Part of our work over 35 years included pioneering infrared electrical inspections for oil, gas, energy, manufacturing, mills, mines, etc. We would inspect electrical distribution under full load to catch hidden electrical problems that couldn’t be seen.

Following that we would report problems and their electricians would fix the problems before they went to failure. People would be surprised to know that loose or corroded connections were the cause of over 80% of electrical problems. Corroded and loose connections will cause electrical failure if not addressed. Electrical failure can mean explosions, fires and very dangerous environments.

Calgary, Alberta just had a major electrical failure down town affecting thousands of businesses and residents. Seeing the video of the failure underground immediately made me wonder how often those underground electrical systems are inspected using thermal imaging? We would inspect industry’s electrical systems yearly to avoid electrical failure. If they haven’t inspected those electrical systems regularly, they can not rule out connections or corrosion. Electrical maintenance is required or you will be repairing.

There have been fires from smart meters across Canada and the US for some of the same reasons. Once an electrical meter is put on a meter base, the meter base is NEVER maintained. In some cases meters have been on buildings for decades without maintenance and that lack of any maintenance needs to be addressed in itself. Making the smart meter fires more complex is the use of contractors or labourers swapping meters under electrical load. Smart Meter Fires in Nevada which resulted in 1 death is now being investigated by the state. Meters are being blamed for the fires when the installation and state of the meter base have to be considered in cause. Meters as well as meter bases have to be submitted for fire investigation.