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Counterfeit Electrical Equipment
This page brings together real examples of unsafe electrical equipment discovered during PAT testing and inspection. ...
PAT Testing Articles
Practical PAT testing guidance, equipment safety articles, and updates on UK regulations and standards.
How to PAT Test
In this article, we will demonstrate how to PAT test some common appliances. We've turned to Google to provide us with a list of the top 10 appliances that people are seeking guidance on how to PAT test ...
City & Guilds 2377 Study Guide
This study guide is for the City & Guilds 2377-77 award for the In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. It will provide you with the necessary knowledge and resources to succeed in both the practical assessment and the multiple-choice exam ...
Class I and Class II Equipment Explained
In this article, we'll break down these terms, explore how different classes of equipment safeguard users from electric shocks, and provide typical examples of items falling under each class ...
PAT Testing for Landlords
Although there is no explicit requirement for PAT testing under the Housing Act 2004, landlords have a legal obligation to ensure the equipment they supply is safe under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 ...
Can I do my Own PAT Testing?
The short answer is yes, it is possible to do your own PAT testing. However, there are a few factors to consider before you decide to go down this path ...
Charity Shop PAT Testing
Among the myriad of items donated to charity shops, second-hand electrical equipment is a popular category. However, selling such items also brings unique responsibilities and safety concerns ...
Useful Tools and Accessories
If you are carrying out Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) on a regular basis, there are some useful accessories that you should consider adding to your toolkit ...
Common Mistakes to Avoid During PAT Testing
Without proper training, it's easy to miss potential faults and inaccurately assess the safety of the equipment. In this article, we will highlight some common mistakes that we often see ...
Can a Multimeter be used for PAT Testing?
Is it possible to save money by using a multimeter for portable appliance testing? The short answer is no, but let's explain the reasons for this ...
Can PAT testing damage the equipment being tested?
PAT testing should not damage the equipment being tested. However, it is possible that incorrect testing procedures could cause damage ...
Asking an AI Electrical Questions
Some incredible generative AI apps were launched this year, including DALL-E 2, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion. The latest of these is a new text based AI called ChatGPT. Let's see if it can answer some electrical questions ...
Calculating Potential Energy Savings
There are plenty of sites offering useful energy saving advice and tips. In this article, we will try and put some actual figures on the amount of savings that can potentially be made ...
Managing PAT Testing in the Workplace
Whether you choose to outsource your PAT testing or handle it in-house, as a duty holder you have the overall responsibility for overseeing the safety of the electrical equipment within the workplace ...
Power Saver Plugs
Unfortunately, these power saver plugs will not make any savings on your household electricity bill. They are a serious safety hazard and a scam ...
User Checks
Most faults can be found by a simple visual inspection and this can be carried out by the user with some basic training ...
Risk Assessment for PAT Testing
The frequency of the inspection and testing of electrical equipment (PAT testing) is based on a risk assessment approach. A risk assessment should be carried out to determine the ...
Counterfeit 13A Plugs
Dangerous counterfeit rewirable 13A plugs that fail flammability testing are being sold on Ebay and Amazon ...
UKCA Marking
Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, a new certification mark has been introduced to replace the CE mark for products sold in Great Britain ...
5th Edition Code of Practice
Details on the 5th edition update to the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment ...
PAT Testing: Understanding Its Scope and Exceptions
Although initially designed for maintaining electrical equipment within the workplace, PAT testing has now expanded into other areas ...
Requirements for Making and Selling Lamps
We often receive enquiries for our PAT testing courses from people looking to start a small business making and selling small electrical items, typically lamps and ...
BS 1362 Fuse Operation Characteristics
It may not be immediately apparent, but a 13A rated fuse is not designed to actually blow at 13A. In fact a 13A fuse will allow a current of 20A ...
20A Fuse
BS 1362, the British Standard for plug fuses, states: “The rated current may be any value not exceeding 13A ...
PAT Testing with Adaptors
For PAT testing equipment that does not have a standard 13A BS1363 plug, an adaptor is required to connect the appliance to the PAT tester ...
Socket Covers
The Department of Health has recently issued an alert notice to warn of the dangers of using socket inserts ...
How to Become a PAT Tester
Any environment with electrical equipment is a potential workspace, making each day diverse and interesting, but a willingness to travel and a driving licence are essential ...
Seaward Primetest 250 Vs Megger PAT150
Comparison of the Seaward Primetest 250 and the Megger PAT150 PAT Testers ...
Dangerous Water Heater
The heater consists of a plastic housing with two metal plates separated by a gap of about 5mm. The supply cord is two core 0.5mm2 fitted with a NEMA type plug ...
Plug Pin Gauge
This simple piece of laminated card is cleverly designed to help consumers easily identify counterfeit and sub-standard plugs, chargers, and adaptors ...
