[ Spotlight: Testing ]
Martindale’s HPAT500 HandyPAT tester (left) and MicroPAT testing equipment (right)
2377-22 Level 3 Award in the In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment is the industry standard qualification, designed to provide the skills and knowledge required for the planning and implementation of a testing programme for portable electrical appliances. This qualification is available from the ECA in a one-day course that includes the relevant assessment and City & Guilds certification, with special rates for ECA and ELECSA members (see
www.eca.co.uk/courses).
Kit bag With a plethora of portable appliance testers to choose from, the market can be a minefield to negotiate and it’s easy to end up paying for features that are not useful or necessary. Careful selection
Speculate to accumulate
Arthur McKay recently equipped its PAT team with Seaward PrimeTest 350 multifunction electrical safety testers as part of a move to continue to utilise the latest technology available and improve its services to customers.
In doing so the company claims that test times have been significantly reduced, creating improvements in productivity without compromising the integrity of the equipment testing being undertaken. The lightweight PrimeTest 350 handheld tester incorporates all Class I and Class II required electrical safety tests in a compact design. In addition, it is also equipped with an RCD test, a 250V insulation resistance test and an alternative leakage test. It is also comes with Bluetooth technology for the wireless connection of barcode scanners, label printers and other accessories. Marie McKay, compliance manager at Arthur McKay, comments: ‘Our engineers have been very impressed with the portability, flexibility and added-value features of the new tester – all of which makes the job of appliance testing a whole lot easier and much quicker.’
Periodic in-service inspection and testing has made a significant contribution to improved safety in workplaces
of the correct tester for the required application is essential and the use of the most appropriate tester can significantly improve operational efficiencies and ensure the provision of a competitive and value- added service to customers. Products can be split up into three broad
groups – basic, intermediate and advanced – and manufacturers usually have a solution that fits each category. Dave Moore of Megger advises: ‘It’s important to bear in mind that almost all PAT testers will get the job done, but they don’t all do it equally well. In particular, there are big differences in productivity, which is very important, as the key to profitability in PAT testing is to work quickly and efficiently without cutting corners.’ There are numerous entry-level PAT testers that do
Megger PAT450 tester
32 ECA Today November 2012
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