There are a lot of factors affecting the cooling performance of an air conditioning unit, such as the relationship between dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, relative humidity, and dem point temperature. Making sure that these facets are good to add to the overall performance of the unit and, essentially, occupant comfort.

To make sure that an air conditioning unit is running at maximum capacity, HVAC technicians usually use a sling psychrometer and psychrometric chart. These devices are also called “humidity” meters, and in order to make sure that your unit is still working great, you need measuring devices that are accurate, more convenient to use and can be used in various locations even unsuitable for sling psychrometers.

If you want to do an HVAC evaluation and diagnostics on your unit, you need a device, such as the Fluke 971- a measuring device that can calculate wet bulb temperature and dew point temperature.

To better understand how to properly measure and evaluate your air conditioning unit, here are key terms you need to be familiar with:

Wet Bulb

Closely related to enthalpy or the total heat in the air (dry bulb and wet bulb). In a psychrometric chart, the wet-bulb lines are nearly parallel to the enthalpy scale and values.

Dew Point

This is critical in both hot and cold weather evaluations. Duct surface temperature must be maintained above the dew point to prevent condensation whether inside or outside of the conditioned space.

Relative Humidity

This must be kept low enough to ensure inside wall and window surface temperatures do not approach dew point. If condensation appears on window or wall surfaces, condensation hidden within envelope walls will be likely.

If you want to do an HVAC evaluation and diagnostics on your unit, you need a device, such as the Fluke 971- a measuring device that can calculate wet bulb temperature and dew point temperature. Visit www.presidium.ph and view our wide range of measurement devices that will suit your needs.

No idea what kind of insulation resistance tester to use? Not sure which model is working with the best efficiency? We have conked-out our answers to your queries when it comes to deciding which is the best insulation resistance tester to use.

Make A List of Equipment for Testing

First things first, make a list of all the equipment you will need with their nominal voltage rating (seen on the equipment’s nameplate) for an insulation resistance testing. It is necessary to identify the nominal voltage rating so you could determine what test voltage is needed from the tester. Also, you will also need to indicate the number of insulation resistance tests you plan to perform in a year. As you go along the process, you will surely be surprised of how features of the tester work, the quality, and durability it brings as how it is designed to be, especially how relevant it is for everyone.

Identify Voltage Requirements

It is important to know that the output test voltage applied to equipment has to be based on the manufacturer’s recommended DC insulation resistance test voltage. However, if the test voltage is not indicated, you may refer to the International Electrical Testing Association’s table of recommendations. It is important to note down the most suitable insulation resistance tester that can supply the output test voltage needed. Also, not all insulation resistance testers are the same – some testers can only support somewhere between 5000 V dc – 10,000 V dc. Please refer to the table of recommended test voltages and minimum insulation values below.

Know Where Will the Testing Take Place

Knowing the testing environment and the other uses of your insulation resistance tester can greatly benefit you in choosing other additional features. A digital multimeter and the ability to use one instrument for both insulation resistance tests can also add convenience to the process.

Some insulation resistance testers can be very large and not portable, so there is a need for circuits and equipment to be verified as electrically de-energized first before an insulation resistance tester is connected to the equipment so it wouldn’t be a hassle for you to carry the insulation resistance tester to various locations.

What You Learn from an Insulation Resistance Test

Insulation Resistance Testing puts a qualitative value on both conductor insulation and internal insulation. It is done by applying a dc voltage to the conductor equipment under test.

There are a couple of things to remember as you go along the test and it’s essential to always be guided by these. First, as the charging current begins to build, it is normal to see a low value on the meter face. With more current flowing out of the test, the lower the megaohm reading.  A higher megaohm is directly associated with good insulation quality.

Absorption or polarization is the next current flowing towards the equipment. The amount of absorption is dependent on the contamination of the insulation. When there’s moisture in the insulation, the absorption value will be high and the resistance is low.

Experience Level

The ability of the test instrument will be as good as the person’s experience level on reading it. You must consider your expertise in selecting the insulation resistance tester that you must use. Though, insulation resistance testing training needs not to be extensive.

Also, make sure the insulation resistance tester that you will purchase must support the output test voltage and other functions.

If you having trouble choosing the correct resistance insulation tester, you must choose the ones that provide troubleshooting efficiency and complete maintenance records over time.

Learn more about the various products of Fluke Industrial Group and Fluke Calibration, check them out at Presidium.PH!

Infrared means “beyond red.” Thermography then pertains to a “thermal picture.” Put together, infrared thermography then means beyond a red temperature picture, which is taken by thermal cameras. This explains why in thermal imaging, we can see a gradient of red and purple captured in a photo.