Seaward Apollo 400 Review
Seaward have recently introduced a new model to their Apollo range of PAT testers and describe it as ‘A straightforward, no-nonsense PAT tester’ ...
Counterfeit BS1362 Fuses
One aspect of PAT testing that is becoming an increasing problem is identifying counterfeit equipment. Trading Standards report that counterfeit fuses "may explode violently and ...
PAT Tester Calibration
Where, how, and when should you have your PAT tester calibrated ...
Leakage Current Testing
The most frequently asked technical question we receive is regarding equipment failing a leakage test ...
Changes to the IET Code of Practice
We often get asked if it's okay to use an earlier version of the Code of Practice for the City & Guilds course, so I thought it would be useful to look at the changes ...
DIY Checkbox Build
Commercial checkboxes are available, but you can easily and cheaply make a checkbox yourself. You just need a few resistors to test the readings for the earth continuity and ...
Travel Adaptors
The fuse within the British plug protects the flexible cord fitted to the appliance. Without the fuse, the appliance would need to be fitted with a much larger flex ...
PAT Testing 110V Equipment
A centrally tapped 110V transformer provides a split phase which reduces the line-to-earth voltage to just 55V. As the majority of electric shocks are caused by ...
Tips to identify counterfeit chargers
Cheap counterfeit mobile phone chargers and other AC adapters are widely sold online via sites like Ebay. As these plastic encased devices have no metallic parts to ...
Testing Plastic Encased Class I Equipment
We often find Class I equipment with no obvious exposed metalwork to connect the earth bond clip and get asked how ...
Pass / Fail PAT Testers
There are a number of test instruments available with single button operation that provide a simple pass or fail result. These testers usually carry out the basic earth continuity and ...
CE Marking
The CE mark is widely abused, especially on cheap Chinese imports, and this can help identify possible counterfeit and ...
Using the City & Guilds Qualified Logo
A City & Guilds qualification shows that you have the ability to do a job to an industry recognised standard. Using the City & Guilds Qualified logo on your website ...
Non-sleeved plugs
In 1984 BS1363 was amended with a requirement that the line and neutral pins should have an insulation sleeve. 30 plus years later, equipment fitted with non-sleeved plugs is still in use ...
PAT Testing Medical Equipment
Medical electrical equipment is not subject to the standard PAT testing procedures outlined in the IET Code of Practice. Medical equipment should ...
Online PAT Testing Courses
While it is possible to learn about these things online, there is no substitute for hands-on training. It's important to have access to equipment and tools to learn how to use ...
Insulation test warning
When carrying out an insulation test it's important that the appliance is switched on. If the main switch is in the off position, any fault ...
Conformity marks
This laptop charger has a confusing array of 20 certification, conformity, and approval marks crammed on the back, so what are they ...
Earth Continuity Limit
Earth continuity readings higher than the (0.1 + R)Ω limit are often due to problems with the test procedure, rather than the appliance itself ...
How to wire a plug
A common cause of electrical faults is an incorrectly wired plug. Wiring a plug is not difficult however it is important to get it right ...
PAT Label Printers
We occasionally receive requests to supply or recommend a PAT tester that can print a label. Fluke, Megger, Metrel, and Seaward all have ...
New Counterfeit Plug Type
We have recently become aware of a new type of counterfeit BS1363 plug entering the UK market from China. This is a rewirable plug with ...
Electric Shock
The severity of an electric shock is largely dependent on the amount of energy delivered to the body. This is a function of the magnitude of the current and the length of time the current flows ...
The Electrical Product Recall System
Research by Electrical Safety First estimates there are around 4 million recalled electrical appliances still being used in UK homes and businesses. The average success rate of a product recall is just 10% to 20% ...
Microwave Leakage Testing
Previously microwave leakage testing was part of the standard PAT test. This requirement was removed from the Code of Practice when it was updated from the 3rd to the 4th edition ...
PAT testing - Legal Requirement
All electrical equipment used in the workplace must be maintained in a safe condition to meet the legal requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations ...
Plug Museums
I have recently come across a couple of websites that are well worth mentioning here. The first is the Digital Museum of Plugs and Sockets ...
Fuse Ratings
We often get questions about fuse ratings. The general advice is: If it has a moulded (non-rewirable) plug fitted, the easiest way is to check the ...
Fixed Equipment Isolation
The in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment is almost always referred to as ‘portable appliance testing’ or ‘PAT testing’. Unfortunately this often leads to confusion about what equipment needs to be tested ...
Second-Hand Electrical Appliances
If you supply or sell second hand electrical equipment it must be safe and meet the requirements of The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 ...
Electrical Quiz
Test your basic electrical knowledge - 10 multiple choice questions on Power, Voltage, Current & Ohm's Law...
Types of Electrical Equipment
There is a common misunderstanding that only portable equipment needs to be PAT tested. It’s easy to see how this has come about, after all PAT stands for portable appliance testing...