1. Become a Competent Person
By law, you are required to become Competent at Pat Testing if performing it. You can become competent by attending a Pat testing training course venue and passing its one day course.
2. Follow the IEE Code of Practice
The IEE Code of Practice manual offers a code of practice for the in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment.
It includes advice on compliance with health and safety legislation. Be sure to read it and become familar with it before starting to Pat Test.
3. Perform your Tests in correct order
By performing the correct tests in the correct order you are ensuring that whatever result you may receive (Pass or Fail) it will be accurate.
4. Purchase quality Pat Testing Equipment
By purchasing quality Pat Testing Equipment you will be in no doubt that your Pat Test will be accurate. Try and avoid second hand equipment.
Also, bear in mind that your Pat testing equipment will eventually require re-calibration even if you did buy it new.
5. Do not rush your Test
Trying to reach your monthly Pat Testing Bonus? Typically Pat Testers receive bonuses for the more electrical equipment they test.
It is benefical to perform as many tests as possible but do them properly and do not rush! You may find yourself out a job!
6. Do not touch the Appliance
The majority of your tests are going to Pass but don't assume they are all. One day you may be in for a nasty shock if your touching the appliance when your testing it.
7. Do not put a Pass Label on a Failed Appliance
Ok so you have failed an appliance but can't be bothered filling out a failed sheet for your Pat testing records. My advice, fill in the failed sheet. It is illegal to pass a dangerous appliance!
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1. Not doing the tests in the required order
If doing the Insulation test on a Class I appliance first, you do not know if the conductive earth path is good. You will not be able to rely on the Insulation test since the earth plan has not been tested and proven to be good.
2. Forgetting to switch the appliance on
Imagine having a situation where the live wire is broken inside the portable appliance and touching the outer casting.
After performing the Insulation test everything inside the appliance should be at 500V. The tester will detect any voltage escaping to the appliance housing.
If the appliance is not turned on, the voltage cannot get through the live wire and nothing will escape - resulting in an incorrect pass of a dangerous appliance.
3. Touching the appliance
Be careful not to touch the appliance when testing it - you could get a 500V shock if it fails!
4. Only doing one earth bond test
Sometimes an appliance may have multiple outer part with separate earthed paths. In this case you will need to measure each one individually.
5. If you have multiple earth paths
When dealing with multiple earth paths take the worse case that occurs and not the average reading!
6. Only doing one insulation test
Sometimes there is a need to perform the Insulation test more than once. The best solution here is to wrap the device in kitchen foil. Then perform the Insulation test on the kitchen foil.
7. Don't try to do an earth bond test on a class II appliance
Class II appliances have no earth so your test is going to fail. Check you have the right type of appliance when Pat testing.
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