Thermal Imaging for Electricians: A Practical Guide to Safe and Accurate Inspections

Teacher

Course Introduction

Welcome to Thermal Imaging for Electricians: A Practical Guide to Safe and Accurate Inspections, produced by Electrical Code Academy, Inc.

Thermal imaging is one of the most valuable tools available to today’s electricians. By using a thermal camera, you can see hidden problems that the naked eye will never reveal—loose terminations, overloaded conductors, failing breakers, and equipment on the verge of failure. Early detection saves time, reduces costly downtime, and most importantly, prevents fires and electrical hazards.

But here’s the key: not every “hot” image means there is danger. Many electrical devices and appliances are designed to run warmer, such as AFCI/GFCI breakers, routers, chargers, or motors. The skill of a trained electrician lies in knowing the difference between normal operating warmth and a true electrical problem. This course is designed to give you that knowledge.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Confidently operate a thermal imaging camera during electrical inspections.
Apply field action rules (temperature differences and thresholds) to classify findings as normal, possible issues, or major hazards.
Understand manufacturer temperature limits and when they apply.
Identify when warm equipment is normal by design and when it requires immediate corrective action.
Document and communicate findings in a professional way that builds client trust and credibility.

Why This Course Matters

Electricians are trusted to keep electrical systems safe. Adding thermal imaging to your skill set gives you the ability to see beyond the surface, identify hidden dangers, and make informed recommendations. Proper training ensures you don’t overreact to normal heat or miss dangerous signs—you’ll learn to balance caution with confidence.

This course blends hands-on practice, real-world case studies, and industry standards (NFPA 70B, NFPA 70E, and NETA guidelines) to prepare you for success in the field.

Course Features

Lectures 110
Quiz 0
Duration Lifetime access
Skill level Intermediate
Language English
Students 282
Certificate No
Assessments Self

