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Portable Appliance Testing is the testing of electrical equipment used to make sure it is safe for use. It is often referred to as PAT Testing. PAT Testing is a legal requirement for any qualifying appliances that are used in public areas, including places of work. Portable appliance testing can either be performed by experts, and many companies offer expert testers, or it can be done by business in-house. You do not have to be qualified to perform your testing, although some training is recommended.
Portable Appliance Testers are the instruments that are used to test portable appliances. There are a number of different types of testers available from the most basic ones that don't require expertise to more advanced alternatives.
Pass/Fail tester are the most basic portable appliance testers on the market. The result they produce is simply either pass or fail, and they are the cheapest option. They do not give any other information other than this simple result. They are mainly aimed at those without expertise in PAT testing; mainly business performing their own in-house testing. You don't have to be highly skilled to use a Pass/Fail tester.
More advanced testers that give much more information are available though. Their use requires a higher skills level and it is recommended that they are used by those who are sufficiently qualified. As well as telling the user if the product has passed or failed, advances testers give more specific readings. These included earth continuity resistance, a fuse test and lead polarity.
As well as being different level of testers, there are also different ways that they run; namely battery powered, mains powered, and computerised testers.
Battery powered testers are quick and easy to use. As they do not need to be connected to a mains and they are the most portable option. They are useful if you are testing many appliances in different places.
Mains powered testers tend to be used in places such as office (including IT equipment), hotels, schools and factories. With these labels can usually be printed out that say whether the item has passed or failed, with a date stamp detailing when it needs to be tested again.
Computerised testers are useful if you want to store the data detailing the testing results. They can be connected to a PC or laptop, so data can be easily stored and analysed.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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