Upcoming Changes To The 2012 Edition of NFPA70E

Filed under: General, Questions & Answers, Safety, Standards

The latest edition of NFPA 70E is now available for purchase from NFPA.org, Follow this link to download a white paper summarizing some of the more significant changes to the latest edition, which also discusses how OSHA uses NFPA 70E to enforce electrical maintenance safety standards and safe working practices within the workplace.: http://www.iriss.com/files/white-papers/OSHAandNFPA70_2011.pdf

What Certifications Apply to Infrared Windows?

Filed under: Certifications, Safety, Testing & Certification

Years of industrial manufacturing experience have given technicians a trust that the minimum requirements necessary for certifying a product to UL standards are usually enough to ensure safe and reliable operation. In the case of infrared windows this is not necessarily true.

UL 50V is the only standard defining infrared windows. It verifies that the window provides a means for passage of infrared radiation. The scope of the standard specifically states that meeting the requirements for this standard do not assure the window is suitable for use in any application and that suitability for continued use requires additional evaluation as to the performance characteristics necessary for the installation. It simply verifies that the window passes infrared energy at an unknown transmission rate. Some of the other certifications which are more detailed in defining the functionality necessary and more importantly the safety aspects required before attempting to modify an electrical enclosure in any way are described below.

UL/NEMA 50E: Environmental standards which apply to electrical enclosures intended to be installed and used in non-hazardous locations as follows: enclosures for indoor locations only, Types 1, 2, 5, 12, 12K, and 13; and enclosures for indoor or outdoor locations, Types 3 and 3R.

UL 508: These requirements cover industrial control panels intended for general industrial use, operating at a voltage of 1500 volts or less. This equipment is intended for installation in ordinary locations, in accordance with the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70, where ambient temperatures do not exceed 40°C (104°F) maximum.

UL 746C: A standard to test performance of viewing optics. This standard identifies the ability of a window to withstand impact and flame.

UL 1558: A standard covering metal-enclosed low-voltage (<600V) power circuit breaker switchgear assemblies. This standard covers low voltage assemblies and allows the impact resistance of the assembly to be tested with the window closed.

IEEE C.37.20.2 section a.3.6: This IEEE standard and test procedure for viewing panes mounted in medium and high voltage electrical equipment requires viewing panes to withstand both impact and load tests. Both sides of the viewing pane are subjected to the tests and neither side can crack, shatter, or dislodge.

Lloyds of London Type Approval: Lloyd’s Register Type Approval is an impartial certification service providing independent third-party “Type Approval” certificates attesting to a product’s conformity with specific standards or specifications, and verification of an appropriate production quality system. It is based on a design review and type testing or, where type testing is inappropriate, a design analysis. There is growing international awareness of the importance of third-party certification.

ABS Design Assessment: The intended service location and environmental ratings for the component are verified by engineers verifying the validity of the testing performed on a component before the design assessment certification process in marine and offshore electrical equipment is completed.

Arc Rating – Arc Testing: An arc rating can only be given to a completed assembly and not to a single component within that assembly. Electrical cabinet designs and dimensions are infinite and we therefore CAN NOT or MUST NOT use the data from one cabinet design to another design unless they are identical in every way.

This is the reason why components can NEVER carry a generic arc rating and must be subjected to standard industry tests to confirm they meet the mechanical strength and environmental properties for electrical cabinets and assemblies to which they are being fitted.

IRISS CAP and VPFR series windows are certified to all of the standards mentioned above. As a manufacturer of industrial grade products our windows have completed more testing on than any other infrared window manufacturer. If we can’t meet the requirements of an application we innovate until we can meet the requirements.

IRISS products were conceived by thermographers, to assist with safety and efficiency of industrial inspections. The fact that our products are capable of withstanding an industrial environment should come as no surprise. Only the physical characteristics of available materials limit what the team at IRISS is willing to do to be the solution provider for our customers.

Helping you “Save Time, Save Money and Stay Safe” is what it is all about.

Tips for better surveys using Infrared and Ultrasound technologies

Filed under: General, Questions & Answers, Training

How do YOU perform an infrared electrical inspection?