18 Sections
110 Lessons
Lifetime

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📘 Module 1: Introduction to Thermal Imaging
📝 Executive Summary This module introduces electricians to the fundamentals of thermal imaging and why it is one of the most important diagnostic tools in the trade today. Students will learn what thermal imaging is, why it matters in electrical work, and the basic science behind it. They will also see how standards like NFPA 70B recommend thermal imaging as part of proactive maintenance and how NFPA 70E ensures safety when performing scans. This foundation prepares electricians to move from simply pointing a camera at equipment to understanding what the results mean. 🎯 Learning Objectives By the end of this module, electricians will be able to: Define thermal imaging and explain its role in electrical inspections. Describe key thermal imaging concepts: infrared, emissivity, reflectivity, ΔT (temperature difference), and ambient conditions. Identify common electrical problems thermal imaging can reveal. Explain NFPA 70B’s guidance on when and why to use thermal inspections.
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📘 Module 2: Operating a Thermal Camera (Expanded with Ampbank H128 Tips)
📝 Executive Summary This module takes electricians from understanding thermal imaging theory into practical field operation. You will learn how to plan and perform inspections safely, configure your thermal camera for accuracy, recognize the impact of environmental factors, and document findings according to NFPA 70B (maintenance), NFPA 70E (safety), and NETA standards (ΔT action levels). Special attention is given to the Ampbank H128 thermal camera, as many electricians in this program will use it. You will learn how to adjust its settings for both close-in inspections (breakers, lugs, receptacles) and long-range sweeps (rooms, overhead busways). By the end of this module, you will have a repeatable workflow for inspections and know how to produce professional, inspection-grade reports. 🎯 Learning Objectives By the end of this module, electricians will be able to: Apply NFPA 70E and NFPA 70B principles to thermal inspections. Configure their thermal camera correctly: focus, emissivity, distance-to-spot, palette/span, and alarms. Recognize how surfaces, reflections, sunlight, and airflow impact measurements and avoid false readings. Perform inspections using a methodical workflow that ensures consistency. Compare like-to-like components and use ΔT thresholds for classification. Document findings with thermal + visible images, ambient/load notes, and action recommendations that meet NFPA 70B standards.
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📘 Module 3: Field Action Rules (ΔT Guidelines & Actions)
📝 Executive Summary Great thermal images don’t fix equipment—good decisions do. This module teaches how to turn camera readings into clear, defensible actions. You’ll learn why ΔT (temperature difference) beats raw temperatures, how to choose the right reference (peers vs ambient), and how to apply NETA severity ranges and a traffic-light system so your reports are consistent and professional. We’ll also cover how to avoid false alarms when equipment runs warm by design, and how to document ΔT-based findings so they satisfy NFPA 70B expectations and stand up to scrutiny. Throughout, you’ll see Ampbank H128 tips for capturing the right numbers, setting practical alarms, and recording images that make your reports “inspection-grade.” 🎯 Learning Objectives By the end of this module, electricians will be able to: Define ΔT vs ambient and ΔT vs peer and explain why ΔT is more reliable than absolute temperature. Select the correct reference (similar component under similar load, or ambient when no peer exists) and avoid bad comparisons. Apply NETA ΔT action levels (+1–10°F, +11–20°F, +21–40°F, >40°F) and map them to traffic-light categories for reporting. Distinguish true electrical issues from normal design heat (AFCIs, electronics, motors/transformers) and environmental effects (sun, wind, reflections). Configure the Ampbank H128 to support ΔT-based decisions (focus, emissivity, span, practical alarm points). Produce NFPA 70B-ready documentation: thermal + visible images, ambient/load, ΔT, classification, and recommended actions.
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📘 Module 4: Specialized Applications — Motors, Transformers, and Beyond
📝 Executive Summary So far, we’ve focused on breakers, conductors, and panels — components with clear ΔT rules and simple peer comparisons. But in the real world, electricians also inspect motors, transformers, and other specialized equipment where heat is expected. This requires deeper skill: distinguishing normal operating heat from abnormal localized heating, interpreting manufacturer design expectations, and documenting results accurately without over-reporting. In this module, you’ll learn how to: Apply thermal imaging to motors (bearings, windings, housings). Inspect transformers (oil-filled, dry-type, pad-mount). Evaluate control equipment, bus systems, and connections that don’t have perfect peers. Interpret readings in context with NFPA 70B (maintenance guidelines) and manufacturer design data. Use the Ampbank H128 effectively on larger objects, where focus distance and spot size matter most. By the end, you’ll be able to expand your thermal imaging skills to cover the breadth of electrical equipment found in the field, while avoiding “false positives” and writing professional reports clients can trust. 🎯 Learning Objectives By the end of this module, electricians will be able to: Inspect motors and identify abnormal heating patterns in bearings, windings, and housings. Apply ΔT principles to transformers, using ambient vs design expectation as references. Evaluate bus systems, terminations, and control devices without perfect peers. Recognize when heat is expected by design vs when it indicates impending failure. Document findings per NFPA 70B, including ambient, load, ΔT, and action recommendations. Configure and use the Ampbank H128 for scanning large or complex equipment.
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📘 Module 5: Thermal Imaging Limitations and Safety Boundaries
