PAT Testing. Don't you just love it :-(

[JohnW2]

At least they got the polarity right

Well, at one end of the cable, at least

Kind Regards, John.

 

[SimonH2]

Well done. Some one who takes off the plug top to check. So many just look at fuse colour in window and don't open it unless the flex has pulled out of grips.

When I did my "Toytown PAT course" which "qualifies" me to do PATs, one of the tips given is to open up the plug and inspect the internals, then put a "Fitted with nnA fuse" sticker across the screw. Next time, if the sticker is intact, and the cord is still in the grips with no sign of having been pulled out, then it's a reasonable assumption that the internals haven't been messed with and you can skip opening up the plug to check.
I'd be dubious of doing this in general, but since I'm the only one in the office qualified to do it, and I can recognise my own writing on the old label, I think it's reasonable.

I heard a lovely tale about PATs in the offices of a large computer manufacturer (not HAL) down on the south coast. OK, it goes back a couple of decades and moulded plugs still weren't the norm, but the guy doing the testing had in his instructions that he must open up the plug and check the terminations. Since he couldn't do this with moulded plugs, he chopped off the moulded plug and fitted a rewireable plug so he could follow his instructions This was a LOT of plugs since it was a large office and by this time computers (and related stuff) had already standardised on the 10A IEC inlets and came with fully moulded cords - great for manufacturers since the equipment is standard and they only have to include a country specific cord that they can buy in bulk for tuppence each.

 

[Spark123]

I think this one was cheaper than tuppence:

Untitled

• Spark123
• 24 Sep 2011
• 1

 

[Lectrician]

Good old IEC's - lol.

 

[Lectrician]

When I did my "Toytown PAT course" which "qualifies" me to do PATs, one of the tips given is to open up the plug and inspect the internals, then put a "Fitted with nnA fuse" sticker across the screw. Next time, if the sticker is intact, and the cord is still in the grips with no sign of having been pulled out, then it's a reasonable assumption that the internals haven't been messed with and you can skip opening up the plug to check.

The only thing with this is you are no longer checking terminals have not loosened due to vibration, heat etc.

 

[Spark123]

At least mine has a 13A BS1362 marked fuse in it , (although it doesn't have any ASTA or BS kitemark marking).

On another matter, just had to repair some lights where the manufacturer had tinned the wires before installing the plug and the screws have worked loose . One down and 7 to go.