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I spent $150 on a thermal camera for my phone and it found a hot spot in a panel that saved a client's building | Electricians - Rigidtalk

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clairefisher•6mo ago

I spent $150 on a thermal camera for my phone and it found a hot spot in a panel that saved a client's building

I was doing a routine inspection at a small office complex last month and decided to try out this new Flir One attachment I bought. I scanned the main service panel and saw one of the feeder lugs was reading 50 degrees hotter than the others. We shut it down, pulled the panel, and found the lug was barely making contact and starting to arc. The repair cost the client about $400, but the property manager said it likely prevented a major fire. That little gadget paid for itself in one job. Has anyone else had a thermal imager catch something you would have totally missed on a visual?

3 comments

3 Comments

dylan_rodriguez6mo ago

Wait, are we sure a 50 degree difference is an automatic emergency? I've seen plenty of connections run warm under normal load, especially in older panels. Couldn't that just be from a slightly higher resistance joint that's been fine for ages? It's good you found it, but calling it a sure fire starter feels like a stretch.