Overheated Electrical Components
Published: March 18, 2018
By: Felix Rodriguez, Equipment Specialist
Types of problems related to overheated components
A wide variety of problems in electrical equipment can be causes of overheating. Overheated components can cause issues such as:
- Loose Connection (When there is a look and hearing for flickering, buzzing or dimming of lights).
- Overloads (When there is a overuse of extension cords and multiple plugs on the same circuit causing too much current demand on the circuit).
- Arcing (When there is a circuit overload and overheat, it causes the circuit to malfunction with electricity flowing in between it’s connection instead of tripping).
- Corrosion (When there is moisture coming in contact with metal electric parts).
- Faulty Contact (When there is a faulty connection between two conductors and causes the connection to break).
Image shows a digital image vs thermal image 
Image shows a loose wire connection and a overloaded motor
How to use a thermal image camera
Step 1: Borrow a thermal image camera from our equipment library.
Step 2: Use the manual that comes with the camera to identify the buttons and use for each.
Step 3: Understand the material of the object you would like to measure to adjust settings in the camera for emissivity.
Step 4: Pick the right time of day and temperature to get the best thermal image results.
Step 5: Save and label the thermal images taken to establish a plan of action.
