Traditionally switchgear is monitored using contact-based temperature sensors. They report the temperature at the point where the sensor is mounted. Thermography, or the use of our thermal imaging sensors, can detect phase imbalance in switchgear by detecting temperature differences between the phases. In a three-phase electrical system, the current flowing through each phase should be balanced, with equal amounts of current flowing through each phase. If there is a phase imbalance, it can cause one phase to carry more current than the others, leading to overheating and potentially damaging the switchgear. A thermal imaging sensor can detect temperature differences on the surface of the switchgear and automatically identify hot spots that could indicate a phase imbalance. By comparing the temperature of each phase, the sensor will generate a thermal imbalance sensor which computes the temperature difference.
