Nearly everything that uses or transmits power gets hot before it fails. Cost-effective power management is critical to maintaining the reliability of your electrical and mechanical systems. thermography is an effective predictive maintenance technology to quickly, accurately and safely locate problems prior to failure.

Whether viewing electrical components indoors or outdoors, performing mechanical inspections, inspecting process installations, our Flir range of thermal imaging cameras can instantly find hot spots before failure. Inspections can be safely performed while electrical systems are under load, and common electrical targets include... switchgear, breakers, fuses, electrical panels and bolted connections.

The Flir E-300 camera is a compact, battery-powered unit that weighs less than 800 grams and is sealed to IP54 (no ingress or moisture) making it an ideal portable, go anywhere tool for both indoor and outdoor use in all weather conditions. The camera also features a real-time scanning rate of 50Hz (which means the image won’t break up as you move the camera) and doesn't require an export license.

This thermal imaging camera is also both shock proof to 25G and vibration proof to 2G (IEC 68-2-29), and comes supplied with software for post image analysis. ThermaCAM QuickReport allows simple reports to be generated for each image, and saved as a PDF. Also available separately is ThermaCAM Reporter 8, which generates comprehensive, professional and highly-customizable multi-page reports in minutes.

The Flir E-300 features a bright and large 2.5" LCD screen, capable of displaying 16,000 colours. This, coupled with the camera's 320 x 240 resolution (which is four times the resolution of the Flir E-45), allows for accurate measurements to be taken from twice the distance of the Flir E-45 (the next camera down).

This makes fault finding easier and quicker than before, thanks to clearer and sharper images from distance. High thermal sensitivity will also allow you to see more subtle temperature differences. And with easy to use menus and controls, you'll be ready for your first infrared inspection within minutes, and not hours.

The Flir E-300 is supplied with two batteries and a twin bay charger, and is able to store 80 radiometric images. Other features of the camera includes...

• A temperature range of -20ºC to +500ºC, with an optional upgrade up to +1200ºC
• Four colour palettes, to help better identify a problem
• Built-in laser pointer lets you quickly associate the hot spot on the thermal image on the screen with the real target in the field, so you’re confident you’ve taken the image you need
• Colours alarms and one movable spot
• Complimentary One-day thermography course

This camera is supplied with a Standard lens. However, optional lenses are also available and can be ordered in place of, or in addition to, this regular lens.

When the target in question is some distance away, it may prove useful to use a Telescopic lens. This Telescopic lens is a popular lens accessory, as it provides two times the magnification when compared to that of the Standard lens. This makes the lens ideal for small or distance targets, such as overhead power lines.

The Wide-angle lens has a Field Of View (FOV) almost double that of the Standard lens included with the camera. This makes the Wide-angle lens perfect for wide or tall targets, such as electrical panels, roofs and paper machinery - especially when there just isn't enough room to step back and get a complete sight of the target.

For many applications, the Wide-angle lens can prove to be invaluable. With a Standard lens, some camera operators may take several images of the target, and attempt to piece these together with specialist software. This can be cumbersome and time-consuming, and the end result may not be ideal.

You may also be interested in our range of Thermographic Inspection Windows (or "sightglasses", as they are sometimes known). These allow infrared energy to pass through, permitting infrared inspections to be carried out effectively and safely - without the need to defeat safety systems or open panel covers.

We can also provide On-site thermography training that covers an introduction to infrared, predictive maintenance, camera operation, use of software and report writing. This training will familiarise operators with their infrared camera, and we also show how thermography can be complimented by other technologies – most notably, ultrasound.

Should you have any questions, or if you would like to discuss any of this further, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.