[ Spotlight: Testing ]
the basics, those being an earth bond test to ensure a good quality earth and an insulation test to ensure that the appliance insulation is adequate. An example of a modern rechargeable battery powered entry- level tester is the Martindale HPAT500, which has a single interface with one button for each of three test sequences for Class 1, Class II appliances and for extension leads. As testers become more expensive, other features
become available such as high and low current earth bond tests, 250V and 500V insulation tests, mains earth leakage and substitute leakage, and programmable automatic test sequences. Seaward’s Europa Plus, for example, has a full complement of tests and dual voltage abilities, and performs in-situ earth bond and touch current tests while the equipment under test remains powered up, leading to shorter test times. The principal difference between entry-level PAT
testers and the higher-level models is the way test data and results are handled. With the basic testers, results are recorded by manually copying them down from the tester display, which is perfectly satisfactory for small to medium volume testing. However, devices like Kewtech’s KT77 utilise a USB
stick which can be sent to the office for processing, or even left as an electronic record of the tests. The downloading solution produces the best looking presentation of certificates, and when going back, only the appliance ID has to be entered, as the software marries the data up. Meanwhile, testers in the Megger PAT400 range can store up to 10,000 results in their internal memory and have asset and location data that can be quickly entered using a built-in keyboard.
Four to the floor November 2012 sees one of the biggest shake-ups to the PAT sector in recent years, with the introduction
Some electrical contractors have recognised PAT as an excellent way to generate extra income
Seaward PT300 PAT kit in action
of the 4th Edition of the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. Like the 3rd Edition, it will outline in significant detail the requirements for PAT and give definitions, detailed illustrations, and explanations of what’s involved. While the final details about the 4th Edition are
still sketchy, it is expected to endorse the themes established by the Löfstedt Report, which aimed to put ‘common sense back into health and safety’, and the new HSE guidance on low risk environments. Seaward’s Jim Wallace believes that the 4th Edition
will reinforce the importance of risk assessments in determining any requirement for inspections and testing. He says: ‘It is likely to establish the principle that risk assessments are vital to understanding what
Seaward PAT tester
Seaward PrimeTest 250 PAT tester
November 2012 ECA Today 33
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