Let’s give a brief background on why electrical panels are important to every household, or to every establishment in general. This little rectangular box holds the power to every electrical aspect of buildings and houses. We know it can seem a bit intimidating to look at but once you get the hang of it, it’s straightforward. Let’s just say that without electrical panels, you won’t be able to have control over electricity in certain areas of your home (if you’re a homeowner) or establishment (if you’re a maintenance professional).

Whether it be on buildings, homes, industrial plants, or in any area that requires electrical power, they will never be alive without electrical panels. So, regarding their importance, what would now happen if you had a faulty electrical panel in your midst, or worse, an overheating one? Here’s how you can resolve them with early detection using Fluke tools!

Reasons for overheating electrical panels

Initial, don’t be confused. All electrical panels may feel a bit warm since electrical currents run through them. There is a difference between a warm electrical panel and an overheating one. Remember, each circuit breaker is assigned to one current flow. Take a house, for example, one current flow (that is aligned to a breaker) may be connected to the bedroom, another can be connected to the kitchen, and so on.

Take note that circuit breakers also have ratings. So, if it exceeds that rating, it will also be a cause of a warm-up. However, these are not the only reasons why your panels are heating up. Here are some more probable reasons why they are overheating…

It might be a case of a loose connection.

Watch out for loose connections as this can generate heat. Loose connections often happen with the breakers. You see, when installing these little switches inside the electrical panel, you need to make sure that it is secured with the clip that holds them to the bus bar. If all else fails, maybe you need to bring out your screwdriver and tighten the lug that holds the breaker.

Current limits may also be in the works.

Keep in mind that electrical panels consist of multiple currents in different breakers, therefore, when one of those currents exceeds their rating then there might be a “trip” to the current flow breaking electricity. This can be a cause of power-hungry appliances. And, more often than not, when such appliances are often turned on and off, this can cause distress on your breaker. A simple solution would be to reset it. Switch it off, and switch it back on.

Faulty breakers also make electrical panels to overheat.

How do you know if one of your breakers is bad? An indication can be flickering lights or if your power is not working continuously in certain areas of your place. These are some of the signs that you have a bad breaker on your hands. If in such circumstances you’ve had your breakers replaced and are still experiencing the same thing, then it might be high time to upgrade to a modern panel.

Fluke tools to use for preventive measures and safety.

The iconic yellow holstered tools are a phenomenon in the industrial department. They are the best test tools that are highly recommended by professionals and maintenance men/women alike. They are not only known for their safe testing features but they are also well-applauded for their accurate performance. People working with Fluke tools in hand can operate more confidently, quickly, and safely, especially when working on highly sensitive projects. But that’s not all, Fluke tools are also praised because they can prevent all kinds of faults from a wide variety of tools, machines, electrical equipment, and even devices.

Considering preventing the overheating of electrical panels, Fluke tools can play a big role in determining faults in advance. Considering that most of these faults cannot be seen by our own eyes and might be too dangerous for us to inspect by hand, Fluke tool comes to the rescue with its high-performing tools. Here are some of the Fluke tools that can be an asset in the preventive maintenance of overheating electrical panels…

1. Fluke Insulation Testers – They can be efficient in measuring phase-to-phase or phase-to-neutral voltage.
2. Fluke Clamp Meters – They are good for measuring currents and looking for current harmonics.
3. Fluke Energy Analyzers – These Fluke tools are great for monitoring voltage, harmonics, and load.
4. Fluke Thermal Imagers – The preferred tools for spotting hot and cold spots.
5. Fluke 1735 Three-Phase Powe Logger – They are great for measuring currents.
6. Fluke 1587 Insulation Multimeter – They are perfect for measuring voltage and voltage drops.
7. Fluke Insulated Tools – If you need to tighten bolts, make sure to use insulated tools for extra safety from harmful electricity.

Get your Fluke tools through an authentic source!

Hey, you made it to the bottom! Are you currently looking for the best-performing test tools in the market to run daily maintenance checks on your machines? You’re in luck cause Presidium PH is an authorized distributor of Fluke test tools in the Philippines. Prevent these faults from penetrating your machine by using the best test tools there are!

If you want to know more about Fluke tools and their functions, visit our website for more info! This is a one-stop-shop for the best test tools within Metro Manila.

Sources:

• https://www.fluke.com/en/learn/blog/power-quality/troubleshooting-electrical-panel-overheating-problem
• https://www.fluke.com/en/learn/blog/power-quality/power-quality-at-the-service-panel
• https://homeinspectioninsider.com/what-are-electrical-panels/
• https://www.thespruce.com/inside-electrical-service-panel-load-center-1824663#:~:text=The%20main%20service%20panel%20is,other%20devices%20throughout%20the%20house.
• https://www.squareone.ca/resource-centres/getting-to-know-your-home/electrical-panel
• https://www.hunker.com/13414086/can-you-switch-a-15-amp-circuit-breaker-to-a-20-amp