📝 Executive Summary Infrared thermography is powerful — but it has boundaries. An IR camera shows you surface temperatures; it does not see “through” equipment, nor does it replace other diagnostic tools. Misunderstanding these limitations can lead to missed hazards, false alarms, or unsafe practices. This module explains what infrared cameras detect and what they don’t, how environmental and surface conditions affect accuracy, how to stay safe under NFPA 70E, and when thermal imaging must be combined with other test methods. Finally, we’ll cover how to report results with limitations clearly stated, so your findings are credible and defensible. By the end, you’ll know how to use any IR camera — whether it’s an Ampbank H128, a FLIR, or another brand — responsibly and effectively. 🎯 Learning Objectives By the end of this module, electricians will be able to: Explain what infrared cameras measure (surface temperatures only). Recognize surface and environmental factors that distort readings. Apply NFPA 70E safety boundaries during energized inspections. Identify when thermal imaging alone is insufficient for diagnosis. Use thermography alongside other tools (amp meters, torque checks, insulation resistance tests). Document limitations in reports to protect professional credibility.
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📘 Module 6: Interpreting Load Conditions and Duty Cycles
📝 Executive Summary A thermal camera doesn’t lie — but it also doesn’t tell the whole story. The heat you see is directly tied to the load being carried at the moment of inspection. A panel running at 15% load may look perfectly healthy even if it has loose lugs, while the same panel at 80% load could reveal serious overheating. This module focuses on how to correctly interpret thermal images by factoring in load conditions, duty cycles, and balance. Students will learn NFPA 70B’s minimum load guideline (≥40% of rated load), how intermittent duty equipment behaves differently than continuous duty, how load imbalance shows up in thermal scans, and how both light and heavy loads can distort findings. By the end of this module, electricians will know how to connect what they see in a thermal image to what the circuit is actually doing, and how to document those conditions so their reports stand up to professional review. 🎯 Learning Objectives By the end of this module, electricians will be able to: Explain why load percentage is critical for meaningful thermal inspections. Apply NFPA 70B’s 40% minimum load requirement for effective testing. Differentiate continuous-duty and intermittent-duty equipment behavior. Identify load imbalance in 3-phase systems using ΔT values. Recognize how light loads can mask defects and heavy loads can exaggerate them. Accurately document load and duty conditions in inspection reports.
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📘 Module 7 – Thermal Severity Classifications and Action Criteria
📝 Executive Summary A thermal camera tells you where the heat is, but not how serious it is. Without severity classification, electricians risk either overreacting (flagging normal conditions as problems) or underreacting (ignoring critical defects). NFPA 70B (2023) and NETA MTS provide severity tables based on ΔT (temperature rise above ambient or peer components). These tables give a standardized way to rank issues as: Normal (Monitor) Possible Concern (Schedule Maintenance) Probable Problem (Urgent Repair) Critical (Immediate Action Required) In this module, electricians will learn how to: Apply severity tables and ΔT thresholds correctly. Adjust severity ratings based on ambient temperature and load conditions. Use the Green/Yellow/Orange/Red system to assign action categories. Write clear, defensible recommendations that supervisors and clients trust. Apply all of this in field scenarios with the Ampbank H128 thermal camera, turning images into actionable maintenance decisions. By the end of Module 7, electricians won’t just know how to take a thermal image — they’ll know how to classify what it means and how to act on it.
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📘 Module 8 – Documentation and Reporting Standards
📝 Executive Summary A thermal image by itself doesn’t mean much to a customer. What matters is the report — a clear, simple document that explains what was found, how serious it is, and what should be done about it. In this module, you’ll learn how to turn your field scans into professional reports that homeowners, business owners, or facility managers can understand and act on. These reports are not for inspectors or engineers — they’re for the people who need to decide whether to schedule repairs, plan maintenance, or take immediate action. A good thermal inspection report should: Identify the equipment scanned (breaker, panel, motor, etc.). State the ambient temperature and whether the equipment was loaded at the time. Show the temperature difference (ΔT) compared to ambient or similar components. Use simple severity language (Normal, Monitor, Repair Soon, Immediate Action). Provide a clear recommendation that the owner can act on. By the end of this module, you’ll know how to create reports that: Look professional and consistent. Communicate clearly with non-technical clients. Protect your credibility if questions come up later. Add value to your service and help customers make informed decisions.
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📘 Module 9 – Communicating Findings with Customers
📝 Executive Summary Thermal imaging doesn’t end with the scan or the report — it ends when the customer understands what you found and what needs to be done. A strong electrician knows how to explain results in plain language that builds trust and drives action. Business owners and homeowners don’t want jargon or complex standards — they want to know: What’s wrong? (Explain the issue simply.) How serious is it? (Normal, monitor, repair soon, or fix now.) What happens if we ignore it? (Possible failures, risks, or downtime.) What should we do next? (Clear, actionable recommendation.) In this module, electricians will learn how to: Communicate inspection results in terms customers can easily understand. Use severity categories (Green, Yellow, Orange, Red) without technical overload. Frame problems in terms of safety, reliability, and cost savings. Handle customer questions and skepticism confidently. Build credibility by presenting themselves as trusted advisors, not just technicians. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to turn technical findings into customer-friendly explanations that build trust, encourage action, and add value to your service.
