Thermographic Surveys & Thermal Imaging - Isle of Wight

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• Reduce the risk of unexpected breakdowns
• Your insurer has requested thermal imaging
• You are planning preventative maintenance
• Your business relies on critical electrical equipment
• You've recently experienced electrical faults or nuisance tripping
• You have older or heavily used electrical equipment
• You want to minimise disruption during inspection
• You want additional reassurance alongside routine electrical testing

The time required depends on the size of the site, the number of electrical panels or items being inspected and the accessibility of the equipment. A smaller commercial premises may only require a relatively short visit, while larger industrial sites with multiple distribution boards, switchgear and control panels will take longer.

Volt Tech Services can provide an estimated survey duration and estimate of cost, once the scope of the inspection is known.

Usually, no. Electrical thermography is most useful when equipment is energised and operating under normal load because this allows abnormal temperature patterns to become visible.

There may, however, be circumstances where access to particular equipment needs to be carefully managed for safety reasons.

Yes. Loose or deteriorating electrical connections can create increased electrical resistance, which may result in abnormal heating.

Thermal imaging can help identify these temperature differences so that the affected connection or component can be investigated further.

Thermal imaging can identify components or connections operating at unusually high temperatures, which may sometimes be associated with excessive electrical load.

Any abnormal heating identified during the survey should be assessed alongside the electrical load, equipment specification and operating conditions.

Thermography can help identify abnormal heating associated with some developing electrical faults, allowing problems to be investigated and rectified before they become more serious.

However, a thermographic survey should form part of a wider electrical inspection and preventative maintenance programme rather than being treated as a standalone fire-prevention measure.

There is no single inspection interval suitable for every installation. The appropriate frequency will depend on factors such as the type of equipment, operating conditions, electrical load, criticality of the installation and any insurance or maintenance requirements.

Some businesses choose to include thermographic inspections within their regular planned preventative maintenance programme.

Electrical thermography can be used on a wide range of equipment, including:

• Distribution boards
• Switchboards
• Switchgear
• Control panels
• Electrical connections and terminations
• Circuit breakers and isolators
• Three-phase equipment
• Motor control equipment
• Motors and machinery
• Industrial electrical installations

The inspection can be tailored to the equipment installed at your premises.

No. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and a thermographic survey provide different types of information.

An EICR assesses the condition and safety of an electrical installation through inspection and testing. Thermography uses thermal imaging to identify abnormal temperature patterns while electrical equipment is operating.

The two services can therefore complement one another as part of a wider electrical maintenance programme.

Some insurers may request or recommend thermographic inspections for certain commercial or industrial premises, particularly where there is significant electrical equipment or a higher potential impact from electrical failure.

Requirements vary between insurers and policies, so businesses should check the specific conditions of their insurance cover.

If your insurer has requested a thermographic electrical survey, Volt Tech Services can discuss the required inspection and reporting scope with you.

Yes. Electrical thermography is particularly useful in industrial environments where electrical equipment operates for long periods, carries significant loads or is critical to production.

Switchgear, control panels, motor control equipment, distribution systems and machinery can all potentially be included within an industrial thermographic survey.