Thermography used to be expensive, difficult, and primarily used by large industrial facilities and the military. These days, it has become much more affordable, easier to use, and more broadly applied.
A thermal imager works by producing thermal (heat) pictures of the equipment. Electrical contractors typically use thermal imagers for predictive maintenance and troubleshooting, and sometimes during installation. For predictive maintenance, the contractor takes thermal images of key units (panels, drives, and motors) at least once a year if not more often, and compares those images with each visit. Hot or cold spots that were not previously evident may indicate problems that need to be investigated before they cause failure.
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