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📘 Module 10 – Advanced Field Techniques with Thermal Imaging
📝 Executive Summary By now, you’ve learned how to capture quality thermal scans, interpret them with load and duty context, classify severity, document findings, and communicate results clearly with customers. Module 10 builds on that foundation by teaching advanced field techniques that separate a basic scan from a truly professional thermal inspection. In real-world electrical work, conditions are rarely perfect. Panels may be dusty, sunlight may wash out a reading, reflective metal surfaces can distort images, and moving parts like motors require special scanning angles. Advanced field techniques help electricians overcome these challenges so their inspections remain accurate and defensible. In this module, you’ll learn how to: Compensate for reflections, sunlight, and environmental interference. Use proper scanning angles and distances for lugs, busbars, and moving equipment. Apply emissivity and thermal adjustment techniques to improve accuracy. Capture comparison scans for before/after maintenance verification. Work safely and effectively in challenging environments like outdoors, tight spaces, or high-load conditions. By the end of Module 10, you’ll be equipped with field-proven thermal techniques that make your inspections more reliable, your reports more credible, and your service more valuable.
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📘 Module 11 – Integrating Thermal Imaging into Preventive Maintenance
📝 Executive Summary Thermal imaging isn’t just a one-time inspection tool — it’s a powerful part of a preventive maintenance (PM) program. When used consistently, thermal scans help electricians and facility owners spot problems early, reduce unplanned downtime, and extend equipment life. This module shows how to move beyond “spot checks” and make thermal imaging part of a routine maintenance strategy. Electricians will learn how to plan inspection schedules, build trend data, and integrate findings into customer maintenance records. By the end of this module, you’ll know how to: Design a thermal inspection schedule for different types of equipment. Use scans for trending — comparing results over time to spot changes. Integrate thermal reports into a customer’s maintenance records. Prioritize repairs based on severity and operational impact. Demonstrate the value of preventive maintenance to customers in terms of safety, uptime, and cost savings. 👉 This is where thermal imaging shifts from a “tool in your bag” to a professional service offering that adds long-term value for your customers.
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📘 Module 12 – Thermal Imaging for Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings
📝 Executive Summary Up to this point, you’ve focused on using thermal imaging for safety, reliability, and preventive maintenance. But thermal cameras also uncover another major opportunity: energy waste. Loose connections, overloaded circuits, unbalanced phases, and inefficient equipment don’t just cause hazards — they also drive up energy bills. For customers, saving energy is just as important as preventing downtime. Thermal imaging helps electricians show where money is literally being burned away as heat. By documenting these issues and explaining the cost impact, you can expand your service from safety inspector to energy efficiency advisor. In this module, you’ll learn how to: Spot electrical energy losses (loose lugs, imbalance, harmonics, etc.). Identify mechanical inefficiencies (motors, bearings, HVAC equipment). Connect ΔT readings to energy cost impacts customers understand. Show before/after scans to prove savings from corrections. Present findings as part of an energy efficiency service package. 👉 With this knowledge, you’ll move from simply preventing problems to saving customers money, strengthening your role as a trusted partner in both safety and efficiency.
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📘 Module 13 – Case Studies and Real-World Applications
📝 Executive Summary So far, you’ve learned the theory, the techniques, and the reporting skills behind thermal imaging. But nothing drives the lessons home like seeing them applied in the field. Module 13 focuses on real-world case studies that show how thermal imaging is used by electricians in everyday jobs. These examples will bring together everything you’ve learned — from scanning and interpreting ΔT, to classifying severity, documenting findings, and explaining results to customers. Each case will demonstrate both the technical side (calculations, severity, reporting) and the customer side (communication, recommendations, and outcomes). In this module, you’ll learn how to: Analyze real thermal scans of panels, motors, and transformers. Perform step-by-step ΔT calculations to classify severity. Translate findings into customer-friendly explanations. Show how repairs reduce risk and energy waste. Apply best practices across residential, commercial, and industrial settings. 👉 By the end of this module, you’ll see how all the skills from previous lessons come together in the field — giving you confidence to apply thermal imaging on any job.
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📘 Module 14 – Safety Integration with Thermal Inspections
📝 Executive Summary Thermal imaging is one of the most valuable tools an electrician can carry, but it must be done with safety first in mind. Every time you open a panel, scan a motor, or aim your camera at energized gear, you are working in an environment where an arc flash, shock hazard, or equipment fault can occur. Unlike inspectors or engineers who may only write reports, electricians are often hands-on with live equipment. That means safety isn’t optional — it’s part of the job. Customers expect you to deliver accurate scans, but they also expect you to protect yourself and their property. This module explains how to integrate safe work practices into every thermal inspection. Even if you don’t own NFPA 70E or your residential jobs don’t enforce it, you’ll learn what those rules mean in plain English and how to apply them in the field. You’ll know: What an arc flash is, and how approach boundaries work. Which PPE (gloves, glasses, arc-rated clothing) is practical for scanning. How to position yourself and your camera safely. When to use lockout/tagout and how to document limitations. How to clearly state safety-related restrictions in your reports. 👉 By the end of this module, you’ll be able to combine thermal inspection skills with field-tested safety practices so that your work is accurate, credible, and — most importantly — safe.
