I'm a new memeber buying a thermal imager this week, looking forward to participating with and learning from you all. As to the questions about using IR to scan electrical panels, I am an electrician by trade and have been to some thermography seminars where this came up. i plan to use mine for electrical PM in an industrial setting. First anomalies are just that, different and unexplained, 30 degrees F in difference from the hot breaker to all the rest is a major problem, ten is normal variation, Scale adjustments need to be made for checking this, 20 can be load but merits checking into, first the tighteness or torque on the screw that holds the wire into the breaker most THLQ or HACR residential type 20 amp breakers with 12 ga wire require 25 inch pounds of torque, if you check your own panel under load then torque all of the breakers (while turned off) then re-scan a while later you will probably observe a big reduction in heat, resistance= heat! I picked up a nice torque driver at Harbor Freight for ten bucks adjustable from 5-50 IN/lbs. What's really important is that 240 appliances like the range or condenser are balanced or are at the same temp by 3 degrees between legs. (note some new appliances like high efficiencey dryers run two separate 120 legs and this will not apply to them) It helps to use a clamp meter to check that the amperage under load does not exceed the breakers rating or that of the wire guage 20 amps for 12ga etc. I have used Thermal imaging to find hot wires then used a clamp meter to find out that there were 30+ amps going through the wire because the breaker was siezed and the circuit was overloaded. Pay special attention to this condition with regards to the bridge tabs on the sides of wall outlets! I watched the wall catch on fire at a friends house right in front of me while I was drinking a cup of coffee, the paint started bubbling! Outlets should not be installed with four conductors, but rather two with nutted conections in the back of the box. Good luck!
