Ontario Infrared Electrical Inspections: Top Issues Found

Infrared electrical inspections have become the go to for safety and efficiency in many industrial and commercial environments. This non-invasive, highly accurate process, known as infrared electrical inspection, can find hazards that are not visible to the human eye.

Let’s go over some of the most common electrical issues found by infrared inspections in Ontario and why you need to address them now.

1. Overloaded Circuits: Excessive electrical load generates heat, leading to potential equipment failure or fires.

2. Loose or Corroded Connections: Increases resistance, causing heat buildup and potential fire hazards.

3. Faulty Breakers or Fuses: Can fail to trip during overcurrent, increasing fire risks.

4. Unbalanced Loads: Causes overheating and reduced efficiency, risking equipment failure.

5. Insulation Failures: Deterioration leads to energy inefficiency and fire risk.

6. Water Intrusion: Moisture causes corrosion, shorts, and potential system failures.

7. Thermal Overload in Motors and Bearings: Overheating due to friction or overload, risking downtime and damage.

1. Overloaded Circuits

Overloaded circuits are one of the most common findings during infrared inspections. When the electrical load on a circuit exceeds its designed capacity the excess current generates heat. If left unaddressed this heat can damage insulation, cause equipment failure or even electrical fires.

Infrared cameras can find hotspots in electrical panels which indicate overloaded circuits. These hotspots show up as bright spots on thermal images so the inspector can see exactly where the problem is.

Real World Impact: Consider a manufacturing facility where several machines are running at the same time. If one circuit is overloaded due to increased production demands it may go unnoticed until a critical failure occurs. An infrared inspection however can find the issue early so the facility manager can redistribute the load or upgrade the circuit to handle the increased demand.

Preventative Measures:

• Conduct regular infrared inspections to monitor circuit loads.
• Upgrade electrical panels or add additional circuits to handle increased demand.
• Ensure circuit breakers and fuses are rated for their loads.

By addressing overloaded circuits before they cause equipment failure or fires businesses can avoid downtime and ensure their operations are safe.

2. Loose or Corroded Connections

Loose or corroded connections are another big hazard that infrared inspections can find. Connections can become loose over time due to vibration, temperature changes or improper installation. Moisture or corrosive environments can also corrode connections increasing electrical resistance.

When resistance increases heat is generated at the connection point. Infrared thermography can detect even small temperature differences by capturing infrared radiation emitted by objects, so it’s a great tool to find loose or corroded connections.

Real World Impact: In an industrial setting a loose connection in a high voltage system can cause arcing which is a major fire hazard. Corroded connections in outdoor electrical systems can cause unexpected power outages or damage to sensitive equipment.

By finding these issues early infrared inspections allow for targeted maintenance and prevent costly repairs and keep critical systems running.

Preventative Measures:

• Tighten electrical connections regularly especially in high vibration areas.
• Conduct regular infrared inspections to find and address loose or corroded connections.
• Apply anti-corrosion treatments to exposed connections in harsh environments.

By doing these preventative measures businesses can reduce the risk of electrical failures and extend the life of their equipment.

3. Faulty Breakers or Fuses

Circuit breakers and fuses are part of any electrical system designed to protect against overcurrent. However, over time, these types of electrical equipment can wear out or become faulty and fail to trip or blow when needed. This failure can allow an overload to continue, generate heat, and become a major fire hazard.

Infrared inspections can find excessive heat in breakers and fuses, indicating they may be faulty or at the end of their life. By finding these issues early, businesses can replace the faulty components before they become a bigger problem.

Real World Impact: Imagine a commercial building where the air conditioning system is protected by a circuit breaker. If the breaker becomes faulty and doesn’t trip during an overcurrent condition, the wiring in the AC unit can overheat and cause a system failure or fire.

An infrared inspection can find the heat in the breaker and replace it before it becomes a major disaster.

Preventative Measures:

• Test and maintain circuit breakers and fuses.
• Use infrared inspections to find heat in protective devices.
• Replace old or faulty breakers and fuses with high-quality ones.

