Most switchboard failures give a warning before they happen: heat. A loose connection, an overloaded circuit or a failing component runs hotter than the parts around it, often long before anything looks wrong. Thermal imaging, also called infrared thermography, makes that heat visible.
What thermal imaging finds
- Loose or poorly tightened terminations, which can look secure to the eye
- Overloaded circuits, common in older buildings where demand has outgrown the original switchgear
- Uneven loading between phases
- Failing breakers, contactors and fuses
- Heat build-up from dust, moisture or poor ventilation
Finding these early means a planned repair instead of a melted busbar, a fire risk or an unplanned shutdown.
How often switchboards should be scanned
For most commercial buildings, an annual thermal imaging scan is the usual benchmark. Higher-risk sites, such as hospitals, 24/7 operations and heavily loaded switchrooms, often scan every six months. Scanning after major changes, such as a fit-out or new plant, is also good practice.
Why the scan must be done under load
Faults only show up as heat when current is flowing. A switchboard scanned at night or over a quiet weekend can look healthy even when it is not. Scans should be done when the board is carrying its normal load.
Because covers are opened while the switchboard is energised, scans must be done by trained, licensed electrical workers with the right arc-flash protective equipment.
What a good thermal imaging report includes
- A thermal image and a normal photo of each issue found
- The temperature rise compared with similar components
- A priority rating, from urgent to monitor
- A clear recommended repair for each item
- A record you can compare against next year’s scan
Some insurers also look favourably on sites that can show a regular thermal imaging program.
Thermal imaging and switchboard maintenance in Perth
Foster’s Services provides thermal imaging, switchboard upgrades and preventive maintenance for commercial and healthcare facilities across Western Australia, and we can carry out the repairs a scan identifies. Learn more about our commercial electrical services. Call 08 9337 3315, email service@fosters.net.au or send us a message. For urgent after-hours faults, call 1300 19 19 42.
This article is general information only. Always refer to the current editions of the relevant Australian Standards and your site’s own requirements.