PAT and FAT testing

[gaz26]

Hi guys , I'm a qualified spark and have done pat testing before , i've never pat tested a cooker as it's not portable but i've recentley been asked to do so at a number of properties. I know this is a fixed appliance test but just wondered how i go about it , i'm guessing i obv have to knock breaker off and disconnect cooker from wall socket and use crocodile clips on the cable to the cooker.
Can someone shed some light as to if this is right or any advise on a quicker way at all

Thanks in advance.

 

[Adam W]

A cooker may be classed as 'fixed equipment' but it should still be tested as part of the PAT - it wouldn't come under a PIR and needs to be tested at some point.

The isolator should be double pole so you may be able to clip your croc clips to the terminals at the CCU.
Test the rings and ovens for run leakage separately otherwise you'll blow the fuse in your tester.

 

[Notsosmart]

No need to disconnect the oven I believe, as the isolator switch should be double pole. I would be careful as to which tests you undertake as you don't want to blow an element when using an IR tester.

BTW was the FAT test in the title a pun or are you considering this a Factory Acceptance Test

 

[ringer]

I take it you are going to test this with your MFT. I only have a dedicated PAT tester (Fluke 6500). How would you propose that I go about testing a cooker? Disconnect at the isolator and attach a plug?

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Get an adaptor box (half way down the page) as this will speed up the testing of fixed appliances, remember the 6500 will only load test to 13A MAX........

 

[acat]

No need to disconnect the oven I believe, as the isolator switch should be double pole. I would be careful as to which tests you undertake as you don't want to blow an element when using an IR tester.

BTW was the FAT test in the title a pun or are you considering this a Factory Acceptance Test

Judging from my run in yesterday in another post I think its Failed Attitude Test


Chris

 

[expo09]

Judging from my run in yesterday in another post I think its Failed Attitude Test


Chris

Is it not Fixed Appliance Testing?

 

[Adam W]

No, there's no such thing as "FAT". It's PAT - portable, handheld, moveable, fixed... They're all the same tests, but the testing is called Portable Appliance Testing.

 

[ringer]

Get an adaptor box (half way down the page) as this will speed up the testing of fixed appliances, remember the 6500 will only load test to 13A MAX........

The spec for the 6500 states 'Display range.....0 to 13A', so what will happen if you test a load over 13 amps? Will the load be indicated as '>13A', or am I likely to blow a fuse (or worse) in my tester?

Also, will the load/leak test show the power? We could calculate the approximate load from this.

And the whole point of this test is to measure the leakage current during the initial few seconds of normal operating conditions, so does it really matter if the load current is not given by the tester (as long as it doesn't blow up!)

Have you used your 6500 to test any high load appliances? What sort of readings did you get? Do ovens tend to have near maximum allowed (0.75mA/kW to max of 5kW) leakage levels?

There are so many questions arising regarding PAT testing (as many questions as there are different devices, if not more), we could do with a whole forum for it! I am rapidly discovering that doing a one day course to become recognised as a competent PAT tester is definitely not enough to actually BE competent.

 

[Notsosmart]

No, there's no such thing as "FAT". It's PAT - portable, handheld, moveable, fixed... They're all the same tests, but the testing is called Portable Appliance Testing.

Its industrial terminology ie;

Factory Acceptance Test
then SAT = Site Acceptance Test

Used in a lot in integration projects where control panels and equipment nedd to be proved.

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Basically you have done the first of the 3 parts to being competant = training

The other two elememts are currency and experiance.

Currency = is actually doing what you are trained on a regular basis. A previous job of mine had this set as follows. leave a current skill set for 3 years or more and you were no longer deemed as competant (even though you are stil trained)

Experiance - basically speaks for itself

With regards to the 6500, yes it stops and gives a >13A warning and the test sequence halts.