Infrared, just like visible light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Infrared just has a longer wavelength and lower frequency compared to visible light. Infrared thermography is the science of detecting infrared energy emitted from an object, which is then converted into apparent temperature, then displayed as an infrared image. This is what the thermal camera takes.

Any presence of anomalies is often an indicator of potential problems.

This is very helpful in detecting things not otherwise visible to the naked eye such as heat patterns and the infrared wave spectrum. It aids in identifying components that are going bad before they get even worse.

How does thermal camera work? Instead of giving a numerical test result with various test meters, a thermal camera (also known as a thermal imager) captures the image that you can enhance using different color palettes and highlighting tools in order to point out a problem. An advantage of the thermal camera is that you can capture an object when it is under load and is used as it allows you to take a picture without making direct contact.

Most of these thermal cameras are able to capture “radiometric” data which means you can see the temperate for each pixel within the range. Very useful in detecting an anomaly, you can drill down and see the temperature of the exact points in question and see if it is in the normal range or not.

Infrared thermography can be useful in seeing beyond what is visible the data that is found all around us. Get to see in infrared with Fluke’s Thermal cameras, the world leader in the manufacturing and distribution of electronic test tools.

Learn more about our products here at Presidium.PH or contact info@presidium.ph!

Thermal imagers are excellent tools for troubleshooting motor issues and monitoring the motor condition for preventive maintenance for power generation, manufacturing, and commercial plants. Infrared images reveal a motor’s heat signature to tell you about its condition.

What to Scan?

In building your heat profiles, it is best to start capturing good quality infrared images when the motors are running under normal conditions. Doing so will give you baseline measurements of the temperature of components.  Thermal imagers or infrared cameras can capture temperatures of all the crucial components: motor, shaft coupling, motor, shaft bearings, and gearbox.

However, working with loads can be more difficult as the indications of issues are subtler. Thus, a minimum of 40% design load is recommended (National Fire Protection Associate NFPA 70B), and it is better to have a higher load. When you are inspecting in low load situations, take note of all possible issues, be sure to note all possible problems, even if they reflect only a minimal temperature difference. When the load increases, the temperature rises too–and if a problem exists, assume larger temperature differences at higher loads.

What to Look For?

All motors should have the normal operating temperature listed on the nameplate. An infrared camera/thermal imager is unable to see inside the motor, but the exterior surface temperature is an indicator of internal temperature. When the motor is overheating, the windings rapidly deteriorates. As a matter of fact, every increase of 10°C on a motor windings’ designed operating temperature cuts the life of windings’ insulation by half even though the overheating is temporary.

If a temperature reading in the middle of a motor housing comes up abnormally high, an IR image of the motor can tell you where the high temperature is coming from. If a coupling is warm, there may be a misalignment.

There are three primary causes of abnormal thermal patterns:

• High-resistance contact surface, either a connection or switch contact, usually appears warmest at the spot of high-resistance, cooling off the further away from the spot.
• Load imbalances, normal or out of specification, appear to be equally warm throughout the part of the circuit that is overloaded or undersized. Harmonic imbalance also creates the same pattern. If the entire conductor is warm or hot it may be undersized or overloaded. Check on the rating or the actual load to know the cause.
• Failed components may also appear cooler than normally functioning ones. The most common example is a blown fuse. While, in a motor circuit, this can result in a single phase condition and the possibility of costly damage to the motor.

Practicing regular inspection routes including thermal images of all critical motor and/or drive combinations as well as tracking baseline images will help you know if a hotspot is unusual or not. It will also help you verify if the repairs were a success.

Interested in getting an Infrared Camera or Thermal Imager? Get it now at www.presidium.ph!

Have you ever wondered how most pipes in buildings get maintained? Or how about some unwanted leaks?

These are just some of the things that thermal imaging can do.

Thermal came from the Greek thermē which means heat. With that said, thermal imaging is done using a thermal camera or thermal imager and is essentially a heat sensor that is capable of detecting any small difference in temperatures in objects. It collects the infrared radiation from the objects then proceeds to create an electronic image based on the information collected.

While it is never a complete guarantee that nothing will be overlooked, thermal inspection is a way to ensure further unforeseen damage can be prevented. The use of thermal imaging has been becoming part of practice when it comes to inspections and for good reason. Thermal imaging is important in the detection of unwanted and excessive moisture in building materials, insulation gaps, heating, and cooling placement, leaks, and unwanted water infiltration to name a few.

