Do you need to PAT test / test fixed appliances

[Dozer 73]

Been asked this question today by one of our engineers , do you need to pat test / test fixed appliances / equipment ( hand dryers , heaters etc )
My opinion Yes he thinks no
Something we don’t really do but know we really should and keep records of these tests

 

[Strima]

Really,so what do you do with hand dryers ,a heater in a w.c on a switched fused spur I'm learning here by the way I can't see this paying well especially for the companies that charge very little per item.

Do you think they test it correctly?

 

[Toneyz]

Do you think they test it correctly?

No, however I'm interested to what members do on here as I've always taken the view that portable appliances with a plug was tested with a PAT tester and fixed appliances was part of the electrical installation and done on the EICR.

 

[westward10]

Any fixed equipment I IR test with the circuit and check earth continuity.

 

[Toneyz]

Any fixed equipment I IR test with the circuit and check earth continuity.

Got to say this is what we do so I am interested how you PAT test these fixed items.

 

[Dozer 73]

Oh yes its a right can of worms , we sat the c and g pat testing course few year ago (lucky us)
And had this conversation, yes as per book you are suppose to disconnect and put plug or adaptor on and test
Or use ins res tester , low ohm tester and log information on sheet
Cost and time wise we ignored it
Now certain clients are asking for proof of testing , nation grid
At one point we agreed to put on periodic and in notes list appliances and results
That soon stopped
We are now being asked again by a client
Its written into our electrical group rules all the different acts , regs , guidance notes we adhere to
So looks like we may be doing it by the book
Imagine the cost implications , some times our site are in the arse of nowhere
Manager write rams for us , we drive up there 300 mile , write daily risk assessment, get inducted , write isolation permit for hand dryer , lock off , disconnect flex out of spur , test
Few more items to test
Day over , hotel and meal
Get up breakfast , drive back to office or next job
Electrical charges £325 per day plus hotel £80-120
This really happens at the min with pat testing and maintaining sites for our customers like grid and rail for us to keep complaint with them
No wonder electric , gas and rail bills are through the roof £££££££££

 

[Dozer 73]

Any fixed equipment I IR test with the circuit and check earth continuity.

Agreed but as a company you should be keeping a log of applainces , make , serial no , etc , last - next inspection label
What if someone changed faulty heater , hand dryer do they up date test sheets
It really is a can of worms and a ball ache

 

[Pete999]

Been asked this question today by one of our engineers , do you need to pat test / test fixed appliances / equipment ( hand dryers , heaters etc )
My opinion Yes he thinks no
Something we don’t really do but know we really should and keep records of these tests

Your Engineer is wrong, you do need to Test fixed equipment, and it's not PATesting it's ISITEE see attachment.

 

[Pete999]

Maybe I'm missing something here but please enlighten me as how you practically would do this on sat a fixed heater fed via switched fused spur. All the PAT testers that I know of you have to plug the item into.

 

[Pete999]

Maybe I'm missing something here but please enlighten me as how you practically would do this on sat a fixed heater fed via switched fused spur. All the PAT testers that I know of you have to plug the item into.

 

[Dozer 73]

Yes pat test wrong terminology

 

[Dozer 73]

Time scale wise , we will be testing these items along with our pat test items
Not whilst carrying out conditional report as they will be picked up at different test frequency's on our testing timescale regime

 

[Pete999]

No, however I'm interested to what members do on here as I've always taken the view that portable appliances with a plug was tested with a PAT tester and fixed appliances was part of the electrical installation and done on the EICR.

When conducting an EICR you are inspecting and testing the fixed wiring, power consuming items, such as hand driers etc are NOT part of the fixed wiring, to put it in perspective would you ISITEE (PATest) during an EICR? answer not unless you have charged the client for testing these items, it's a separate job to be priced separately. Unless these tests are in the price for the EICR I can visualise the EICR being very time consuming, more than you would normally expect. The need to document all these items would add hours to an EICR.

 

[DPG]

The problem is caused almost entirely by the term 'PAT testing'. a) much of it is inspection rather than test, and b) it's not just plug-in portable equipment that needs to be tested (fridges aren't portable for instance, but need inspection/test).

As Pete says above, the correct term is ISITEE, and is governed by the code of practice. All is explained in there (well mostly all - it does leave a few things open).

Some hotels put hairdriers, trouser presses etc. on FCUs, but they are not part of the fixed wiring as such, and they need testing (or inspecting, as appropriate).

The deciding factor is not whether the item has a plug on or not.

I wish the term 'PAT test' had never been invented - I spend much time explaining things to people because of this!

 

[Dozer 73]

Yeh to be honest we refer to course as pat testing course too which is incorrect

 

[Pete999]

The problem is caused almost entirely by the term 'PAT testing'. a) much of it is inspection rather than test, and b) it's not just plug-in portable equipment that needs to be tested (fridges aren't portable for instance, but need inspection/test).

As Pete says above, the correct term is ISITEE, and is governed by the code of practice. All is explained in there (well mostly all - it does leave a few things open).

Some hotels put hairdriers, trouser presses etc. on FCUs, but they are not part of the fixed wiring as such, and they need testing (or inspecting, as appropriate).

The deciding factor is not whether the item has a plug on or not.

I wish the term 'PAT test' had never been invented - I spend much time explaining things to people because of this!

Refer to part 5 of the CoP for types of equipment, the equipment does not need to be plugged in to be tested, I would suggest to those in doubt read the CoP and inwardly digest.

 

[DPG]

Yep I agree there Pete.

 

[westward10]

The ISITEE is not a statutory document but those listed in #8 are and how you comply may lead you to this CoP.

 

[DPG]

The ISITEE is not a statutory document but those listed in #8 are and how you comply may lead you to this CoP.

Not statutory, but highly recommended to use it for guidance.

 

[Toneyz]

Got to agree the word PAT has confused the situation not just to us but the general public. Apart from any appliance with a plug on it ,please give me an idea how practically the testing is undertaken for example a wall mounted hand dryer ,heater and trouser press in hotel room.

 

[Dozer 73]

Read through the link in one of above threads , code of practise for in service inspection and testing of electrical equipment
It would involve disconnecting in spur say and test with adapter to you pat test machine , that way it gets stored with all your other equipments information if you have an advanced pat tester
Or old school , ins res test and earth cont , visual , but keep records of tests , model test sheets are in the book
Basically a real ball ache , something we are avoiding , keeps you in work I suppose