Switchgear
Bus connections, breaker connections, cable terminations, protective devices, and accessible internal components.
ELECTRICAL THERMOGRAPHY
Electrical Problems Often Generate Heat Before Failure.
ThermaVista provides infrared thermographic inspection of commercial and industrial electrical systems to identify abnormal heating, compare similar components, document equipment condition, and support commissioning and preventive maintenance programs.
Ground-Based Infrared Inspection
Commissioning & Maintenance
ANSI/NETA-Aligned Practices
Southern California
SEE CONDITIONS BEFORE THEY BECOME FAILURES
Increased Electrical Resistance Produces Heat
Electrical defects often develop gradually. A connection may loosen, corrode, deteriorate, or become overloaded while remaining visually unremarkable.
As resistance increases, heat can develop at the affected point. Infrared thermography allows these temperature differences to be identified while equipment is operating and carrying load.
By comparing similar components, phases, terminations, and operating conditions, thermography can help identify where additional investigation is warranted before a condition progresses into equipment damage or an outage.
Visible Image
Thermal Image
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
What We Inspect
ThermaVista provides thermal inspection across common commercial, industrial, photovoltaic, and facility electrical systems.
Panelboards
Branch breakers, feeder breakers, phase conductors, neutral conductors, and termination points.
Disconnects
Switch contacts, line and load connections, fuses, conductors, and termination hardware.
Transformers
Primary and secondary terminations, enclosure temperatures, bushings, and connection points.
Inverters
AC and DC connections, breakers, cable terminations, internal connection points, and thermal distribution.
Combiner Boxes
String connections, fuse holders, conductors, bus connections, and outgoing feeder terminations.
Cables & Conductors
Accessible conductors, terminations, splices, taps, and high-current connection points.
Other Electrical Assets
Additional equipment may be evaluated where safe access, operating conditions, and inspection objectives permit.
WHAT THERMOGRAPHY CAN REVEAL
Abnormal Heat Can Point to Developing Electrical Conditions
Thermography identifies unusual thermal behavior. Findings are interpreted in context and typically require follow-up by qualified electrical personnel to determine root cause.
| Thermal Observation | Possible Condition | Why It Matters | Typical Follow-Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single hot termination | Increased resistance, loose connection, corrosion, contamination, or contact degradation | Resistive heating can worsen under load and may damage conductors or equipment | Qualified electrical inspection and torque/connection evaluation |
| One phase hotter than adjacent phases | Load imbalance, connection issue, conductor problem, or abnormal resistance | Phase-to-phase comparison can reveal conditions that absolute temperature alone may not identify | Load measurement and electrical testing |
| Hot circuit breaker | High load, internal contact condition, poor terminal connection, or device deterioration | May indicate abnormal heating within or around the breaker | Load verification and breaker/termination evaluation |
| Fuse or fuse-holder heating | Poor contact, damaged fuse clip, overload, or fuse deterioration | Localized heating can affect reliability and component life | Electrical inspection and component evaluation |
| Hot bus connection | Increased resistance at bolted joint or connection interface | High-current bus connections can generate substantial heat when contact resistance increases | Qualified electrical inspection and corrective maintenance |
| Transformer termination hotspot | Loose or degraded primary/secondary connection | May indicate a developing high-resistance connection | Electrical investigation and testing |
| Abnormal conductor heating | Overload, undersized conductor, poor connection, harmonic loading, or imbalance | Elevated conductor temperature can accelerate insulation aging | Load analysis and conductor/circuit evaluation |
Thermography identifies temperature patterns and abnormal conditions. It does not, by itself, prove a specific electrical root cause.
WHY COMPARISON MATTERS
Absolute Temperature Is Only Part of the Story
Electrical thermography is often based on comparison rather than looking at a single temperature reading in isolation.
Useful comparisons may include:
- Phase-to-phase temperature differences
- Similar breakers carrying comparable loads
- Adjacent terminations
- Similar equipment operating under similar conditions
- Component temperature relative to ambient conditions
Load, emissivity, reflected temperature, equipment type, accessibility, viewing angle, and environmental conditions all affect interpretation.
INSPECTION METHODOLOGY
Thermal Inspection Is a Measurement Process, Not Just Photography
Reliable findings require suitable operating conditions, appropriate access, correct camera setup, and disciplined analysis.
1
Define the Scope
Review equipment schedules, one-line diagrams, access requirements, inspection objectives, and operating constraints.
2
Verify Equipment Operation
Thermography is most informative when electrical equipment is operating under meaningful and representative load.
3
Acquire Thermal Data
Capture radiometric thermal imagery using appropriate viewing angles and measurement parameters.
4
Capture Visible Context
Corresponding visible images help identify the exact component, equipment position, and physical condition.
