Fixed appliance Pat testing

[hsharp]

Just learning !!!!!!!! I have been reading the Code of Practice and have done no Pat Testing as yet. The code of practise mentions Pat testing fixed equipment, how is done and with what equipment, because there is no plug, would you use a MFT?

 

[iamelectric]

must mean fixed equipment that has a plug on it , if its wired into a spur then its not portable thats what i was always told

 

[varilite]

The portable bit relates to the tester not the equipment so fixed equipment would still need to be tested by an electrician with appropriate adapterage

 

[Farmelectrics]

The great pat testing scam testing or a sticker exercise

 

[iamelectric]

^^^^^?????? eh u sure ??????

 

[iamelectric]

portable appliance testing!!!!!

 

[iamelectric]

In order to prevent danger, all electrical equipment and systems should be maintained on a regular basis. Each and every piece of electrical equipment must be examined and tested according to the IEE Code of Practice recommendations. This includes equipment both permanently connected, and equipment connected by a plug to a socket outlet.

 

[oldtimer]

O you just opened a can of worms because if you are a PAT specific tester ie not an electrician then you can only test equipment with a plug top on it why because you are not insured or deemed competent to isolate and open FCU,s or isolators and colleges will not issue a certificate for this specific task so what does this mean.

1. Fixed appliances are meant to be PAT tested along with equipment with a plug on it.
2. Yes I know PAT means Portable but infact it aint as it is ISI&TEE PAT was thought up as a handy label and it stuck.Since when was a washing machine portable
3. Urban myths PAT testing companies say you only have to test if it has a plug on it. This is a nonsense they say that because they know they cannot do it.
4. Urban myth PAT testing companies say fixed equipment is a part of the fixed wiring so gets tested along with fixed wiring testing ie during an EICR Well no because the Schemes and colleges got caught out with this they recommend that electricians do this whilst checking the fixed wiring but there is no obligation to do it.

 

[iamelectric]

cheers for clearing it up , i always avoid pat testing as its boaring as and i will avoid it even more now

 

[oldtimer]

I was the same but had to add it to my services dont like it but it has been a good addition to the business because of the other work that comes with it

 

[overskilled]

Not called "Portable Appliance Testing" anymore.
Its "In Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment"
Yes it does cover "fixed equipment" such as hand dryers, heaters etc. Partly due to the fact that quite a few bits of kit were never tested i.e. hand dryers, night club manager / owner locally was inspecting the bathrooms and happened to touch one of the hand dryers and got a massive belt off it, touchless start so none of the clients had thankfully touched it, turned out the earth had come free and the line conductor was making contact with the casing, he happened to have a potential to earth (possibly touching a radiator or something) and therefore became the path to earth. Never tested as not covered by a PIR nor by PAT Testing.
Testing yes you could use an MFT, heck you could use an MFT on any appliance.
Inspection should be done first, damaged cord sheath might not be picked up by testing, but your eyes and hands should pick it up during de-energised inspection. Inspection should also note any damage to fixed wiring / accessories (scorching/burn marks, cracked sockets etc) and mark it for further inspection / rectification if its not part of the "PAT" tester's role to deal with the fixed wiring.
I did 2377-100 and 2377-200 about 2 years ago and the tutor was a time served spark and electrical design consultant, so he knew his stuff

 

[oldtimer]

Yep it was never officially called PAT but someone thought it had a good ring to it only problem is because of the sticker brigade some guys have set themselves up as limited companies hired some guys on minimum wage and can basically do what they want and to make matters worse think they know it all when it comes to ISI&TEE and on another forum in my view they clearly do not have a clue. Like a guy who came on and said "I am a professional PAT tester being doing it for xx years if anybody want to tap my vast knowledge of PAT then get in touch"

OK I thought lets take this for a spin so little old me asked what about Fixed Appliances and he replied that FA had nothing to do with PAT testing as it was a part of GN3 fixed wiring testing. Now you see what I mean the so called self proclaimed "professional" was spreading the Urban Myths

 

[hsharp]

Yep it was never officially called PAT but someone thought it had a good ring to it only problem is because of the sticker brigade some guys have set themselves up as limited companies hired some guys on minimum wage and can basically do what they want and to make matters worse think they know it all when it comes to ISI&TEE and on another forum in my view they clearly do not have a clue. Like a guy who came on and said "I am a professional PAT tester being doing it for xx years if anybody want to tap my vast knowledge of PAT then get in touch"

OK I thought lets take this for a spin so little old me asked what about Fixed Appliances and he replied that FA had nothing to do with PAT testing as it was a part of GN3 fixed wiring testing. Now you see what I mean the so called self proclaimed "professional" was spreading the Urban Myths

Hi

So if I was to Pat test a Hand dryer in a school, I would have to isolate the circuit, disconnect the cable from the fused spur, connect the MFT to the lose cables and test, is this correct?

O if I did not have MFT and just a PAT tester would I be able just to fit a tempery 3 pin plug and test?

 

[Grizzly01]

That just about covers it, yes.
An alternative to fitting a temporary 13A plug would be to use a SafeBlock or similar: http://www.pat-testing-shop.co.uk/m...36e95/s/a/safe_block_quick_tester_adapter.jpg

If you were using something like the new Seaward Apollo 600, you may not even need to disconnect the cable: PAT Testing and Fixed Appliances - Seaward

 

[hsharp]

That just about covers it, yes.
An alternative to fitting a temporary 13A plug would be to use a SafeBlock or similar: http://www.pat-testing-shop.co.uk/m...36e95/s/a/safe_block_quick_tester_adapter.jpg

If you were using something like the new Seaward Apollo 600, you may not even need to disconnect the cable: PAT Testing and Fixed Appliances - Seaward

Cheers mate