KEY POINTS
- Interpret temperature patterns alongside load, surface conditions and equipment history.
- Agree safe access and inspection limits before the visit.
- Use findings to assign actions, then verify the result after corrective work.
A thermal survey helps a maintenance team identify temperature patterns that deserve investigation. Its value comes from the inspection conditions and follow-up records as much as the images themselves.
What the image can tell you
An unusually warm connection, an uneven pattern across phases or a hot enclosure can be a useful lead. A thermal image alone does not establish the cause. Load, equipment construction, airflow and surface properties can all affect the result.
Fluke’s guidance on hot-spot detection explains why shiny metal surfaces and reflected heat can make apparent temperatures misleading. A finding should therefore describe the observed pattern and the evidence needed to investigate it, rather than diagnose a loose connection from colour alone.
Plan access and operating conditions
Give the inspector an equipment register, available drawings, previous findings and the normal operating schedule. Agree which assets can be inspected, who controls access and how areas that cannot be viewed safely will be recorded.
The inspection method must follow the site’s electrical safety procedures and be carried out by competent personnel. Taking a picture does not remove the hazards of accessing energised equipment. Some equipment may need a different inspection method or a planned outage.
Record the operating load during the survey. A lightly loaded circuit may not show the same pattern as it does during production. Fluke’s electrical thermography guidance discusses the importance of load and corresponding visual records.
Ask for a report your team can act on
| Record | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Asset ID and location | Makes the finding traceable to the correct equipment |
| Thermal and visible image | Helps the maintenance team identify the exact area |
| Load and operating state | Gives context for comparison with future surveys |
| Measurement settings and limitations | Makes uncertainty and inaccessible areas clear |
| Priority, owner and next action | Converts the finding into a maintenance task |
| Follow-up evidence | Records whether the condition changed after repair |
Agree the method for assigning urgency with the responsible engineer. A colour scale or a single temperature threshold is not a complete assessment of risk.
Set the next inspection from the evidence
Inspection frequency should reflect equipment criticality, loading, environment, previous defects and the maintenance plan. Avoid applying one interval to every board. Keep thermal surveys distinct from any statutory electrical inspection required for the facility.
For an ETES maintenance discussion, share the equipment list, operating hours and previous report. Our electrical maintenance service provides the starting point for agreeing the inspection scope and follow-up work.
ETES services for this work
References & further reading
Primary publications used in this guide. Confirm the requirements and editions applicable to your project.
Send ETES your site location, equipment details and planned schedule. Our team can discuss the work required.
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