5
Compare and Analyze
Evaluate temperature differences, patterns, loading, similar components, and operating context.
6
Document Findings
Record equipment identification, location, thermal evidence, observations, priority, and recommended follow-up.
FINDING PRIORITIZATION
Help Maintenance Teams Decide What Deserves Attention First
ThermaVista findings can be organized using a practical priority system that separates immediate concerns from conditions that should be monitored over time.
Priority categories shown above are a ThermaVista reporting framework and should not be represented as ANSI/NETA-defined classifications unless a specific standard or project specification requires them.
STANDARDS-ALIGNED INSPECTIONS
Matching the Inspection to the Asset Lifecycle
Different ANSI/NETA standards apply to different stages of an electrical system's lifecycle.
- ANSI/NETA ECS — commissioning of newly installed or retrofitted systems
- ANSI/NETA ATS — acceptance testing and inspection before final acceptance
- ANSI/NETA MTS — maintenance testing and condition assessment of systems in service
INSPECTION WORKFLOW
From Equipment Access to Actionable Findings
Plan
Review equipment lists, drawings, operating requirements, and access constraints.
Prepare
Coordinate access, safety requirements, and operating conditions.
Inspect
Capture thermal and visible imagery of accessible components.
Analyze
Compare temperatures, similar components, phases, and loads.
Report
Document location, equipment, findings, imagery, and priority.
Follow Up
Support maintenance teams with targeted information for further investigation.
INSPECTION REPORTING
Every Finding Should Tell the Maintenance Team What to Look At
A useful thermal report should make it possible for another technician to locate the exact equipment, understand the observed condition, and determine the appropriate next step.
- Equipment identification
- Building or electrical-room location
- Thermal and visible-light images
- Maximum and reference temperatures
- Temperature differential observations
- Thermal pattern description
- Finding priority
- Recommended follow-up
- Summary findings table
- Baseline documentation for future inspections
TH-012 — Inverter AC Termination Heating
Example electrical thermography finding
Equipment
Inverter AC Output
Component
L2 Termination
Maximum Temperature
55.9°C
Reference Temperature
43.1°C
Example ΔT
12.8°C
Priority
P2 — Investigate
Recommended Action
Qualified electrical evaluation
THE BUSINESS VALUE
Find Developing Problems While They Are Still Manageable
Reduce Unplanned Downtime
Identify abnormal conditions before they develop into equipment failures or service interruptions.
Prioritize Maintenance
Direct maintenance teams toward specific components instead of treating every asset as equally urgent.
Support Commissioning
Identify abnormal heating in new installations once equipment is energized and carrying load.
Improve Troubleshooting
Thermal patterns can quickly narrow the search area for electrical technicians.
Create Baseline Data
Establish an initial thermal condition that can be compared against later inspections.
Track Deterioration
Periodic inspections help reveal whether a previously documented condition is stable or worsening.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Electrical Thermography Across Southern California
ThermaVista is based in North County and provides commercial electrical thermography throughout:
- San Diego County
- Orange County
- Riverside County
Typical clients include commercial facilities, industrial sites, solar installations, schools, municipalities, property owners, EPC contractors, O&M providers, and commissioning teams.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Electrical Thermography FAQ
Does the equipment need to be energized during inspection?
Generally, yes. Electrical thermography is most useful when equipment is operating under representative load because current flow is what produces the heating associated with many electrical abnormalities.
Can thermography prove that a connection is loose?
Not by itself. Thermography can identify a thermal pattern consistent with increased resistance or an abnormal connection, but mechanical or electrical evaluation is typically required to confirm the root cause.
Can switchgear be inspected while energized?
Inspection depends on safe access, equipment design, electrical-safety requirements, site procedures, and the inspection scope. Open-panel or energized-equipment inspection must be coordinated with qualified personnel and the applicable electrical safety program.
How often should electrical equipment be thermally inspected?
Frequency depends on equipment criticality, loading, environment, maintenance history, owner requirements, and applicable maintenance programs. Higher-consequence equipment may justify more frequent condition monitoring.
Is thermography only useful for old equipment?
No. New equipment can exhibit installation-related problems, poor connections, load imbalance, or component defects. Thermography can therefore be useful during commissioning as well as throughout the maintenance lifecycle.
What does ThermaVista provide after the inspection?
Typical deliverables include thermal and visible imagery, equipment identification, temperatures, temperature differences, finding descriptions, priorities, and recommended follow-up.
REQUEST AN INSPECTION
Find the Heat Before It Becomes the Failure.
Contact ThermaVista for commissioning, maintenance, or targeted electrical thermography throughout San Diego, Orange, and Riverside Counties.