# Thermal Imaging
Canonical URL: https://empireelectricalcontractors.com.au/services/thermal-imaging
Empire Electrical Contractors · Phone +61468404608 (24/7)

Thermal scans of switchboards, motors and cable joints

See the fault before it fails. Infrared thermal scans of switchboards, motors, cable joints and connections — with an insurer-grade written report on every hotspot.

## What's included
- Switchboard thermal scan (residential, strata and commercial)
- Motor, VSD and MCC thermal inspection
- Cable joint, termination and busbar hotspot detection
- Insurer and WHS-grade written report with images
- Load-tested scans (measured on real running load)
- Follow-up remediation of any defects found

## Overview
Every loose termination, overloaded circuit and degrading breaker runs hotter than its neighbours. Thermal imaging finds those hotspots without touching the equipment or shutting the site down — a licensed electrician with a proper thermal camera scans the switchboard, motors and cable joints under real load and captures the temperature of every connection.
For residential and strata clients we scan the main and distribution boards for hotspots (loose neutrals, overloaded circuits, failing RCBOs) and issue a written report. For commercial and industrial sites we scan on a scheduled cycle — main switchrooms, MCCs, motor terminations, VSDs, busbars and cable joints — under measured running load, with each hotspot photographed, temperature-tagged, and cross-referenced to the equipment ID.
The report is designed for insurance and WHS audits: image + reference, measured temperature, ambient reference, severity rating, and a recommended action. Where you'd like the defect fixed at the same visit we can do that under our maintenance scope.

## Fixed pricing
$350–$1,800 AUD per site. Workmanship warranty 12 months. Typical on-site duration ~2 hours.

## Symptoms we hear about
- Suspected hot terminal in the switchboard
- Insurance requires thermographic report
- Repeated nuisance tripping

## Common causes
- Loose lug or termination
- Overloaded circuit
- Failing breaker

## How we handle it
1. **Load-up** — Confirm the board is under normal operating load before scanning.
2. **Scan** — FLIR thermal camera captures every termination and breaker face.
3. **Report** — Delta-T findings tabled with photos and severity rating.
4. **Rectify** — Hot terminations retorqued, defective components replaced.

## Applicable standards
- AS/NZS 3019 — Periodic verification

## FAQs
**How much does a thermal scan cost?**
A residential switchboard scan with written report starts at $180. Commercial and industrial scans are priced per site and asset count — we quote against your list of switchboards, motors and terminations.

**Do I need to shut the site down?**
No — the opposite. Scans need to be done under real running load, so the site stays live. We just need switchboard doors safely opened for the imaging window.

**What does the report look like?**
PDF with paired visual and thermal images, measured temperature, ambient reference, severity rating (advisory / important / urgent) and recommended action for every hotspot found.

**Will insurers accept your report?**
Yes — the report format is written for insurer and WHS audit purposes, and includes camera calibration date, technician licence and image metadata.

**How often should we scan?**
Residential main board: after any major works or if the board feels warm. Strata common-area boards: annually. Commercial: annually. Industrial with critical motors and MCCs: 6-monthly.

**Can you fix the hotspot the same visit?**
Usually yes — most hotspots are loose terminations that can be re-torqued or replaced on the spot under our maintenance scope. Deeper defects (failing breakers, cable damage) are quoted separately.

## Reviews
Aggregate: 5/5 across 195 Google reviews.
- Shirish Shetty (5/5, 2026-06-01): Absolutely outstanding electrician and genuinely one of the best people to work with. He diagnosed and fixed the issue within a couple of hours. He was professional, efficient, and reliable.
- Jie Z (Jessica) (5/5, 2026-06-01): VERY HIGHLY recommend! We had an issue with power at home and needed someone urgently to restore the electricity service. They responded quickly, showed up on time, and got everything back up and running without any hassle.
- Vin J (5/5, 2026-03-01): I highly recommend Joe, he's very skilled, kind and does honest work. He did a massive last minute job for us, installing an entire 17.4kw ducted aircon system after our old unit broke.
- Jennifer Cornish (5/5, 2025-11-01): Exceptional Service - Highly Recommend! I contacted Joe from Empire Electrical to install new powerpoints and downlights. His professionalism, punctuality, and thoroughness stood out.
- Jasmin Cumming (5/5, 2025-07-01): I am so glad I called Empire Electrical. Joe is a very honest person which is hard to come by. He explained everything to me and charged me an incredibly fair price.