Pat Tester

[Sparkydan]

Hi Can anybody recommend a good pat tester to buy



Thanks

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Whats your budget, and how much productivity will you expect from it?

 

[shard]

I've been using a seaward prime test300 it's a nice machine and easy to use. it's light and small. I've been pat tEsting pubs so want to be able to get about easily with it. I did use one of those big yellow box jobbys about five years ago,to big to heavy. You can download everything Via Bluetooth but not tried that yet. It takes rechargeable batteries that are supplied but they don't last long, maybe two days or so depends how much you test. I know some of the guys on my firm charge every night. They cost about £1000 though. Oh and pat testing is boring,!

 

[Sparkydan]

Thanks i dont normally do PAT testing and to be honest i have not done it as yet but a client has asked for there offices to be PAT tested so i thought i might as well get a pat tester learn how to use it so its something else we can offer, i suppose ideally up to about £500.00.

 

[72-van]

Hi Sparkydan
I have used mainly seaward machines over the years and for the most part i would recommend them i certainly will not change.I liked using the primetest 300 but they are sore on batteries .I have had a hold off but never used in anger the pt350 but its a good bit chunkier and doesnt sit in the hand quite so well.I have two seaward europa's plus's and like using them .Your £500 will almost buy a used pt 300 and will buy a good used europa .
I would recommend that you buy a tester that has a decent memory as writing test results on a pad is hopelessly slow and seriously tedious.
i would also recommend that you get some custom labels made that are super easy to fill in i know a company that makes them the little bit extra cost over plain ones is saved with the less time on site filling in the label.
I would also recommend a bar code scanner and barcode stickers again it saves a huge amount of time many firms already have there equipment barcoded with an corporate asset label and you can use that or if they will permit stick another bar code sticker on ,alternately you can have your custom labels made with a barcode printed on them.
In short its not cheap to set up with a good set of kit thats quick and easy to use but it will pay dividends in speed and keep the boredom levels down.

cheers 72-van
fife

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Thanks i dont normally do PAT testing and to be honest i have not done it as yet but a client has asked for there offices to be PAT tested so i thought i might as well get a pat tester learn how to use it so its something else we can offer, i suppose ideally up to about £500.00.

OK good. First thing you should do is recognise your expectant demand, to come up with a budget figure like you did just then. Then I would go and buy a Seaward that match's that budget.

 

[Sparkydan]

Thanks all for your advise ill have a look for a seaward one then.

 

[72-van]

HI Sparkydan Just so you are aware some of the older seaward machines are not suitable for use with IT equipment and if you are doing a lot of 25Amp testing in quick succession then the europas have a known fault where they cannot dissipate the heat build up quick enough.The bigger model in the range the supernova & XE doesnt have this trait (or so i am told).
They are all easy to use following the same basic s/w menu pattern.For battery power with no trailing leads to annoy you the primetest 300 / 350 models are excellent but i guess i prefer main powered no batteries to buy or run out during the day .When one of my europas was in for calibration last time i had them fit a longer moulded main lead lets you do a few more tests without putting the plug ..
On other thing i suppose its like everything if you havent done it before its handy if you can spend a day with someone thats been at it a long time they can can show you the stuff thats not on the course .
Remember to take plenty of fuses with you as a huge percentage will have the wrong fuse fitted.I did a place last year with 1300 or so appliances and changed over 400 fuses despite the fact that it had been tested yearly by a half dozen or so companies and the "label stickers" were clearly in evidence on this site.
I didnt get the job the following year my feedback was that i had taken five times as long as any other firm to do the work and was the only person ever to fail anything on site ...what does that tell you.

If you are anywhere near me maybe i can assist.

cheers 72-van
fife

 

[Sparkydan]

Thanks 72

Where abouts are you then?

 

[72-van]

Hi Sparkydan I am in Kirkcaldy Fife Scotland

ky11et - Google Maps

cheers 72-van
fife

 

[Sparkydan]

Thanks all, sorry 72 im miles away in essex thanks for the offer though, there are a few to choose from and prices vary so much but do they all do pretty much the same thing?
I was looking at this one what do you think?
Seaward Primetest 250 PATBag with Elements Details - Test4less Electrical & Gas Test Equipment Distributor

 

[Sparkydan]

Also what are you expected to give the client after a pat testing do you have to do a spread sheet listing all items and showing pass or fail or is it just stickers?

 

[72-van]

Hi Sparky dan Just had a quick look at the Primetest 250 looks like a pass fail type tester with no memory ..If you are serious about doing this as a biz then this ones def not for you .
If you get a tester with a memory then the test results are stored for you in the memory whe nyou get home you download the results using a computer program to generate lovely professional results.which you either print of or send to your client by email.
If you buy a manual tester you have to do each test individually and as each result is displayed on the tester write said result down .means a duplicate pad with you all the time and its SO SLOW and adds to the tedium.
You dont have to buy the s/w at the same time as the tester you can to start with write the test results down at home at leisure from the testers memory but you cant do that with a manual / pas/fail type tester.

cheers 72-van

 

[72-van]

Seaward Primetest 300 PAT tester, PAT Testing made easier with the Seaward Primetest 300

Heres a link to see what a similar kit from another supplier with a much more useable machine.
I bet you will find it a little cheaper if you hunt about.

cheers 72-van
fife

 

[Guest123]

Seaward Supernova......"the daddy" IMO.

Only worthwhile if you're going heavy into pat though, as it's probably the most expensive out there.

 

[72-van]

I agree with Lenny never heard anyone say much bad about the supernova but they are big and kinda heavy to lug about .heard of some people getting little hostess trolleys made for them to trundle round the room with .i bet they would be great for large amounts of continous 25A testing.I had a play with a supernova Xe a stripped out version that was a lot lighter .Would i have a supernova ..yes but i think in if i were passing on one of my europa plus's then it would be for a primetest 300(and a take out shares in Duracell).

72-van
fife

 

[Guest123]

A while back there was an LNG pipeline project in my area, lasted about 2 years. Aswell as all the elctrical install & maintenane works I had to PAT all the plant which was 110V and I'm talking thousands of items, every 3 months. They wanted printed results aswell as disc copies and the Supernova ticked all the boxes and then some.

 

[golfpaul]

I have the seaward primetest 350 and its not that bad on batteries.
Ive got 12 duracell rechargeables of the highest capacity i could find, 6 will last me a week of continous testing.
The supernova is good but massive.
Use a battery powered machine and you wont want a mains one.

 

[grantr37]

you can get a Fluke 6500 for about 650 pounds, very good machine and quick to use, and can fit a barcode reader and memory card...I used this model to do thousands of tests....