Infrared Inspections of Control Panels Containing Exposed Contacts
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Infrared Inspections of Control Panels Containing Exposed Contacts
Tip provided by Michael Sharlon,Thermasearch of Arkansas
Infrared inspections of relay panels containing exposed electrical contacts can be hazardous to your imager’s health! This is especially so when viewing elevator contact switchboards where momentary arcs are visible.
Electrical control panels are items that are frequently included in an infrared inspection of electrical distribution systems. Even though most of these relays operate at or around 120 volts AC and 50/60 Hz, the arc that occurs at break generates high intensity electromagnetic pulses that your imager’s shielding can rarely handle at distances of less than four feet.
If many relays are actuating randomly you may see momentary wavering to all out loss of vertical sync resulting in a total skewing of the imager’s display screen. The variation in intensity is directly related to how close you are to the subject panel.
To minimize the effects of pulsing associated with operating relays, maintain a distance of at least six feet when viewing these panels. Doing so will eliminate or minimize any adverse effect on your imager’s display.