For many people this is not something defined and utilized for ensuring every inspection goes correctly. Why not define the procedure on a work order? Can there be too many variables to write out a procedure? Taking the time to document the process on the front end of any job is not only prudent it is absolutely necessary for repeatable, consistent testing to take place. The benefits to the overall efficiency of the inspections, ensures safety for the personnel performing inspections, and non-technical management is made aware of any issues and in most cases “buys into” the program more readily when the entire process is defined at the onset.

Is every detail going to be right the first time?  NO!

Is the document going to require updates?  YES!

When updates are needed are there going to be questions why this wasn’t done initially?  PROBABLY!

By defining realistic expectations, will the results carry more weight with managers?  YES!

If you look at the nuclear power industry it is statistically one of the most safely operated industries globally. Anyone who has ever been to a nuclear site will tell you the thing that differentiates them from the crowd is the thoroughness of their procedures. Every step in the process is defined and thought out before the procedure is even approved for scheduling. Every part is required to meet stringent criteria. This is done so that IF there is ever any type of problem performing even routine tasks the problem can be easily identified, isolated, and when repairs are complete the problem should NEVER happen again.

Utilizing their example, in order to perform complete electrical inspections there are several things that take place before the inspection begins. No matter whether the technician performing the inspection is on staff or a contract thermographer brought in to specifically complete one inspection the scope of the project must be defined in order for it to be completed in an efficient, timely manner. All safety issues which could occur during the performance of the inspection should be identified at this time as well.

What about if no documentation exists? The gathering of this information usually becomes a part of the first inspection, or if possible during the quoting process.  As a contract thermographer for many years I have found that not defining the scope of the services to be provided usually means more time on the project than allotted (and either my company “ate” the extra time or the customer was left with “sticker shock” when they got the final invoice). Communicating unexpected portions or delays in the execution of a project on a regular basis will alleviate this to some extent but documenting every possible panel, breaker, or disconnect that might need to be inspected doesn’t require a significant outlay of resources and helped make our company a solutions provider and not “just” another contractor.

Laying these items out in the proposal gives the technician performing the inspection a checklist to ensure that 100% of the agreed upon assets are being inspected.

If for instance the company thinks inspecting low voltage panels is unnecessary and asks that the quote be revised I recommend leaving them on the checklist with “omitted” as the status. This ensures that if a question occurs while the technician is at the facility he has the relevant information and can readily show whoever is questioning the process these were omitted purposefully (at their request). The status portion is also a great place to document every problem found in one location.

Utilizing this checklist to perform a daily summary with the maintenance manager as to the defects identified during the course of each day’s inspections ensures that obstacles to the efficient completion of the inspection are known and removed so that the execution of the inspection is not delayed. This also adds value to the program by allowing the customer to repair defects and have them re-scanned while the thermographer is onsite. If an asset has an installed spare or can be isolated and repaired without interrupting production (depends upon criticality and defect severity) the defect can be re-inspected ensuring that the repairs alleviate the defect. Documenting this “repaired” status on the report (with a before and after thermogram) helps justify the cost of inspections as well as ensuring any subsequent faults found in this location are properly identified as a “recurrence”.

Taking the time to perform a quick scan of the outside of the enclosure provides an opportunity to spot potential problems before opening any panels (possibly eliminating an arc flash situation). While this method is by no means fool-proof it does give an indication if there might be something out of the ordinary going on.

An airborne ultrasound inspection of the entire enclosure is then used to determine whether there are any problems occurring in a location that is not direct “line-of-sight” and IR thermography potentially would be unable to pinpoint where (or even if) a fault exists. With the advances in reporting software for the ultrasound instruments I record these for trending and analysis (if necessary) in the office.

Document, document, document… If it isn’t documented then it didn’t happen right? This applies to IR inspections as well. A baseline image (with T max recorded for the entire area) on every asset inspected is critical to recognizing a problem before it gets to the point where it is clearly visible.

The status column is used to write a brief description of the problem. I record a picture and time to make reporting much easier when away from the facility.

When it is time to write the report this information is extremely valuable to ensure reporting is completed accurately and efficiently. Saving each spreadsheet with the customer’s name, date and thermographer’s initials ensures the next time the facility is due to be scanned, printing out the latest version identifies which panels had defects previously – as well as the operating state.