Because the purpose of imaging is different for each case depending on what equipment is being inspected, there is no one imaging solution that fits all infrared inspections with the thermal camera. However, there are three commonly used methods that can cover most situations.

Baseline Thermography

This is an easy way to dive into thermal imaging as it can work for almost any application. This is done by first scanning the object or equipment when it is first commissioned or used, which is then turned into the point of reference for future inspections. That is called the baseline. This approach allows you to spot any anomalies down the line of the object’s lifecycle.

Thermal Trending Thermography

Once the baseline has been set, this approach of thermal trending thermography can be used to compare how temperature is distributed in the same components over time. This helps in detecting any change in performance over time and over the object’s lifecycle. This allows you to be one step ahead in scheduling the maintenance for the object before it becomes unable to function.

Comparative Thermography

This approach is based on the idea that you expect similar components under similar loads to have similar temperature profiles. Under this approach, you scan similar components with the thermal camera under the same conditions and compare the results. With three or more components it becomes easier to pick up any deviation or irregularity.

While this approach may seem simple at first, it becomes complex depending on the component being compared. The real difference in temperature that can be considered normal or irregularity will also be different for each component depending on their respective functions.

All of these approaches all work to help maintain appliances and ensure that it is running properly. Thermal inspections are a good measure to maintain the objects and also prevent them from further damage. With Fluke’s Thermal Cameras, you are guaranteed to perform thermal inspections with confidence and faster results and better imaging.

Get this product now and contact info@presidium.ph!

Learn more about the various products of Fluke Industrial Group and Fluke Calibration, check them out at Presidium.PH!

For ages, the temperature has been used to give an indication of a machine’s condition, as machines with unusual temperatures are proven to have potential damages.

Touching the machine with our bare hands can sometimes help determine if the heat is in within limits but it may lead to serious accidents.

According to Westindrives.com, in order to obtain precise machine temperature, thermography or thermal imaging should be used. Other than precision, this technique is also safer.

Thermography – or thermal imaging – allows visualization of heat for maintenance or diagnostic purposes. The application’s infrared radiation is converted by a thermal camera to the visual image.

This thermal camera will speed up troubleshooting and aid in preventive maintenance that can provide a substantial return on investment.

Thermal imagers have also affected the way electricians monitor the operation of electrical systems. These devices gather vital information about electrical components, cooling levels in data centers, backup uninterruptible power supplies, and electrical support equipment. By using infrared (IR) cameras to take noncontact heat measurements of energized equipment, it is possible to diagnose potential problems before they occur.

However, according to Fluke, in order for a thermal imager to serve you right, you must certainly know how it works in different facets of your business. These are:

Electrical and Power Distribution

• Troubleshoots and maintains electrical panels
• Monitors substations and switchgear
• Commissions new installations through the documented condition at the time of acceptance
• Inspects and monitors power generation components

Industrial

• Inspects and troubleshoots motors, drives, and bearings
• Finds pipe blockages or leaks
• Assesses tank levels from a distance
• Identifies circuit board hot spots at the design stage

Energy and Environmental

• Detects heat loss throughout your HVAC
• Locates moisture in your building envelope
• Conducts residential and commercial building energy audits

Thermal imaging technology is very dynamic, and there have been developments in products for over a decade, bringing new products and expanded capabilities.

Thermal imaging may sound so expensive but it is actually a very affordable option for many businesses that need best security, protection solution and a higher return of investment. It, in fact, it costs lower than CCTV. If you are looking for an affordable yet high-quality thermal imaging product, visit https://presidium.ph/ or call +63 2 464 9339 to know more.

Thermal inspection work has now evolved through thermal imaging software that makes our work much easier. Now you can access thermal imaging results through your phone via software/apps. With this software, you can easily create accurate reports concerning mechanical, electrical, building diagnostics, electronic equipment and more.

Just like a professional camera, an infrared camera needs to be paired with thermal imaging software with features that allow you to produce accurate and clear thermal images. A good thermal imaging software also fully utilizes the radiometric data supplied by the camera’s sensor to get the most out of the image or video.

If you’re in the hunt for thermal imaging software, here are some factors to consider:

Multiple Video/Image Formats

It’s important that your software is able to export your images in various formats so it will be compatible with different viewing devices. Formats such as .jpg, .tiff, .bmp, .gif, or .avi are those that can read more advanced data. Fluke Infrared Cameras can in .is2 format, and images can be exported in the most commonly used formats.

