Procedures and Specifications - Infrared Testing
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Client Responsibility
East Coast Industries, Inc. shall not
handle any electrical equipment, remove or replace panel covers, operate
switchgear, or manipulate any other electrical components whatsoever. East
Coast Industries, Inc. shall not, in any way, be responsible for the actions of
any other individuals in their handling of any electrically related equipment,
or for any consequences resulting from such actions.
Providing access to all areas enclosing
electrical panels or other equipment to be surveyed shall be the full
responsibility of the building management and/or electrical department. Access
shall be arranged for ECI personnel into any high security areas prior to the
day of inspection; formal approval for the use of infrared and conventional
cameras shall be similarly secured.
All panel covers and metal trim shall be
removed in order to provide visual access to any concealed wiring, terminal
connections, switches, fuses and fuse components. Panels not having the covers
or metal trim removed shall be noted as such in the report, and will be judged
as being only partially inspected. Except at locations where exposed wiring and
other live electrical components cannot be locked and safely secured from
access by unauthorized personnel, all panel covers shall be removed prior to
the actual survey date and replaced at a later date - this in order to maximize
the available time to perform the infrared survey.
The removal and replacement of all
electrical panels or handling or operation of any electrically related
equipment or switch shall be completed by a licensed electrician or competent
building personal fully knowledgeable in the handling of that particular
equipment. At no time shall any exposed electrical panels be left accessible to
the general public or to any unauthorized individuals. Panel covers which
cannot be safely left open in advance shall be instead opened by building
personnel at the time of the survey. Such locations exist typically in hallway
areas, tenant spaces, and at other locations where exposed electrical equipment
cannot be safely secured, and should be planned for accordingly.
It is the client's responsibility to have
adequate manpower to promptly remove and replace such covers at the time of the
survey - thereby not extending the time required to complete the work.
Depending on the physical size and weight of some panel covers, and/or the
danger of the electrical service, two or more electrical personnel may be
required. Inadequate building manpower resulting in idle or lost time by ECI's
thermographer, should it require additional time to complete the infrared
inspection, shall be billed at the same hourly or daily rate as originally
agreed upon. For any normal work day, ECI will be available to perform 7-1/2 to
8 hours of inspection.
Under situations where building personnel
are not either available or not technically qualified to perform the above
required preparations for the infrared inspection, a licensed electrician shall
be provided. An electrician may also be required where amperage, voltage or
other direct contact electrical readings are requested in addition to the
infrared survey. At the client's discretion, the client may establish a direct
relationship, fee negotiation, and payment terms with an electrician or
electrical contractor exclusive of East Coast Industries, Inc., or recommend an
electrical contractor to ECI they would prefer handling such work.
It shall be the client's responsibility
to ensure that all equipment to be inspected is under its normal operating
load, to create operating loads when necessary, and to allow sufficient time
for recently energized equipment to produce representative thermal patterns.
Where necessary, pumps, fans, chillers, other mechanical equipment, as well as
any spare equipment, shall be scheduled to operate at alternate time periods in
order to ensure that all such equipment is included in the infrared survey.
Special advance preparations shall be taken by the client in the testing of UPS
systems, emergency generators, and ATS automatic transfer switches, this in
order to ensure that both normal and emergency power circuits are inspected.
Secondary Electrical Defects
As part of our regular reporting format,
and unless specifically excluded by the client, ECI will look for and report
upon any electrical or mechanical deficiency not revealing itself through an
elevated temperature indication. Such secondary defects shall be itemized
according to defect type and location in the final report.
Possible deficiencies to report will
include, but not be limited to:
- Broken Latches
- Discolored Contacts
- Damaged Panel
- Could Not Open Panel
- Excessive Dirt
- Evidence of High Heat
- Insulation Burned
- Loose Components
- Excessive Noise
- Frayed or Exposed Insulation
- Indicator Light Out
- Locked Out of Service -
Untested
- Limited Visibility
- Missing Cover
- Mismatched Fuses
- Not Tested in Emergency Mode
- Panel Not Opened
- Panel Cover Not Removed For Complete
Inspection
- Cover & Trim Not Removed For Complete
Inspection
- Stripped Cover Screws
- Shielded Panel Trim Not Removed
- Equipment Under Repair
Testing
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