Infrared camera

Data records

• The survey covers electrical panels, switchgear, breakers, fuses and other high-load connection points such as drives, disconnects and controls, with the covers removed, since the camera cannot see through a closed cabinet or a solid metal bus tray. Source: Fluke article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.applications
• An infrared camera forms an image from the thermal radiation that surfaces emit and shows the apparent temperature at each point; in electrical inspection it reveals the abnormal heating that increased resistance at a contact surface produces while the equipment carries load. Source: Fluke article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.definition
• Because electrical components are mostly bare metal with low emissivity, absolute temperature readings from the camera are unreliable, so many thermographers run qualitative surveys that compare apparent temperatures between like components carrying like loads, or on the same equipment over time. Source: Fluke article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.delta-t
• Emissivity is a measure of how efficiently a surface radiates infrared energy, on a scale from a perfect mirror to a perfect absorber and radiator; polished metal sits at the low end and behaves as a mirror, while roughened, oxidized and painted surfaces sit high. The camera's emissivity setting is matched to the surface, and a patch of electrical tape on shiny metal gives a surface whose temperature the camera can read. Source: Teledyne FLIR article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.emissivity
• Heat concentrated at one point, such as a switch contact, a connector or one end of a fuse, marks poor surface contact at that point, while heat along a whole conductor, or a fuse hot at both ends, marks an overloaded or undersized circuit or a phase imbalance. Source: Fluke article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.patterns
• A radiometric camera stores a temperature value for every pixel so that the image can be measured and re-analyzed after the survey, whereas a non-radiometric imager shows only the thermal pattern. Source: Electrical Testing Reference editorial taxonomy, 2026-10 edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.radiometric
• Reflected temperature is the radiation from the surroundings that a low-emissivity surface bounces into the camera; it is entered in the camera's settings, has less influence on high-emissivity surfaces, and can make a cool component appear hot or a warm one appear cold if it is not accounted for. Source: Teledyne FLIR article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.reflected-temperature
• Each suspected problem is documented in a report that carries the thermal image and a visible-light photograph of the equipment, and the saved images form a baseline for comparison in later maintenance; a new image after corrective action shows whether the repair succeeded. Source: Fluke article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.report
• The equipment is imaged after it has warmed to a steady state under a meaningful share of its normal load, and the load is measured with a clamp meter or power quality analyzer, because an unbalanced load, an overload and a poor connection can produce similar thermal patterns. Source: Fluke article page, web page edition. Verified 2026-10-27. Record instr.infrared-camera.under-load