Test Gear & Safety testing

[LJDomestics]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

Specialist01269 wrote:

LJDomestics wrote:
hi specialist.. thanks for the message .. im really keen to get a all in one setup tbh.

Wish you’d told me that last week when you were asking about the Megger we had 2 in stock.
We have 1 left an Alphateck 41557 does the lot.

can u pm me with full details bud.

and a price.
thx.

[Redflame]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

Specialist01269 wrote:Got called out to a breakdown today for a Waste disposal unit, when I got there 2 engineers from a company I contract to were already on site trying to find out why the machine was tripping the RCD, I was stunned to find out that between them they only had 2 Neons, a Pocket analogue meter & a voltage / continuity probe type tester as test gear.
After finding the fault with a Megger (Fault on supply cable) I asked where their Megger was, they don’t have one & it turns out that between the 4 engineers in the firm there isn’t 1 insulation tester, when I asked about safety testing on completion they said they just check Earth continuity & had no clue that it was a statutory requirement for a repair engineer to carry out Earth Continuity & Insulation tests on Completion of a repair & they are both convinced that the test equipment they use is perfectly adequate for the job.
Have the rules on safety testing been changed or scrapped or maybe I was just dreaming them. 😕

That is VERY scarey ! Knowing theres people out there working like this !!!

[LJDomestics]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

maltheviking wrote:

Martin wrote:
Hands up those out there that own and use a megger and loop tester?……………………all I can hear is tumbleweed rolling down the street. 😈

In my arsenal if have
1 x Robin ELI tester
2 x Robin Meggers
2 x Metrohm Meggers
1 x Robin Multimeter
Ok so I like meggers 😆 and Robin
As for the argument of why do we need a ELI tester, then my opinion
is it is pointless making sure an appliance is safe if an earth fault has no where to go, ELI test confirms a good earth on the supply.

Couple of questions you may all want to comment on is ” what testing should be done if the appliance is hard wired i.e through a connection unit instead of a 13a socket” This includes cookers which are also usually hard wired.

Built in appliances, with the connection point behind it, and you find it is a major job to remove said appliance although you don’t have to because you can do the repair insitu, test or no test?

oh viking!! i think ur just a avid collector aint ya? lol

[Specialist01269]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

maltheviking wrote:

Martin wrote:
Hands up those out there that own and use a megger and loop tester?……………………all I can hear is tumbleweed rolling down the street. 😈

In my arsenal if have
1 x Robin ELI tester
2 x Robin Meggers
2 x Metrohm Meggers
1 x Robin Multimeter
Ok so I like meggers 😆 and Robin
As for the argument of why do we need a ELI tester, then my opinion
is it is pointless making sure an appliance is safe if an earth fault has no where to go, ELI test confirms a good earth on the supply.

Couple of questions you may all want to comment on is ” what testing should be done if the appliance is hard wired i.e through a connection unit instead of a 13a socket” This includes cookers which are also usually hard wired.

Built in appliances, with the connection point behind it, and you find it is a major job to remove said appliance although you don’t have to because you can do the repair insitu, test or no test?

Personally i’d say you test in both cases, you just use your clip leads at the appliance end instead of plugging your loop tester in via the plugtop.

Like your taste in Testgear, it’s got class.
Personally I like: Fluke, Megger, Metrotest & Martindale. Having said that Di-Log make an excellent installation tester & Uni trend make quite a tidy Insulation Multimeter if your on a budget.

P.S: Think your’e a bit kinky about Insulation testers though, you’ve got nearly as many as me 😆

[Specialist01269]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

That is VERY scarey ! Knowing theres people out there working like this !!!

Bloody terrifies me mate, but the worst part is how many of them there are. 😯

[maltheviking]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

Specialist01269 wrote:Personally i’d say you test in both cases, you just use your clip leads at the appliance end instead of plugging your loop tester in via the plugtop.

Good answer and correct, so is only a ELI test sufficient?

Next question and not just for Specialist01269 😉 So what about the insulation test when the appliance is still connected to the mains, which brings into play all other current using equiptment conected in the household?
Anyone care to comment on the other thing that I mentioned, “only means of local isolation, socket/fused spur behind the appliance?”
:rolls:

[Specialist01269]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

Naughty Mal: Posting trick questions 😆

[maltheviking]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

Specialist01269 wrote:Naughty Mal: Posting trick questions 😆

Trick? no tricks up my sleeve 😉 I would just like to get the ball rolling, it may enlighten :rolls:

[Martin]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

maltheviking wrote:So what about the insulation test when the appliance is still connected to the mains, which brings into play all other current using equiptment conected in the household?

It’s not a trick question and the answer simply is that an insulation test cannot be undertaken without isolating the appliance first. However a full loop insulation test can. 🙂

[Specialist01269]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

I know it’s not a trick question, I was having a joke with Mal, which he obviously understood by his answer. 🙂

In that situation, if you want to do an insulation test then the only way is to isolate the consumer unit & disconnect the Earth at the appliance then you can Safely carry out an Insulation test.
Yes it takes a few minutes more but it means you can do a Complete test & yes it does work. 8)

[maltheviking]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

And here’s me thinking that permanently wired appliances become part of the house wiring and should be tested with it. Doh

I can’t honestly see some of the caracters in our trade
having the knowledge to get stuck into the consumer units :rolls:

Makes me laugth though when you see a PAT sticker on one of these when you know there is no way an electrician/tester pulled out the machine if built in to get at the socket or connector 😯

[Specialist01269]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

I wasn’t thinking of them getting stuck in to the consumer unit 😯 what a horrible thought, thanks for tonights Nightmare mate I owe u 1 😆
I can’t lay my hands on the regs at the minute but if I remember them correctly all current using appliances need to be isolated before doing an insulation test on the fixed installation.

PAT testers: A lot of them are a breed on their own, done a 2 day course bought a top of the range tester & away they go. A lot of them don’t actually know how to wire a plug but are qualified PAT testers.
Don’t know what it’s like in the rest of the country but not 20 miles from me there are 2 Carpenters who also take on PAT testing jobs when work is short, we have a couple of Plumbers who also do PAT testing & Appliance repairs.
Maybe we should all do Gas repairs, then see what would happen.

[LJDomestics]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

on a side note..how much is acceptable as a charge for pat testing?
Unless u get a contract with big organisations is it actual worth it?

[Specialist01269]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

Afraid that’s like asking how long is a piece of string. There really doesn’t seem to be a guideline sort of price anywhere with each area being different in what people will pay & how many actually bother to have stuff PAT tested.
You can make a bit of extra money from it, but unless you have some decent contracts with Offices, Hotels etc it’s not a steady cash generator & there’s a fair bit of outlay before you start, cheapest 1 Day PAT course I have come across is £195.00

[bagman]

Re: Test Gear & Safety testing

Done both management and operative PAT courses and tbh it’s not really a money maker on it’s own. As an addition to the appliance repair side it’s a help, but I wouldn’t recommend doing it to make a living out of.

[Author]

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