infared testing
- Thread starter 101010
- Start date
- Status
77401
Banned
I would love to!
Endless Possiblites also exist for shooting images for insulation & water leaks too.
Endless Possiblites also exist for shooting images for insulation & water leaks too.
bdarnell
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN
- Occupation
- Retired Engineer
101010 said:
We do it all the time. Own two cameras and keep both of them busy most of the time. The margins are good and we get a lot of follow up work.
bdarnell
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN
- Occupation
- Retired Engineer
I would think that you would want to be a licensed contractor. Obviously you are removing panel covers and opening gear and such. Most jurisdictions would require a license I imagine. Normal insurance and bonding would apply also. Workman's comp unless you are working alone.
As far as cameras, I wouldn't buy anything but Flir . They are at the high end, in fact, mine are over the 30 large number you mentioned, but worth every dime. Buy a $2000.00 camera and you are going to get $2000.00 results. You can find cameras on eBay also. I think Flir even has some reconditioned ones that they sell.
Good luck.
As far as cameras, I wouldn't buy anything but Flir . They are at the high end, in fact, mine are over the 30 large number you mentioned, but worth every dime. Buy a $2000.00 camera and you are going to get $2000.00 results. You can find cameras on eBay also. I think Flir even has some reconditioned ones that they sell.
Good luck.
Thanks , I am a licensed electrician but I was wondering about certifications for thermal imaging. Also fluke has a camera that is only about 10,000 ,How do you know if this will do the job? I am basicly looking only to do electrical preventive work . I know these cameras do a whole lot more. Is ther one that fits this?
77401
Banned
charlie tuna
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
i am a state certified electrical contractor and certified infrared thermographer. been doing infrared since 1989 and limited the scanning mainly for my steady customers in electrical service work. i spent $38k on my camera setup --- the522L by inframetrics. it is a very good camera -- bulky -- heavy -- a pain to get around electrical equipment -- requires liquid nitrogen to cool it -- but it's the best i've come across. i have tested four different light weight -- electro-refrigerated computerized cameras for different companies --- sent them all back!!! yes, they are nice and light -- and provide a very impressive report ---- but when i'm looking at a 4000 amp bus duct joint and know that a 1 1/2 degree temperature change could indicate a problem -- i go back to my original camera. i demand the very best for my custormers --- and i do the scanning!! in 1989 when i purchased this camera i was given a one week course for certification -- about thirty people attended the course. twenty eight were roofers!!! they really didn't give much information on electrical scanning --- i learnt from expieriance..... i knew the infrared business should be a business in itself --- and it does allow plenty of service work.
over the years i have been shown other infrared reports --- and 95 per cent are bs. the idea of reporting a two pole breaker feeding a computer room a/c unit as being "extreamly hot" ---- hay, a computer room a/c is running full load most of the time ---it's supposed to be hot!!!! and really --- the failure of this breaker isn't going to effect the operation of the building. your operater should be an electrician -- so he knows what is important to the building's operation and also can understand load v.s. heat -- he also must know the scelital layout of a building -- how distribution runs -- how bus duct works.
i have recently been call about a major problem in a 38 story high rise office/hotel building that has been infrared scanned every two years for the last twenty years-----------ready for this ------the infrared scan company never looked at the bus duct!!! they said " we never look at bus duct"...
being in this business -- i have witnessed buildings that work at removing problems before they occur. and over the years the number of problems decreases down to near nothing. maybe they have problems in their elevator disconnects --- so they take our recommendation --- install oversized disconnects---problem solved. and the elevator contractor loves this because they have less problems with their euipment because they are supplied with proper voltage. many insurance companies require scanning, and also many give a rebate for buildings that have schedualled scans. in our case -- the rebate more than payed for the scan. as one cheif engineer used to say "it's a no brainer" -- "plan a yearly scan for my building"...
i do not remove panel covers -- my camera is so sensitive - if there is a problem inside i will see it through the panel cover and open it to investigate the problem. infrared does not "cost"---"it pays for itself"!!! tuna
over the years i have been shown other infrared reports --- and 95 per cent are bs. the idea of reporting a two pole breaker feeding a computer room a/c unit as being "extreamly hot" ---- hay, a computer room a/c is running full load most of the time ---it's supposed to be hot!!!! and really --- the failure of this breaker isn't going to effect the operation of the building. your operater should be an electrician -- so he knows what is important to the building's operation and also can understand load v.s. heat -- he also must know the scelital layout of a building -- how distribution runs -- how bus duct works.
i have recently been call about a major problem in a 38 story high rise office/hotel building that has been infrared scanned every two years for the last twenty years-----------ready for this ------the infrared scan company never looked at the bus duct!!! they said " we never look at bus duct"...
being in this business -- i have witnessed buildings that work at removing problems before they occur. and over the years the number of problems decreases down to near nothing. maybe they have problems in their elevator disconnects --- so they take our recommendation --- install oversized disconnects---problem solved. and the elevator contractor loves this because they have less problems with their euipment because they are supplied with proper voltage. many insurance companies require scanning, and also many give a rebate for buildings that have schedualled scans. in our case -- the rebate more than payed for the scan. as one cheif engineer used to say "it's a no brainer" -- "plan a yearly scan for my building"...
i do not remove panel covers -- my camera is so sensitive - if there is a problem inside i will see it through the panel cover and open it to investigate the problem. infrared does not "cost"---"it pays for itself"!!! tuna
bdarnell
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN
- Occupation
- Retired Engineer
- Status