IR

[Len]

Anyone using IR for diagnostic or predective maint?
If so can you tell me how much per hour you are charging?

 

[480sparky]

Pick up the phone, Brian.... it's for you!

 

[zog]

Anyone using IR for diagnostic or predective maint?
If so can you tell me how much per hour you are charging?

Len, you will find the answer to your question all over the map, you get what you pay for. Most IR job are bid per job, not hourly, but the hourly rates can be from $50-250/hour. Many IR guys are not certified thermographers but just purchased a easy to use cheap IR camera and are doing IR scanning. Then there are the certified guys with a ton of training and ecperience using state of the art camers and reporting software.

I know of 1 company in a large midwest city that gets most of the IR jobs because they are cheap, only send 1 guy out and dont remove panels, they claim they can do it that way (Total scam).

You need 2 guys, both 70E qualified with proper PPE, one to remove panels, one certified IR guy who understands all the key concepts like emmestivity, radiation, reflection, Delta T and T rise limits and recommended correctiove actions for different values.

 

[jumper]

Zog, please post any other info you have regarding this subject, I need to inform boss the precedures maybe incomplete regarding our current contract with a company who does this for us.

 

[zog]

Zog, please post any other info you have regarding this subject, I need to inform boss the precedures maybe incomplete regarding our current contract with a company who does this for us.

Does what? Not sure what you are asking but you are in Brian Johns neck of the woods and he is an IR guru, have him do your scans.

Just not sure what you are asking, I touched on several subjects.

 

[zog]

Certification?

http://www.infraredtraining.com/certification/

 

[jumper]

Does what? Not sure what you are asking but you are in Brian Johns neck of the woods and he is an IR guru, have him do your scans.

Just not sure what you are asking, I touched on several subjects.

Sorry I was vague I posted too quickly. The link in your next post was all I needed. The EC performing this IR testing is going to need to show some certification, I always thought thought that just removing the panel covers and checking the immediate temp on the wire and termanations never really proved anything. Conditions change. I need to research this more. Insurance required this testing and boss just hired local EC, good outfit, yet your post makes me believe that they may not really be qualified for this stuff.

 

[brian john]

We do not charge by the hour flat rate, 1/2 day or full day.

In our area half day is around $600.00-$850.00 and full day 1,100.00-1,500.00

 

[zog]

Insurance required this testing and boss just hired local EC, good outfit, yet your post makes me believe that they may not really be qualified for this stuff.

The problem there is, most insurance companies require the IR, but not that it is done by anyone certified, or even with a clue for that matter, all your boss may care about is satisfing the insurance company as cheaply as possible, thee are companies out there that make a living doing those jobs.

 

[brian john]

I know of 1 company in a large Midwest city that gets most of the IR jobs because they are cheap, only send 1 guy out and don't remove panels, they claim they can do it that way (Total scam).

We lost a job for a large hotel we took 2 days the guy that got the job gave them a east coast price for all the hotels. He gets a free room one man show. 1/2-3/4 a day to do the same building.

Received an EM call from one of the hotels they smelled something in the main electric room. We got there and the bolted pressure switch was RED HOT. This hotel had an IR two weeks earlier. Seems the competition told them he could shot through the covers.

Pay the money get the proper job.

Not only are our thermographers certified but the persons doing the reports are certified as well. I see many weak reports.

 

[charlietuna]

I started certified infrared thermography scans in 1989. I got into it as a sideline to help my customers out. The closest available company was 400 miles away and their scheduals were always full ? And in 1989 the technology of infrared was relatively new--Electrically, the use of infrared for roof leaks and building envelope for insulation was strong. My thermography classes were 95 percent roofers, and very little information was about electrical scans. I have my own opinions, formulated by my own experience over a 16 year period of scanning the same buildings and watching how the use of infrared actually works to eliminate the number of problem areas from year to year! Many of these buildings were new and the problems were actually design issues. Most of our customers follow our recommendations and also offer us the job of the necessary work, then request a backup scan.

The quality of the infrared equipment and equally important the knowledge of the operator is what determines if panel covers need removal. The camera we used was so sensitive it is used for medical scans surching for problems doctors had no answer for. The sensitivity of this camera caused us to chase many "none problems". But over the years we realized this sensitivity would show problems within panels--with their covers "on". It is also important to be able to balance the heat generated on equipment relative to the load that equipment is under. Without an electrical background this might be difficult??? From reviewing other infrared contractor's reports we realized how very important this was. Too many reported problems were actually normal conditions, an example might be reporting motor overloads as being "overheated" and in need of replacement???? Motor overloads are designed to be hot! This also opened my eyes to the end result to cause my customers to repair equipment operating that was running normal!

The cost of infrared scanning a building the first time is based on manhours and was a guess from our past experience. After the first scan, we know fairly close what future scans will require. And if the building follows our recommendations they can systematically eliminate and continue to reduce problem areas, thereby reducing their infrared scanning costs. An example of one building we scanned every year originally took us 7 days and after 15 years now takes us three days. Our costs varied depending on clients, but roughly ran about $1000 a day. "A DAY' is six hours of scanning and the balance is used in formulating the report. Our customers recieved a credit from thier insurance carrier for having their building scanned. Our scanning costs were always less than the credit! We customized our methods on records to simplify the report and make it user freindly to our customers.

 

[Len]

IR

Thanks for all your replies. I am aware of certs. and the benefits of a good scanner. I don't buy cheap and I know covers need to be off to check.
I do thanks you and I can relate to bidding against unqualified persons...