Sorry to keep going on you will choose to do what you choose I totally agree and have said before most faults are picked up on the visual but a loose earth may not be in the plug top. Kettles being a classic example of where an earth very often becomes disconnected at the stand or in the case of an IEC lead at the point it goes into the kettle. You cant see it.
Why PAT test?
- Thread starter TonyW2
- Start date
Sorry to keep going on you will choose to do what you choose I totally agree and have said before most faults are picked up on the visual but a loose earth may not be in the plug top. Kettles being a classic example of where an earth very often becomes disconnected at the stand or in the case of an IEC lead at the point it goes into the kettle. You cant see it.
Sponsored Links
Back again. It sounds to me like the PAT inspection and test you get is not providing you with any paperwork. I say this because one of the things you get from a full test and inspection if recorded correctly, is a history of the tests on the appliances. This will show trends such as the IR test result getting progressively worse. A decision can be taken whether to do preventive maintenance or replacement. Before an incident occurrs
P
Paul_C
Only if there is sufficient current flowing to earth via the body to trip the RCD. A current of less than 30mA for a sustained period can still do a lot of damage, and in some cases be fatal. And the RCD will do absolutely nothing to limit the duration of a shock current of any magnitude flowing between the normal circuit conductors (L-N). There would have to be sufficient simultaneous current to earth for it to trip.
In short, contrary to much of "hype" which seems to have grown up around the RCD in recent years, it is not an absolute guarantee against severe electric shock or electrocution.
Problems all solved.
We are getting the same manager and electrical contractors as here---
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=271785
Why the heck did I ever bother!
We are getting the same manager and electrical contractors as here---
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=271785
Why the heck did I ever bother!
Sponsored Links
J
joinerjohn
I know what you mean. I bought a set of adaptors so I could test 110v equipment and the adaptor itself had been wired incorrectly. I was testing 110v extension leads with it and after about 1/2 dozen leads all failing on polarity and earth, I took the adaptor apart to find pos and neg reversed and the earth not even connected. This was from a reputable company too, who supply PAT testing equipment.
Yes, we do. We had a brand new appliance fail last week, straight out of the box.
You have to make sure that an appliance is safe to be brought into service, without PAT how would you show you took steps to achieve this.
I was testing 110v extension leads with it and after about 1/2 dozen leads all failing on polarity and earth
Fair do's on the earth, but I'm not sure how you can have a polarity fail on a CTE system, though sometimes the pat tester doen't have a button to tell it what you are testing so will report polarity error as it thinks its testing a 240v lead
Was it ever intended for that purpose ? When they first came out as I recall it their prime safety function was to prevent fires caused by fault current flowing to earth through "conductors" that would carry the fuse current but glow red hot while doing so. The first current operated RCD I saw operated at about an amp or more of un-balance.
There is no positive and negative in an alternating current scenario as it alternates between positive and negative half-cycles.
Furthermore if you were referring to a neutral then there is no neutral conductor in a Reduced Low Voltage (RLV) system.
I had to laugh recently when I purchased a 110V extension lead and it had a label warning of the lead being wired correctly with line and neutral cores in the correct terminals given that they are both line (phase) cores.
It's either split-phase with 55V to earth or three-phase with 63.5V to earth.
J
joinerjohn
In that case then Risteard, why did the PAT testing equipment, show the reversed polarity? Even on 110v power tools it showed reverse polarity, until I corrected the connections in the adaptor? Would you say the equipment was faulty?
P
Paul_C
Indeed not, which is rather the point I was getting at. It seems to me that in recent years the RCD has been promoted increasingly as a device which will prevent all possible damaging effects of electric shock, when in reality it will not. I feel that some of the advertising for RCD's aimed at the layman rather implies that this is the case, even if not actually saying so in so many words.
While those are the most common applications in Britain & Ireland, there's no reason that a 110V extension with BS4343 plugs could not be used on a "special" system which is straight 110V with one side of the supply earthed. Doesn't it make sense to be consistent with the wiring, so that the same lead can be used for either application without introducing problems?
More clarification needed, what sort of power tools? Where abouts in the setup do you plug these adaptors?
I have had PAT machines show up a fault when the supply polarity is reversed however in a 110v CTE system a reverse polarity supply isn't an issue.
It's not required to test a new item. Although I have known badly fitted plugs - loose screws and unclamped outer sheath, so it's not a complete waste of time.
However - if you have an item unlabelled in an office and H&S do a tour, they'll pick it out, and you also have no record on the item of when it should be tested.
So I label them, but mark "NEW". That allows me to give a test date and please everyone else. The staff know they should never use any electrical item without a sticker on too. Seems to work ok.
BTW, I already knew the answer to why the HSE don't prescribe intervals. It's to cover their arse and put all the potential blame on the poor sap trying to balance practicality with safety.
Ok - another question. The "Wall wart" dc adapters. Class 2. Has anyone /ever/ had one of these fail without an obviously cracked or damaged case?
No (but then I don't do a lot of pat testing), but you do know you should be doing an insulation test to the exposed metalwork on these* (same you would do on any class 2 appliance that had touchable metalwork - eg, a drill), it often gets overlooked!
*the ELV output connector
Claiming that the blue core (presuming the flex contains a blue core) is neutral implies that it is at 0V to earth which would be misleading when it is in fact at 55V. So I don't think that they are doing anyone any favours by sticking completely incorrect warning labels on their extension leads.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