Edit and Manipulate Images

You want a software that will allow you to do image enhancements on the software itself. For one, it is more convenient, and second, you can easily mark the important parts of your report.

Live Viewing and Sharing of Infrared Images and Video

Share images in real-time even with team members who are working remotely. The Fluke Connect software allows you to access a live view through an app on your mobile phone.

Remotely Control your Infrared Camera

Your camera must be able to allow you to access and control your device even without having to touch it. This feature would especially be helpful during hazardous situations.

3-Dimensional Analysis

A 3D structure allows for a full and clearer view of what you are working on. You can easily provide solutions and eliminate false positives when you are working with a 3D model.

You must be able to get the most out of your infrared camera so you need to pair it with thermal imaging software that will maximize its capabilities and enhance your results. If you’re looking for an infrared camera and the best thermal imaging software, a wide range of choices await you at www.presidium.ph

Presidium.PH Corporation is an authorized distributor of Fluke– the world’s leader in the manufacture, distribution, and service of electric test tools, biomedical equipment, and networking solutions.

Presidium.PH is a full-time product-based selling business that is focused on test & measurement. They want to bring the latest technology products to the Philippines & cater across multiple industries.

Wanting to give their consumers the best service, Presidium.PH offers Free Onsite Demo for Hi-Touch products with their highly qualified and trained product specialists.

They also offer special discounts on their products with free delivery within Metro Manila to ease their clients from the hassle of traveling and transporting their purchased tools.

And unlike other retailers, Presidium.PH values and really care for their customers and does not stop accommodating them once the receipt is printed. In fact, Presidium.PH provides them information and all the help they need after purchasing their products with their immediate and impressive after-sales service.

And to assure the protection of their valued clientele, there is a product warranty guarantee for every product.

Make sure you are getting every cent’s worth of your money by buying your tools and equipment from authorized distributors like Presidium.PH itself.

Don’t hesitate! Call us now at +63 2 464 9339 or send an inquiry at info@presidium.ph to get quality and original Fluke products at a special discounted price!

The “run to failure” maintenance strategy is still prevalent among many plants nowadays. This means that no maintenance will be done for machinery until it fails while the maintenance staff will run from one disaster to another one. This can induce a much higher maintenance cost and lesser productivity.

Some companies have transitioned to preventive, or calendar-based, maintenance. Actions are scheduled regardless of the actual condition of the equipment. With this approach, fault-free machines can be repaired unnecessarily, leading to higher program costs.

Over the past 30 years, the US Navy and many Fortune 500 companies transitioned from preventive maintenance to condition-based maintenance. With condition-based maintenance, machines are measured with methods such as vibration analysis, which don’t require tearing a machine down to find out its condition. When a machine condition fault comes up, a repair is scheduled when it’s needed – not before and not too late.

Early indicators of machine health

Several technologies are used to measure and diagnose machine health. Two of the most important are vibration testing and infrared thermography. The graph shows how you can detect changes first with vibration testing, then with infrared thermography. Only later on – shortly before machine failure – can you hear audible noise and feel the heat.

Benefits of early vibration testing include:

• Give maintenance staff time to schedule the required repairs and acquire needed parts.
• Take faulty equipment offline before a hazardous condition occurs.
• Incur fewer unexpected and serious failures, helping to prevent production stoppages that cut into the bottom line.
• Increased maintenance intervals. Extend the life of equipment and schedule maintenance by need.
• Incur fewer unexpected or catastrophic failures because problem areas can be anticipated before failure.
• Peace of mind. Build confidence in maintenance schedules, budgeting, and productivity estimates.

Mechanics of vibration testing

A transducer picks up vibration signals from bearing locations and transmits these signals to a data collection device. Here are a few important things to note about the mechanics of vibration testing:

• All rotating equipment generates a unique vibration signal or signature.
• These unique signals are usually captured in series, with the signal’s amplitude (y-axis) depicted over time (x-axis). This is called a time waveform.
• The waveform contains information about the machine at the point of measurement. Vibration comes from the rotating shaft, adjacent machines, foundation, noise, rotating components, structural resonances, flow turbulences, and other sources.
• However, the patterns of different events are overlapped and jumbled together. Separating and isolating one vibration signal from another is complicated.
• Frequency analysis performed in the data collector simplifies the waveform into certain repetitive patterns. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is a mathematical algorithm performed by the vibration testing tool to separate individual vibration signals.
• Spectrum is the plot of each of these individual signals on a simple plot of amplitude (y axis) against frequency (x axis).

We can simplify it down to a three-step process.