A column reflecting the date the item was inspected ensures that if a failure occurs there is no question as to whether that particular asset was checked. Many times (if requested) line-ups can be shifted so that assets which have not been inspected for more than 2 cycles can be started and caught on the current inspection cycle.  The fact that this machine was not scanned in the last two cycles might not be an issue but if the equipment continues to not run it could be that the criticality is low enough that the frequency of the inspection needs to be revised or in some cases the asset can be dropped from the inspection route saving time and money every time an inspection is performed.

These techniques aren’t all encompassing but they help ensure the best survey possible. Utilizing several technologies during each scan might seem a bit tedious. Carrying around two instruments, a spreadsheet, digital camera, appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), all while transiting an industrial or commercial environment can seem like overkill. Being able to avoid that late night call when something failed and you are asked questions makes carrying around a backpack (or cart) with the appropriate equipment for the inspection seem like an easy thing.

Example of spreadsheet:

The formula for determining Field of View using any infrared camera

Filed under: Questions & Answers

Every infrared camera defines its Field of View (FOV) across a horizontal/vertical axis.

You have two ways to determine the Field of View (FOV) on your camera:

1. You can calculate the FOV using the formula: 2 x the tangent of ½ the angle x distance
2. You can measure (and “map out”) the practical FOV with a quick field test to check your math!

The practical FOV test is quick, relatively easy, and in no way requires a scientific calculator!

The practical FOV test is a simple method to determine what can be seen at set distances with your camera, the lens, and IR Windows.

1. Find a long workbench, counter-top or a 6 foot folding table. Layout a piece of plain paper along the entire length of the table.
2. Set the camera on the table and mark a “zero” line across the table width. This zero line should be far enough on the table so that the camera cannot accidentally fall off the table. The zero line is where the camera lens touches the line.
3. Draw a straight line the length of the paper along the center.
4. Label this line with 6 inch increments marked out from the zero line.
5. Label the lines from 0 to 36 inches. You can go further if you have a panel depth deeper than 36 inches, but usually 36 inches is sufficient.
6. Place the camera lens at the zero line with the straight line going down the center of the paper in the middle of the camera lens.

Now, it is time for a coffee break. Not really, you need two heat sources. Some people use coffee cups – good excuse for a break.  You can use any known heat source. Some people use hot plates if they are in a lab, a griddle, or you can purchase inexpensive candle warmers.

1. Place the two heat sources at a distance from the camera that is typical of the targets you will monitor. For example, if your targets are 18 inches from the panel, then place the two heat sources at the 18 inch mark.
2. Move one heat source from the center until it appears just inside the edge of the image in the camera display.
3. Move the other heat source in the opposite direction until it appears just inside the camera display on the other side.

The distance between your two heat sources is the maximum FOV using your camera and lens. At the defined distance.

1. You can draw a line from each side of the camera lens at the zero line to the heat source on the same side. This gives you the FOV for any distance from the zero line to the heat sources.
2. If you are using an IR Window, subtract the camera lens diameter from the FOV. Next add the diameter of the IR window. This gives you the Maximum Horizontal Window FOV. For example, you have a FOV of 8 inches, at 18 inches on the center line. The camera lens is 1.75 inches. The camera FOV is then 6.25 inches. If you are using a 4 inch IR Window, then add 4 inches for a total Maximum Horizontal Window FOV of 10.25 inches.

You should repeat the above process with the camera lying on its side to determine the Vertical FOV.

When finished, roll up your map and save it for future reference.

You can create a table for the distances along the center line and the Horizontal and Vertical FOV for different window sizes in your plant.

Also, while you are at it, use your heat sources to adjust the camera settings to compensate for the IR Window transmission  rate (see The Coffee Cup Test).

Analyzing your findings… How accurate are your readings and why?

Filed under: General, Questions & Answers, Training

Many people are not aware that the detector in an infrared camera actually only reads electromagnetic radiation it receives in a specific range of wavelengths. In order to display this in a useful reading the camera makes several calculations in order to convert the actual data to a temperature. The emissivity and transmissivity (sometimes depending on the camera manufacturer) have to be manually entered into the camera’s menu. IF this value is entered incorrectly the actual temperature will be exponentially different (see Stefan-Boltzmann’s Law) than the displayed temperature. The old saying of “well as long as it is consistently wrong the change will be noted” is not entirely correct either, as the difference between phases will also be exponentially wrong. The error is going to be worse as the temperature rises – if the differential between the measured temperatures is significant then the displayed temperatures could be significantly different!