Testing and maintaining breakers and fuses is critical to prevent electrical failures and keep building occupants safe.

4. Unbalanced Loads

Unbalanced loads occur when the current in one phase of a power system is much higher than the others. This can cause overheating, reduced efficiency and increased wear on electrical components. Over time unbalanced loads can cause equipment failure or even fires.

Infrared thermal imaging is great at finding load imbalances. By seeing the temperature differences between phases inspectors can find where the imbalance is and take corrective action.

Real World Impact: In a data center where uptime is critical a load imbalance can cause one phase of the electrical system to overheat. This overheating can cause equipment failure and result in costly downtime and data loss.

An infrared inspection can find the imbalance and allow the technician to rebalance the load and avoid a major failure.

Preventative Measures:

• Monitor load across all phases of the electrical system.
• Conduct regular infrared inspections to find and correct imbalances.
• Implement load balancing solutions to ensure even current distribution.

By fixing load imbalances businesses can improve their electrical system efficiency and extend the life of their equipment.

5. Insulation Failures

Insulation is critical to preventing energy loss and short circuits. However insulation can deteriorate over time due to age, extreme temperatures or physical damage. When insulation fails it can cause energy inefficiencies, higher operating costs and increased fire risk.

Infrared technology is great at finding insulation failures. By seeing where the heat is escaping inspectors can find where the wiring or equipment needs attention. This early detection allows for repairs before it becomes a bigger problem.

Real World Impact: In a commercial building degraded insulation on electrical wiring can cause higher energy consumption and higher utility bills. As the insulation continues to deteriorate the risk of a short circuit or fire increases. An infrared inspection can find the failing insulation and allow for repairs to improve energy efficiency and safety.

Preventative Measures:

• Conduct regular infrared inspections of electrical insulation.
• Replace damaged or degraded insulation quickly.
• Use high quality insulation materials for the environment.

By keeping electrical insulation intact businesses can save energy and keep their facilities safe.

6. Water Intrusion

can cause corrosion, increase electrical resistance and short circuits. In extreme cases water intrusion can cause fires or total system failure.

Infrared thermography can find moisture intrusion by seeing the temperature differences in damp areas. It detects these temperature differences by capturing the infrared radiation emitted by damp areas. By finding and fixing these moisture issues early businesses can prevent expensive damage to their electrical systems.

Real World Impact: Consider an outdoor electrical panel exposed to the elements. If water gets into the panel it can corrode the connections and cause the system to short out during a heavy rain. An infrared inspection can find the moisture and allow for repairs before the system fails.

Preventive Measures:

• Conduct infrared inspections in areas with moisture exposure.
• Fix water leaks or moisture issues quickly.
• Use moisture resistant materials and enclosures for electrical components.

By preventing water intrusion businesses can protect their electrical systems and keep them running in harsh environments.

7. Thermal Overload in Motors and Bearings

Motors and bearings are the backbone of many industrial operations. However, they are also prone to thermal overload due to friction, poor lubrication, or overloading

When these components overheat, they can fail and result in costly downtime and repair costs.

Infrared inspections using a thermal imager can find early signs of thermal overload by detecting hotspots in motors and bearings. This allows for maintenance before a failure occurs.

Real World Impact: In a manufacturing plant, a motor overheating due to poor lubrication can cause an unplanned shutdown of the production line. An infrared inspection can find the early stages of thermal overload, and maintenance can fix the issue before it affects production.

Preventive Measures:

• Infrared inspect motors and bearings regularly.
• Follow maintenance schedules and lubrication.
• Monitor loads to prevent motor and bearing overload.

By choosing a certified and experienced provider like IRIS Inc. you can be sure your Ontario Infrared Electrical Inspections are done with the latest technology and expertise so you can protect your assets and meet Ontario’s regulations.

For more information on how thermographic inspections can benefit your business, or to schedule an inspection, contact IRIS Inc. today.