1. Identify vibration peaks as they relate to a source component on the machine.
2. Look for patterns in the data based on vibration rules.
3. Measure the amplitude of the vibration peak to determine the severity of the fault.

Once the fault and severity are determined, you can recommend a repair and generate a work order.

Bearing faults and failures

A study conducted by the SKF Group tracked the life of 30 identical bearings and found that there is a wide variation in bearing life. This precludes the use of an effective calendar-based maintenance program.

Another study found that bearing faults can account for over 60 percent of mechanical faults. Although bearings are a major contributor to mechanical problems, sometimes bearing faults are the result of a separate underlying problem, such as unbalance. Some customers replace bearings every few months until they learn to balance and align the machine – then bearings will last for years. Bearings fail because of:

• poor insulation
• poor lubrication
• contamination
• wear fatigue
• other faults

A roller bearing – also called a rolling-element bearing – carries a load by placing round elements between the two pieces. Most machines today have roller bearings.

Analyzing roller bearing faults

Bearing frequencies are non-synchronous. The geometry of the balls, cage, and races show up at different speeds; these speeds are not a multiple of shaft speed. In most cases, non-synchronous peaks are roller bearings. Most vibration programs use the following bearing frequencies:

• inner race
• outer race
• cage
• ball spin

Vibration pens, meters, and testers

When you move up to a vibration meter, you have the capability to measure overall vibration in addition to specific variables. The Fluke 805 Vibration Meter has a combination vibration and force sensor tip that compensates for user variance (force or angle) – yielding accurate, repeatable readings. This meter has a four-level severity scale and an onboard processor that calculate bearing condition and overall vibration using easy-to-understand textual alerts (Good, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, Unacceptable). Its sensors can read a wide range of frequencies (10 to 1,000 Hz and 4,000 to 20,000 Hz), covering most machine and component types. The 805’s straightforward user interface minimizes user inputs to RPM range and equipment type. This gives frontline maintenance personnel and operators a screening tool to determine which equipment is healthy and which needs further troubleshooting.

As described previously, an advanced vibration testing tool, the Fluke 810 Vibration Tester, has a diagnostic engine that combines algorithms with a database of real-world measurement experience. You can also get this product for A SPECIAL DISCOUNT so make sure to CONTACT US NOW or email us at info@presidium.ph!

Lockout or Tag-out procedures indicates steps that electricians must follow to remove power from an electrical circuit or panel to lock out and tag the circuit panel, for no one to re-energize it while there is a work in progress.

This is especially important for the increasing number of specialty contracts, ranging from health inspectors to thermographers that we have today. These contracts must work around electrical panels and exposed circuits, which exposes them to various safety risks. With this, contractors or anyone else who may be exposed to live voltages should, therefore:

• Have a full understanding of lockout/tag-out procedures
• Learn how to verify that power has been removed before they begin any form of work, especially if live circuits may be nearby

Additionally, contractors should also always carry a non-contact voltage detector to confirm and check if their work environment is safe from exposure to live circuits or conductors. Non-contact detectors are relatively affordable and industrial models such as the Fluke 1AC are safety rated up to 1000 volts AC.

About lockout/tag-out

Industry standards like the NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, published by the National Fire Protection Association sites Lockout/Tag-out electrical disconnect principles and procedures. Specifically, NFPA 70E requires everyone working on exposed conductors and circuit components operating at 50 volts and up to be properly trained in using lockout/tag-out devices and procedures to ensure their safety. The document also indicates specific circumstances when working on live circuits is permitted and also sets approach boundaries for both qualified and unqualified personnel.

Standard lockout/tag-out process (Conducted by the electrician)

• Open disconnecting device(s) for each source of power supply.
• Visually verify that all blades of the disconnecting devices are fully open or that circuit breaker is in the fully disconnected position
• Use a voltage detector to verify that the circuit/panel is de-energized

Verifying lockout/tag out (Conducted by the non-electrician)

• Visually verify that applied lockout/tag-out devices were applied by the electrician in accordance with a documented and established policy and that he/she has declared the area or equipment electrically safe.
• Test your voltage detector on a known live circuit to make sure that it’s working
• Use your voltage detector to test the surrounding equipment cabinets and circuit panels (covers, not wiring) to ensure that everything is de-energized or grounded

Only after the area has been declared electrically safe should you:

Test each phase conductor or circuit breaker for the absence of voltage. The wand should read no live electricity on each test.

After each test, re-check the voltage detector wand on the known live circuit. It is essential to note that you can only begin work once you’ve completely verified the absence of voltage in the area to ensure safety.

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