So that phase imbalance that looks like it is only a couple of degrees different could actually be upwards of 30 degrees! The visual setup of the camera could be the only other way of determining the severity of a potential defect. As anyone who has spent some time looking through a camera will tell you the visual component can be significantly altered (both to make things look better than they are as well as to show “elevated” differentials.) Depending on the level, span and range setup on the camera it would be very easy to miss a severe problem.

With this in mind it is easy to see why there are so many infrared problems that aren’t caught. In order to ensure that our customers “See What You’ve Been Missing”, all IRISS polymer based windows utilize the same grade and thickness of polymer, so that if you have correctly setup your camera for one IRISS window you can know without any doubt that it is “calibrated” for all IRISS windows. Our Fixed And Stable Transmission (FAST) is exactly what the name implies – unchanging! The ambient temperature outside, length of time in the field, relative humidity or barometric pressure have no effect on transmission rate and therefore no effect on your readings!

For details on how to perform the field calibration check out the “coffee cup test”. If you have any questions regarding setting up your camera please feel free to ask at support@iriss.com or join our LinkedIn group for answers.

Why Do Companies Still Insist on Building Industrial Infrared Windows Using Crystal Lenses??

Filed under: Certifications, General, IR Windows, Questions & Answers, Safety, Standards, Testing & Certification

It still confuses me that even with a mountain of evidence detailing the weaknesses and unsuitability of Fluoride based crystals such as Calcium Fluoride (CaF2) and Barium Fluoride (BaF2) used in Industrial Infrared Windows that they are still used even today!

I spent 6 years working as an R&D engineer in the automotive industry and that experience taught me that there are specific tests to prove the suitability of a component for its use in a vehicle, these tests are mechanically repeatable tests designed to stress the components and/or assemblies to their limits, and thus hold manufacturers to the same high standards expected to ensure the safety of the vehicles that are allowed to go on our roads.  these processes are true for everything that we use in are homes and our workplaces, and even more so when it comes to the integrity of our electrical distribution systems and worker safety!!!

Mechanical Strength:  The Arc containment testing completed in line with the requirements of regulatory institutions such as IEEE, CSA, NEC, etc…  are designed to test the finished switchgear assemblies for their suitability to contain or control and deflect the energy of an Arc flash event (one of the most catastrophic events imaginable).  If the switchgear functions as designed and passes the test the assembly is awarded the type approval and ratings to the test conducted, this test DOES NOT allow for any individual component to claim that they have the same rating as the switchgear in which they were tested, if this were so the manufacturer of the steel used in the assembly would claim to have “Arc Resistant Steel”, or the manufacturer of the fixing bolts would claim “Arc Resistant Bolts” such claims would be ludicrous and no manufacturer would dare to claim to have such a product, to do so would be dangerous and misleading!!!  however some manufacturers of IR windows claim to be “Arc Resistant” because they had windows fitted in the panel during the test that the assembly passed!!  this is not a true test and totally misleads the user into thinking the window can resist an arc flash event in any panel…  it cannot… All they can claim is that whilst fitted in the panel during the specific test is that their window did not fail!! indeed IRISS VPFR series of windows have completed hundreds of such tests up to 63kA, 15kV, 30 cycles and did not fail either!!! this does not make the VPFR an “Arc Resistant IR Window” and never will…

Mechanical testing as stated should be repeatable and as such the crystal optic should be tested to the same requirements as the Plexiglas viewing pane fitted to switchgear which require and impact and load test to be completed on both the inside and outside face of the window to ensure a minimum required mechanical strength with the covers removed and this lens must neither crack, shatter or dislodge during this test, thus proving the mechanical suitability of the lens to meet a minimum safety requirement instead of using advertising spin and misleading statements to lull an unsuspecting user into believing that their window is strong enough to resist an Arc Flash Event!!  No Fluoride based crystal can meet these tests so they turn to standards such as UL1558 that tests with covers fitted so even if the lens breaks they still pass so long as the covers intact!!! and UL50V does not require an impact test on crystals thicker than 1.4mm so they don’t need to test their either, the polymer based windows have no such clause so need to meet all of the impact testing requirements, and polymer only windows cannot meet the impact test requirement as they become brittle when frozen and crack on the impact test, in fact the VPFR lens was designed to meet this requirement and is the only IR window lens that currently exceeds the impact load and flammability requirements for UL, IEEE and CSA.  more information can be found on our website  in a white paper dedicated to this subject: http://iriss.com/files/white-papers/IRISS_IR%20Win_Arc%20Ratings_Dec08_p.pdf.

