extension leads

[justanoob]

Hi im new here and i know its a daft question but i would just like it clearing up i have just finished my pat test exam so real new to pat testing but i was having a debate with my tutor as what extension leads come under i know they are meant to be tested as class 1 equipment but my tutor said they are hand held appliances but i said no as hand held equipment is by my understanding is things you would hold to operate. just needed to clear this up as its doing my head in. thank you and sorry if its a really silly question.

 

[sparkdog]

Non-fixed equipment I would say which needs pat testing.

 

[Octopus]

Defo needs testing. Probably the items I fail the most.

 

[dan86]

what Murdoch said^^ extensions leads are a Massive cause of fire, and fail all the time

 

[oldtimer]

Non-fixed equipment I would say which needs pat testing.

Emm it does not matter if its fixed or non fixed equipment both need tested under ISI&TEE formally PAT and my Kewtech KT71 tester has an extention lead test function

 

[Guest111]

Definately classed as portable equipment,Martindale actually make an attachment for their pat testers specially for testing extension leads,In fact I think I have one somewhere that I don.t use anymore,it has lights to check wiring and a terminal to check the earth.

 

[oldtimer]

Definately classed as portable equipment,Martindale actually make an attachment for their pat testers specially for testing extension leads,In fact I think I have one somewhere that I don.t use anymore,it has lights to check wiring and a terminal to check the earth.

Yep I got a kettle lead with my KT71 where you plug the lead in then plug the kettle lead into the ext and then set the tester to ext lead test

 

[Grizzly01]

Hmm, so only phil d has actually managed to answer the question posed.

The question wasn't 'should extension leads be tested?', but rather:
Is an extension lead to be considered to be 'hand-held appliance or equipment' (as justanoob's tutor thinks) or not (as justanoob thinks)?

The list of equipment types can be found on page 20 of the IET Code of Practice (4th ed.), and definitions of the these types in chapter 2.

The definition given for hand-held is:
"Hand-held appliance or equipment: Portable equipment intended to be held in the hand during normal use, e.g., hairdryer, power drill, hedge-cutter, soldering iron." (page 28)

I wouldn't consider an extension lead to fit this definition.

If we look a bit further into the CoP, the answer is actually given definitively.
Chapter 5 is called 'Types of electrical equipment', and in section 5.1 and Figure 5.1 (page 43), it unequivocally states that an extension lead is considered 'Portable appliances or equipment'.

So justanoob is correct, and his tutor is incorrect.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I cant see the point in arguing what category of equipment it is or is not. The fact of the matter is, you need to risk assess the extension lead, and decide using the appropriate table as guidance what the frequency of combined Inspection and Test should be. By the nature of it being an extension lead, i would say that it will be at least annually without seeing the application.

I teach the C&G course, and extension leads and cord sets are a breed unto themselves, and are covered in depth in the appropriate part of the CoP.

Cheers.............Howard

 

[oldtimer]

I cant see the point in arguing what category of equipment it is or is not. The fact of the matter is, you need to risk assess the extension lead, and decide using the appropriate table as guidance what the frequency of combined Inspection and Test should be. By the nature of it being an extension lead, i would say that it will be at least annually without seeing the application.

I teach the C&G course, and extension leads and cord sets are a breed unto themselves, and are covered in depth in the appropriate part of the CoP.

Cheers.............Howard

Does not matter how you rate them you still have to test them

 

[justanoob]

thank you for all your ans especially the ones that read the question, i wasnt asking if the extension lead needs testing but just to clear up a few things thank you for pointing this out grizzly01.

 

[Grizzly01]

Does not matter how you rate them you still have to test them

Absolutely no-one here is saying you don't...

 

[grantr37]

had to rename it isitee instead of pat testing.....typical......why not just rename it as....

isiatoeetmsistu?

in service inspection and testing of electrical equipment to make sure its safe to use.... :rolleyes2:

 

[oldtimer]

had to rename it isitee instead of pat testing.....typical......why not just rename it as....

isiatoeetmsistu?

in service inspection and testing of electrical equipment to make sure its safe to use.... :rolleyes2:

Or maybe produce the COP in plain English so that we don't have to get in touch with the afterworld to figure out what it means