Electrical Thermography Course

Lesson 1 • Emissivity and Surface Properties

Defines emissivity, reflectivity, and transmissivity for common electrical materials. Directly impacts measurement accuracy and is foundational for all field temperature readings.

Lesson 2 • Heat Transfer Mechanisms

Explains conduction, convection, and radiation as they apply to electrical equipment. Connects heat transfer modes to the thermal patterns seen in field inspections.

Lesson 3 • Thermal Imaging vs. Contact Measurement

Contrasts infrared thermography with thermocouple and RTD methods. Clarifies when non-contact measurement is advantageous and where its limitations apply.

Lesson 4 • Infrared Radiation Fundamentals

Covers electromagnetic spectrum position of infrared, wavelength bands, and photon energy. Establishes the physical basis for all subsequent camera and measurement concepts.

Lesson 1 • Camera Controls and Image Optimization

Teaches focus, level and span adjustment, palette selection, and emissivity input. Proper control use directly determines the diagnostic value of captured images.

Lesson 2 • Camera Specifications and Selection

Covers thermal sensitivity, spatial resolution, field of view, and frame rate. Guides students in matching camera specifications to electrical inspection requirements.

Lesson 3 • Camera Maintenance and Calibration

Covers lens cleaning, storage, battery management, and factory calibration intervals. Proper maintenance preserves measurement accuracy and extends equipment service life.

Lesson 4 • Measurement Tools and Spot Functions

Explains spot meters, area analysis, isotherms, and line profiles within camera software. These tools quantify thermal data and support accurate anomaly identification.

Lesson 1 • Electrical Hazard Recognition

Identifies shock, arc flash, and arc blast hazards present during live inspections. Hazard recognition is the first step in every safe thermographic inspection workflow.

Lesson 2 • Personal Protective Equipment Selection

Covers arc-rated clothing, face shields, gloves, and footwear for electrical work. Correct PPE selection is matched to the incident energy level at each inspection point.

Lesson 3 • Camera Handling Near Live Equipment

Addresses safe camera positioning, minimum approach distances, and tripod use near energised parts. Prevents accidental contact while maintaining image quality and measurement accuracy.

Lesson 4 • Arc Flash Hazard Analysis

Explains incident energy calculations, arc flash boundaries, and equipment labelling. Thermographers must read and act on arc flash labels before opening any enclosure.

Lesson 1 • Reading Electrical Drawings and Nameplates

Teaches single-line diagrams, panel schedules, and equipment nameplates. Enables thermographers to locate inspection points and document findings accurately.

Lesson 2 • Common Electrical Components

Covers switchgear, transformers, circuit breakers, bus bars, and connections. Recognising each component type is prerequisite to identifying component-specific thermal faults.

Lesson 3 • Electrical Distribution System Basics

Introduces generation, transmission, and distribution architecture relevant to inspection targets. Contextualises where thermographers typically work within the power system.

Lesson 4 • Electrical Fault Types and Causes

Categorises loose connections, overloads, imbalances, and insulation degradation as fault sources. Provides the diagnostic vocabulary used throughout the rest of the course.

Lesson 1 • Systematic Inspection Workflow

Defines the step-by-step sequence from arrival to departure for a complete inspection. A consistent workflow prevents missed components and supports reproducible results.

Lesson 2 • Minimum Load Requirements

Explains why inspections require minimum load levels and how to verify and document them. Load-dependent faults are invisible at low loads, making this a critical quality control step.

Lesson 3 • Environmental Conditions and Their Effects

Examines how ambient temperature, solar loading, wind, and humidity affect thermal readings. Controlling or compensating for environmental factors is essential for accurate diagnosis.

Lesson 4 • Industry Standards and Guidelines

Reviews thermography standards from major reliability and electrical safety organisations. Compliance with these standards validates inspection quality and supports defensible reporting.

Lesson 1 • Identifying Loose and Resistive Connections

Teaches recognition of hot spots at terminals, lugs, and splices caused by increased resistance. Resistive connection faults are the most common finding in electrical thermography.

Lesson 2 • Overload and Imbalance Detection

Covers thermal signatures of overloaded conductors, breakers, and phase imbalance in three-phase systems. Distinguishes load-related heating from resistance-related faults.

Lesson 3 • Normal Thermal Patterns in Electrical Equipment

Establishes baseline thermal signatures for healthy transformers, breakers, and connections. Recognising normal patterns is prerequisite to identifying deviations that indicate faults.

Lesson 4 • Severity Classification Methods

Applies delta-T thresholds and temperature rise criteria to classify anomaly severity. Severity classification drives prioritisation of corrective actions and maintenance scheduling.

Lesson 1 • Report Writing for Mixed Audiences

Adapts technical findings for maintenance technicians, engineers, and facility managers. Clear communication of severity and urgency drives timely corrective action.

Lesson 2 • Report Structure and Content

Defines required report sections: executive summary, findings table, images, and recommendations. A standardised structure ensures completeness and supports client decision-making.

Lesson 3 • Image Quality Assessment

Evaluates focus quality, thermal contrast, framing, and reflection artefacts in captured images. Only images meeting quality criteria should be included in formal inspection reports.

Lesson 4 • Comparative and Trend Analysis

Uses reference images, historical data, and phase comparison to strengthen diagnoses. Trend analysis over multiple inspections reveals developing faults before failure occurs.

Lesson 1 • Programme Audit and Continuous Improvement

Establishes metrics, peer review, and corrective action tracking to improve programme quality. Continuous improvement ensures the programme adapts to changing assets and organisational needs.

Lesson 2 • Thermography Programme Development

Covers programme scope, inspection frequency, asset prioritisation, and resource planning. A well-designed programme maximises fault detection while controlling inspection costs.

Lesson 3 • Complex Fault Diagnosis Techniques

Addresses multi-fault scenarios, masked anomalies, and ambiguous thermal patterns. Advanced diagnostic reasoning prevents misclassification of complex or overlapping faults.

Lesson 4 • Integration with Reliability Programmes

Connects thermography findings to predictive maintenance, CMMS, and reliability-centred maintenance. Integration amplifies the value of thermography within a broader asset management strategy.