Infrared Properties and Performance:  Another area that seems to be overlooked and in my opinion is more important than even the mechanical properties is the infrared transmission properties and performance of the lens over time…  Fluoride based crystals infrared transmission characteristics change depending on the temperature of the target the infrared camera is looking at, i.e. in layman’s terms, the hotter the target is the better the transmission of the window; there is an excellent whitepaper on our website that was written by one of the infrared industries pioneers, a true infrared guru Dr. Bob Madding, Bob retired from FLIR a couple of years ago where he was the head of the infrared training center for many years, Bob’s paper describes just how crystal transmission varies with temperature, and this varying transmission is proof of their unsuitability as an infrared window viewing lens on these grounds alone. Bobs paper can be downloaded at: http://iriss.com/files/white-papers/IR%20Window%20Transmittance%20Temperature%20Dependence%20-%20Madding.pdf.

Another thing that effects the transmission of Fluoride crystal infrared windows is the fact that they are hygroscopic, this means that they absorb water, coupled with micro-cracking due to the high frequency noise levels found in industrial locations all greatly effect the transmission and as such make them unsuitable for industrial infrared windows…  What use is an infrared window to you if you don’t know its transmission?  This is why we at IRISS prefer using polymer based infrared windows as they are unaffected by the issues discussed above and as such their transmission is fixed and stable for its lifetime and thus much more suitable to this type of application.  another excellent whitepaper on our website on this subject was written by another infrared guru, Joe DeMonte.  Joe is an operations Director for the TEGG corporation and has been an infrared trainer for FLIR and TEGG for many years and is a true infrared professional.  Joe’s whitepaper describes his experiences with polymer and crystal infrared windows and can be downloaded at: http://iriss.com/files/white-papers/Transmission%20Stability%20and%20Infrared%20Windows%20-%20030309.pdf.

Conclusion:  So the question was: Why Do Companies Still Insist on Building Industrial Infrared Windows Using Crystal Lenses??  and the answer is I really don”t know, it just doesn’t make sense to me…  or perhaps that’s just me!!  Fluoride crystal infrared windows are totally unsuitable for industrial use, their mechanical weakness coupled with transmission issues clearly show that the polymer based windows are better, however beware of using non-reinforced polymer windows as they are unable to meet the low temperature impact requirements outlined in UL746C and thus negate their suitability as industrial infrared windows.  Any additional questions you may have can be directed to our technical advisers who will be more than happy to assist you, please email: info@iriss.com

How to get the measurements you need without the risk associated with performing energized inspections

Filed under: General

What is the most important measurement you can take on any energized asset? Ever really thought about it in such basic terms? This answer varies wildly depending on personnel, training, background, methodology, industry, criticality, as well as numerous other variables that can affect the answer to this question.

It is widely accepted that the highest possible Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) ensures equipment is available to produce when necessary and at the most efficient cost. Calculating this single number requires gathering many measurements. So where do infrared windows or ultrasound ports fit into world class OEE? This depends on corporate culture, industry, company procedures as well as demand for the plant’s product.  The ability to transmit electrical power to essential loads is necessary for any production. The ability to transmit that power to the load is also essential.

Assuming that equipment must run whenever production is necessary, maintenance should always work around production requirements.

Before I hear the rabble with torches and pitchforks outside my door or roasting me on the social media outlets let me qualify this statement with the FACT that this DOES NOT mean that maintenance is not essential it is a matter of production and management personnel having ownership in the process. How your company schedules downtime is not really relevant to this discussion, so I am ignoring the “available to run but no demand for product” part of this debate.

