
IBM Maximo
Infor EAM
ARCHIBUS
Planon

GAO Tek’s infrared thermometers and cameras and their applications in other industries are listed on

Infrared thermometers and cameras

Other related products can be found at this category page

Environmental

Meeting Customers’ Demands

Large Choice of Products

In order to satisfy the diversified needs of their corporate customers, GAO Tek Inc. and its sister company GAO RFID Inc. together offer a wide choice of testing and measurement devices, network products, RFID, BLE, IoT, and drones.

Fast Delivery

To shorten the delivery to our customers, GAO has maintained a large stock of its products and can ship overnight within the continental U.S. and Canada from the nearest warehouse.

Local to Our Customers

We are located in both the U.S. and Canada. We travel to customers’ premises if necessary. Hence, we provide very strong local support to our customers in North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada.

Furthermore, we have built partnerships with some integrators, consulting firms, and other service providers in different cities to further strengthen our services. Here are some of the service providers in the electrical inspection industry, we have worked with to serve our joint customers:

NECA Member Companies (Search NECA directory)
Siemens Advanta Consulting
WSP
Jacobs
AECOM
Procore
Planon
Bluebeam
Autodesk
Oracle
Accenture
IBM
Microsoft
Deloitte

GAO has Many Customers in the Electrical Inspection Industry

The products from both GAO Tek Inc. and GAO RFID Inc. have been widely used in the electrical inspection industry by many customers, including some leading companies. Here is more information on applications of GAO RFID Inc.’s products in the electrical inspection industry. Articles about related industries are given below: