Portable Appliance Testing - An introduction....
What is Portable Appliance Testing?....
Portable Appliance Testing is a combination of Visual Inspection and Electrical Testing of all portable, handheld, moveable/transportable electrical appliances/equipment, IT Equipment, Extension Leads and Telecommunications equipment. This includes both 230v and 110v equipment.
Portable Appliance Testing is performed in accordance with current guidelines as laid out in the IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment.
The commonly accepted definition of a portable appliance is 'any item that connects to the electricity supply, directly or indirectly, by means of a removable plug'....
The environment that the equipment is used within....
Where appliances are used in an environment that is harsh or hazardous, including but not limited to, high or low temperatures, pressure, corrosive, wet or dirty conditions, particular care needs to be taken when initially selecting the appropriate equipment and also when assessing the frequency of inspection and testing.
Maintaining good housekeeping....
- Cables located so as unlikely to become damaged
- Means of disconnection/isolation readily accessible
- Space for adequate equipment ventilation
- Cups, plants and work material not likely to cause danger
- Equipment positioned to avoid strain on cord
- Equipment is being operated with the covers in place and any doors are closed
- Indiscriminate use of multi-way adaptors and trailing sockets is avoided
- No unprotected cables run under carpets
What does a formal Visual Inspection involve ?....
- Plug - the plug top will be opened to ensure that the flexible cable is secure in its anchorage and is correctly wired, that the fuse is of the correct rating for the appliance and it is free from any sign of overheating and in physically good condition.
- Fuses should be BS marked and ASTA marked
- If fitted with a non-rewireable plug it will be checked for security of the flex
- Flex - the flex will be inspected for any damage, ensuring it is free from cuts, fraying or stress
- The Appliance - the appliance will be inspected to ensure that it is in good working order, including ensuring that it switches on and off properly and the casing or cabinet has no damage that could result in access to live parts
What does the Electrical Testing involve ?....
* Before any electrical testing is performed on appliances or equipment we will perform an Earth Fault Loop Impedance Test on your fixed electrical installation at a socket outlet. This test will determine the Zs Earth Impedance value, a low reading is essential for both the safety of the Portable Appliance Testing Engineer performing the tests and the overall electrical safety of your premises. This test procedure is not normally performed prior to Portable Appliance Testing, it is something quite unique to Bear Connections Electrical, as electrical safety is paramount to our operations.
Depending on the appliance type a combination of the following tests will be performed:
- Earth Continuity Test of no less than 1.5x Fuse Rating, up to 25 Amps (not carried out on Class II appliances that have no earth)
- Insulation Resistance Test at 500 Volts DC or 250 Volts DC for Surge/Overvoltage protected devices, eg. surge protected extension leads. This test is not performed on IT or electronically sensitive equipment.
- Earth Current Leakage Test (Protective Conductor Test)
- Touch Current Leakage Test
- Substitute/Alternative Leakage Test - 110v Equipment, not requiring run-test
- Polarity Test (only carried out on extension cables and IEC power supply leads)
- Tests on IT equipment or 'electronically sensitive' equipment are "soft tests" of 100mA on Earth Continuity with Earth Leakage and Touch Current tests opposed to the Insulation Test. No operational tests are carried out on computer CPUs.
Identification of Tested Appliances....
- A label will be attached to each appliance that passed testing with the unique Appliance ID Number, the "Tested Date", the Test Engineers Initials and the "Retest Due" date.
- Our PAT Testing Labels are of a durable heavy duty type including the asset number and complete with full test/retest details, in full compliance with the legally required label format.
- Appliances that fail testing will be labelled DO NOT USE Failed Safety Test.
What happens if an appliance fails ?....
Appliances that FAIL the Portable Appliance Testing will be labelled as detailed above, the fuse will be removed from the plug and the appliance will be withdrawn from service immediately. The person responsible for the premises will be notified of the appliance test failure and the responsibility to ensure the appliance is not used and either repaired or replaced lies with the premises operators. In some circumstances the plug may be removed from the appliance.
Photographic evidence of failed appliances may be obtained and retained by Bear Connections Electrical.
Bear Connections Electrical accept no responsibility or liability where appliances have FAILED and are returned to use by other persons without the necessary repair and retesting.
Minor repairs such as plug replacement/rewire and incorrect rated fuses replaced will be performed at the time of testing. Industrial 240V and 110V plugs/sockets can be arranged to be replaced at additional charge.
Repairs such as cable replacement will not be performed as it is necessary to dismantle the appliance or equipment, this will normally void the warranty. In such cases items should be sent for service or repair by authorised repair centres to avoid the warranty being voided.
Items that will not be tested during Portable Appliance Testing....
- Any 'Hard Wired' appliance, for example, Hand Dryers wired from fused spurs. These should be tested during a Periodic Inspection as they are classed as Fixed Installation. This requires isolation of supply power and full disconnection of the equipment.
- Laptop Computers - ONLY the Power Supply and the detachable mains supply cable (if applicable) requires testing, these are tested & charged separately. The Laptop DOES NOT require any testing, only the power supply.
- Any appliance supplied by a low voltage power supply - ONLY the power supply transformer and mains supply cable (if applicable) requires testing.
- Mainframe or IT Network Servers - Due to the specialist nature of this highly sensitive equipment no testing will be performed, normally these are serviced by the relevant technicians.
- Communications Switchboards - Specialist equipment requiring the relevant service technicians to correctly isolate and perform testing on this sensitive equipment to avoid disruption to normal service.
Microwave Oven Radio Frequency Emission Level Testing....
Microwave Ovens require periodic testing using specialist test equipment to ensure the radio frequency emissions are below the accepted legal limit, 5mW/sq cm when measured at a distance of 50mm or more from the exterior surface of the appliance under test. The microwave emission testing takes place alongside your Portable Appliance Testing. This applies to both Domestic Microwaves Ovens (BS EN 60335-2-25) and Commercial/Industrial Microwave Ovens (BS EN 60335-2-90).
Testing of the unit involves measurement of the radiation levels around the oven using microwave testing equipment to ensure compliance with legal emission limit. The safety interlock switches and the door seals are inspected for any signs of damage to ensure that they function correctly and safety.
Microwave Testing is charged at a separate rate as per our Price Rates section. For fast written quotations please use our Get a Quote form including the option for Microwave Testing