I have performed these types of inspections in the past and while I have never felt the full force of an arc flash, and have observed first-hand the consequences from within a small electrical room. There is really only one way to effectively monitor this critical distribution system, while energized, without bulky protective gear (PPE) or blatantly disregarding SAFETY standards. The placement and installation of properly sized infrared viewing panes and ultrasound ports ensures a standardized location for electrical inspections is utilized without placing personnel in the line of fire.

It is up to each individual company to perform their own hazard risk assessment to ensure that ports and windows provide the best solution for their unique situation. The safety devices available today make placing someone in front of an open energized electrical cabinet unnecessary. Measuring with ultrasound and infrared thermography provides assurance that when the load is needed the distribution system will be available. The ability to monitor brush slippage, degrading insulation, arcing, tracking, corona, as well as loose high voltage connections all become possible with the installation of ports and windows.  To allow this, you don’t have to interrupt production, or place employees (or the company) at risk of damage due to failures. How great is that? To “See What You’ve Been Missing” check out our products on the main website.

2012 edition of NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace is final!

Filed under: General, IRISS News, Standards

It’s official the NFPA 70E page has been updated to the fact that the 2012 edition is now final. There were some significant changes to the document which fundamentally change the way many companies perform electrical maintenance. We are keeping our eyes out for the revised document and will share changes as they become available. I highly recommend ordering a copy! Watch IRISS.com for updates as they become available.

Loopholes and Lies: Do you think IR windows should be tested with their covers fitted????

Filed under: Certifications, General, IR Windows, Safety, Standards, Testing & Certification

I was recently reviewing the UL1558 standard and was disturbed when I noticed the parameters around the impact test of the IR window… the procedure and acceptable pass results are listed below:

Impact Test – Viewing panes (UL 1558) section 11.6

Method:  A sample of the viewing pane assembly is subjected to an impact of 6.8 Nm (5 foot-pounds) using a steel ball weighing 0.54 kg (1.18 pounds) and 50 mm (2 inches) in diameter perpendicular to the surface of the viewing pane.
The viewing pane is subjected to two separate applications of the impact, applied once to the inside and once to the outside of the assembly.  [When a cover is provided with the viewing pane, the impact was imparted with cover securely fastened.]

Results: When provided with a cover, results are considered to be acceptable if the assembly prevents insertion of a 13 mm (0.50 in.) diameter rod at the conclusion of the test.
When no cover is provided for the viewing pane, the results are considered acceptable if the view pane does not shatter, crack or become dislodged.

What does this actually mean???: Crystal IR windows cannot survive an impact test (as we already know from extensive impact and load testing of IR window materials), however in this instance the impact test will shatter the crystal, but because the cover is fitted you will not be able to pass the 13mm (0.50 in) rod through the window and thus the test is deemed a pass!!  does this seem right???  I don’t think so, especially as once the window cover is opened you now have a large hole (much larger that the accepted 13mm (0.50 in) allowed) and thus the IR Window would now be deemed unsafe and require changing out immediately!!!

The Answer: All impact and load tests on IR windows should be tested with their covers open or removed, this is the only way to test the mechanical strength of the IR window and ensure that the installation is not downgraded by fitting a mechanically inferior product to the electrical panel… and thus remove another loophole from the testing of IR windows…

The Secret to “Seeing What You’ve Been Missing” Compliance….What do NFPA, OSHA, CSA Z364 and PAS-55 get you besides a win in scrabble?

Filed under: General, Safety, Standards

Safe work practices are not geographically bound. NFPA is US-based, CSA Z463 is Canadian-based, PAS-55 has been adopted by at least 13 countries…all of these really good ideas around safer working practices and the concepts they espouse should be boundary-less or globally recognized standards of practice. 
 
The concept of safety in the UK, United States or India, anywhere really, have in common the same thing: what is proven safe – is safe.  We shouldn’t need to be fined by an organization like OSHA or some other regulatory committee to comply with common sense and best-known safety work practices.
 
Our own internal self-preservation mechanisms should make us want to observe these practices that keep us safe and allow us all to go home at the end of our working day.
 
In essence, a good idea for safer working practices etc…doesn’t stop being a good idea at the Canadian border or Mexican border.  It’s still a good idea no matter where you go!