Arc Flash Study and Infrared Scan for a Community Campus, Austin (2025-2026)

In 2025 we prepared an arc flash, coordination and short circuit study for a community campus in Austin, Texas, and in 2026 we scanned its electrical equipment with an infrared camera. Client details are confidential.

Overhead transformers feeding one of the three services. The transformer size and impedance set the fault current the rest of the study starts from.

Three services on one campus

The campus has offices, a community center, a shipping and receiving building and several restroom buildings, served by three utility services. The original service is stepped down by a 150 kVA three-phase transformer to an automatic transfer switch that feeds the south office building, the community center and the north office building. A newer overhead 225 kVA transformer feeds a second automatic transfer switch and the main distribution panel. The third service is a single-phase 167 kVA transformer feeding a 400 A service disconnect, with an underground run to the shipping and receiving building. Two of the three services were added in recent upgrades, which is a common reason for a study.

The arc flash study

All system data came from walkdowns by our engineers. Where a breaker could not be accessed, it was modeled without a trip function. Where a cable could not be traced, we assessed the size it would need. Where needed, data was reviewed against IEC 60076-5 to keep assumptions bounding and conservative. The calculations follow IEEE 1584-2018 and NFPA 70E-2024, with typical enclosure and bus gap dimensions from IEEE 1584-2018 and the arcing time capped at 2 seconds.

The infrared scan

In August and September 2026 we scanned the panels, transfer switches, transformer disconnects and service disconnects across the campus, 43 equipment items in all, including each restroom building and the front building service. Every item is scanned completely. Where nothing stands out, the record photo shows the hottest area of the item. During the 2026 survey no item was found outside its expected temperature range. Control power transformers can look much hotter than the equipment around them in an infrared image, and the report points this out so it is not mistaken for a problem.

Why the two belong together

The arc flash study describes the hazard at each panel, and the infrared scan checks the connections inside it. A loose or corroded termination heats up long before it fails, and an infrared scan finds it while it can still be repaired on a schedule. The report recommends scanning at least once a year. The scanning service is described on our page for infrared inspections. The study itself is described on the page for our arc flash study services.