PAT testing yes or no?

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jckent

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Ive just been asked by a conmpany if i can do some pat testing for them about 150 units.

Do any of you get much of it?

I don't mind purchasing the equipment, and i know how to use it before anyone asks.

But is there that much of it out there. Most comapanies seem to be charging

 
there's not a lot of money in it, but it all helps to pay the bills, I do a lot of pir's on rented properties and being able to pat test as well puts me in front of others.

 
Agree with Cheggers

Do alot of rented property electrical checks with PAT testing

But i wouldnt want to do large offices too often

money is money though

 
Make sure you also quote a minimum fee !PAT testing must be the most boring job in the world ( apart from the time i was tracing leads under a desk and was looking up the skirt of a nice young lady opposite with the full kit on )
Concur...

:_|

 
It's my bread & butter money really, as said before it pays the bills & is a necessity (sp)

 
If you are doing relatively few PAT tests then your basic 16th edition Insulation and Continuity tester can do the minimum required tests. I've come up with a fill in form which encompases the tests - and to my mind it is a useful discipline to fill it in as in my experience operators can get 'button happy' with the specialist equipment and miss a lot of the visuals. If you contact me with your e-mail I can send you a copy.

 
If you are doing relatively few PAT tests then your basic 16th edition Insulation and Continuity tester can do the minimum required tests.
I've often wondered about this since reading a guide to PAT testing in a CORGI publication of all places.

Could you ping me a copy of the form too please Dave.

 
If you are doing relatively few PAT tests then your basic 16th edition Insulation and Continuity tester can do the minimum required tests. I've come up with a fill in form which encompases the tests - and to my mind it is a useful discipline to fill it in as in my experience operators can get 'button happy' with the specialist equipment and miss a lot of the visuals. If you contact me with your e-mail I can send you a copy.
Sorry but I don't agree with that. How do you send 25A down the earth with an continuity tester? And as you can't use an insulation test on computer equipment you need to perform a earth leakage test. :(

 
Umm, the only test that you do on IT equipment is the insulation test, that & the visual inspection is all you can do.

The earth bond is 26A not 25A, I know it's only a difference of an Amp but thats what it is.

To answer daves earlier post, when I am testing the visual is the most important part of the PAT. The equipment does not even get plugged into the machine until it has passed this visual inspection. I agree that some operators do get button happy as I have seen loads of equipment that has been "passed" when clearly it would have failed the visual on the finger test.

 
Umm, the only test that you do on IT equipment is the insulation test, that & the visual inspection is all you can do.The earth bond is 26A not 25A, I know it's only a difference of an Amp but thats what it is.
Class I computer equipment has a 100mA earth test and unless it complies with BS EN 60950 insulation tests are not a good idea on computers. Their power supplies are too complicated to stand this test routinely. The earth leakage test will show up any high currents returning down the earth from damaged insulation.

Sorry about the 25A / 26A thing but my finger slipped. (Still can't perform it with a continuity tester thought!)

To answer daves earlier post, when I am testing the visual is the most important part of the PAT. The equipment does not even get plugged into the machine until it has passed this visual inspection. I agree that some operators do get button happy as I have seen loads of equipment that has been "passed" when clearly it would have failed the visual on the finger test.
I agree. Visual tests fail 90% of all the PAT tests I perform but also remember to inspect the socket where the appliance is routinely plugged into, if it's damaged that fails the PAT test too!

 
Hi Mr S,

I agree with you that you can't do all of the tests that are available - However you can do the required minimum tests for safety. From what I checked out at the time (wish to hell I could find it!) neither of the tests you described are actually required - earth bond is acceptable with 16th edition continuity tester (be a shame if it wasn't! though arguably 25A may be better). Earth leakage test would certainly be nice to have - but again there are no safety implications. I stress that what I'm advocating is a safety check - not an operational test.

 
Oh god yes, the amount of sockets that I unplug equipment from that should be condemned, I always advise this when they are like this but it is up to them wether or not they take this advice.

Where do you get the 100mA earth test for IT stuff from?

It might be that the machine I use (Smartpat 5500) which does the 104 test only tells me to do the visual & insulation, which is a pass @ >2.0 M ohms.

Just asking as this is the way I was trained to do it & have always done so since.

Oh gawd, am I doing summat wrong?

I'll let you off the finger slippage Mr Sworld, we all do it mate. :)

 
Yes!

I've just checked my COP and it states that a continuity test with a tester producing a current between 20mA to 200mA while flexing the cable maybe performed. :8}

I'm too reliant on the 5500 to remember that one! :(

 
Yes!I've just checked my COP and it states that a continuity test with a tester producing a current between 20mA to 200mA while flexing the cable maybe performed. :8}

I'm too reliant on the 5500 to remember that one! :(
Page 42? ?:|

 
Where do you get the 100mA earth test for IT stuff from?It might be that the machine I use (Smartpat 5500) which does the 104 test only tells me to do the visual & insulation, which is a pass @ >2.0 M ohms.

Just asking as this is the way I was trained to do it & have always done so since.

Oh gawd, am I doing summat wrong?

I'll let you off the finger slippage Mr Sworld, we all do it mate. :)
2M Ohm is the level for Class II equipment. All Class I equipment must have an earth test applied.

I wiped all the inbuilt tests from my 5500 and reprogrammed it. Most of them won't actually comply fully with what the COP recommends I'm afraid.

 
Oh & my course was 39 weeks, I passed in Oct 2003 with 100%
Not trying to be 'uppity' but you had a 39 week PAT testing course? :eek: Where was that?

Mine only took 5 days at the local college.

 

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