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📘 Module 15 – Professionalism and Customer Relations in Thermal Imaging
📝 Executive Summary Owning a thermal camera doesn’t just make you a better electrician — it makes you a trusted professional in the eyes of your customers. How you present yourself, your findings, and your recommendations determines whether clients see you as “another tradesman” or as a long-term advisor for their electrical safety and efficiency. In Module 15, we focus on the soft skills that elevate thermal inspections into professional service. Customers don’t always understand technical data, but they know how it feels to deal with someone who is clear, respectful, and trustworthy. This module shows you how to build customer confidence from the first interaction to the final report. By the end of this module, you’ll know how to: Present yourself professionally during inspections. Communicate findings in simple, clear language without jargon. Handle questions and objections with confidence. Deliver reports in a way that builds trust and credibility. Turn one-time scans into ongoing customer relationships. 👉 The mark of a professional thermographer isn’t just what’s in the scan — it’s how you deliver the message.
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📘 Module 16 – Advanced Troubleshooting with Thermal Imaging
📝 Executive Summary Thermal imaging is more than just an inspection tool — it’s also a powerful way to troubleshoot electrical problems when paired with meters and field testing. A thermal camera can guide your eyes to the exact point of failure, while electrical measurements confirm the root cause. In this module, you’ll learn how to use thermal scans as part of an advanced diagnostic process: Pairing thermal imaging with amp and voltage measurements to separate load issues from connection problems. Using heat signatures to spot loose connections, overloads, and imbalances quickly. Recognizing when excess heat points to deeper issues like harmonics or undersized conductors. Applying troubleshooting to real-world assets — panels, motors, and transformers. Documenting both the thermal and electrical data in reports to make your findings defensible and clear to customers. 👉 By the end of this module, you’ll not only see “where it’s hot” — you’ll know why it’s hot, and how to fix it.
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📘 Module 17 – Selling Thermal Imaging Services the Zig Ziglar Way
📝 Executive Summary The best sales aren’t about pressure — they’re about helping customers see their problem and offering the solution. Zig Ziglar built his sales philosophy on exactly that: serve first, sell second. For electricians, thermal imaging is the perfect service to apply this approach. Customers rarely know it’s available, but once they see the benefits — safety, reliability, and cost savings — they’ll want it. This module will teach you how to: Position yourself as a problem-solver who happens to have a thermal camera, not a salesperson. Introduce thermal imaging naturally during routine service calls. Use simple explanations and visuals to make the invisible visible. Apply Zig Ziglar’s sales principles to guide customers to yes without pushiness. Offer service tiers and follow-ups that create recurring revenue. 👉 By the end of this module, you’ll know how to turn your thermal camera into a business-building tool, winning customer trust and adding real value on every service call.
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🏁 Grand Course Summary – Thermal Imaging for Electricians
📝 Executive Summary – Thermal Imaging for Electricians Thermal imaging is more than taking “hot pictures” — it’s a professional tool for spotting hidden electrical problems, preventing failures, and building trust with customers. Core Skills Learned: Operate thermal cameras correctly (angles, distance, emissivity). Interpret results with ΔT math: ΔT = Hot Spot Temp – Reference (peer/ambient). Severity: Green (≤10°F), Yellow (11–20°F), Orange (21–40°F), Red (>40°F). Factor in load and duty cycle: Light load hides defects; heavy load exaggerates them. Minimum 40% load required for reliable scans (NFPA 70B). Troubleshoot with P = I² × R: current squared times resistance explains why loose lugs and overloads overheat. Document professionally: include ambient, load, duty, ΔT, severity, recommendation, and limitations. Communicate clearly with customers: frame results in Safety, Reliability, and Savings. Apply safety practices: PPE, stand aside, arc-flash awareness, and honest reporting of limitations. Use case studies and before/after scans to prove value. Build long-term business by packaging thermal imaging as a service, not a one-time sale. 👉 With these skills, electricians can confidently use thermal imaging to spot problems, explain them clearly, document them professionally, and sell the value of fixing them.
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  Module-by-Module Recap

Paul Abernathy

CEO and Founder of Electrical Code Academy, Inc. A Virginia Corporation located in Mineral, Virginia

Requirements

While you do not need a Thermal Camera to take this course, you will need one to do the practical lessons.

Target audiences

This course is the "Holy Grail" of information on Thermal Imaging for Electricians so its recommended for all electricians

Thermal Imaging

Thermal Imaging for Electricians: A Practical Guide to Safe and Accurate Inspections

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Thermal Imaging

Thermal Imaging for Electricians: A Practical Guide to Safe and Accurate Inspections

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