PAT by X-Ray connection?

Sometimes you can not be sure that it is safe to disconnect say a 4 way trailing socket under a desk in an I.T. suite supplying critical equipment, but you can still confirm polarity and check the earth continuity by ingenious ways.


The lead and 4 way trailing socket can be checked for physical damage and size by sight.


Fixed appliances like heavy washing machines can be a problem in homes as pulling them out is difficult and may damage the floor covering.  I always check the earth continuity using a trailing lead connected from a known good earth, such as a socket nearby, to the frame of the appliance. Normally I find that metal door hinges are a good reliable earthed point on an appliance. The appliance, if supplied through an R.C.D. obviously has good insulation resistance if it works reliably, so that test is already done for you. The rest is just a visual inspection to detect dangerous damage.


If possible I check all 13 Amp plugs for correct connections and fuse size. I have found some that are heat damaged due to a loose connection.


I check C.P.C. continuity of ALL class 1 appliances.


Z.

People don’t understand PAT, it is asset management.


Locally a teacher at a high school was sacked and ended up in court charged with theft after the PAT was carried out at the school where he worked, apparently most of his family had electrical appliances from the school.


No one would have ever known without the PAT tester identifying the missing equipment, if there’s anyone digging their heels in and trying to prevent PAT being carried out within a school or any other large premises with lots of valuable and portable electrical appliances it has to raise a very large red flag.

What do you expect for 99p an item?


At least one guy who works local to me doing PAT for beauty salons and nail bars impresses his clients by waving a volt stick over the inserted plugs so they go red and bleep before applying a sticker. Now that is value for money (not). with everyone a winner.

How do I insert an image in to this post? I have an image which I try and copy and paste but I get a message to say CTRL and V.I do this but nothing happens.


JP

click on the three dots menu high and to the right of your post to edit an existing post.

Once in the editor the 2nd icon from the LHS is the one you want - looks like a patients temperature chart. Either provide a URL ('link') to the pic if it is stored on another website and you do not wish to duplicate it, or use the 'upload' tab if you want to copy an image from your local machine onto the IET webserver.

Mike.

The letting agent claims that the PAT is correct since the print out from the Seaward Apollo 400 shows Pass as the Result for each of the 4 items checked.

Since none of the items (Fridge, Freezer, Dishwasher and Electric Fire were unplugged, how could the Record of PAT tests and Certificate, show Pass?  To put it another way, what would you get if you simply push the Test Button on a Seaward Apollo 400 with nothing plugged in?  (I am thinking that there may be a "test lead in the PAT tester's van, which is used afterwards"....)

Clive

My wife received her monthly statement today from the Letting Agent together with the PAT test Invoice.


4 Items @ £3.00 = £12


PAT Cert Fee         £30


VAT                        £8.40


TOTAL:                  £50.40


I spoke with Seaward and they kindly sent me a print out of what a "Certificate" looks like when the instrument is printing out the full numerical testing history and not simply set for visual inspection PASS.  I sent this to the Letting Agent, but so far no reply...

Clive

Some certs are real humdingers.

Lucky for you it`s only PAT.

A few years back I was asked to make modifications for a disabled grant.

A few issues were found, no main bonding and the old chestnut of spur on spur on spur from a ring were two of them (there were others).

I suggested  an independant EICR be  done by an NICEIC approved contractor, prior to commencement,  and this was undertaken.

We were informed, by the owner,  that a certificate had already been done within last 12 months by the insurance companies electrician due to a claim of fire damage.

We asked for a copy of this.


The "certificate" was a headed notepaper by the electrician giving date,  addressof property (which was also quite the wrong address) and simply stated something like "This is to certify that the electrical system at XXXX address has been done in accordance with NICEIC standards". He clearly was not an NICEIC approved contractor and I don`t think his wording was actually trying to suggest he was but it was purely his idea of what he thought NICEIC wanted their approved contractors to achieve (ni other words he clearly had no idea who makes the regs).


That was it a one liner more or less.

The LA in charge of the grant contacted the insurers who more or less stated oh we are happy and have paid our contractor.