A Few Questions About Pat Testing

[Dynamicdiscos 0]

Ok I am careful about safety and do visually check over and service my equipment periodically but this whole thing about PAT test does all seem a bit of a farse.

 

Firstly a lot of other DJ's I have spoken to tell me that lots of venues require you to provide a PAT test certificate. While I can honestly say in 10 years I have never been asked once to show this. But do half of these venues actually know what they are looking for on a certificate? And when you show your certificate which part do you show, the actual certificate or the Audit sheet with the Earth leakage, polarity check results on?

 

Secondly I understand any competant person can perform a PAT testing so as far as I can see I am permitted to buy a PAT tester to PAT test my own equipment and provide my own certificate. Is this correct or is there an official registered body that provide training in pat testing before you are allowed to PAT test?

 

Thirdly When did you last have your PAT tester callibrated? and do you have to provide this callibration certificate for the venue as well? It seems to me that you could go on forever with this ridiculous farse, making sure your PAT tester was tested with a Pat tester, tester and that your PAT tester, tester was tested with a PAT tester, tester tester :rant: Sorry for the sarcasm but such a thing does exist.

 

As much as I HATE bureaucracy I am going to get properly PAT tested to be able to register with agencies ect. Even though according to the health and safety at work directive as log as...

 

1. I don't have employees using my equipment

2. I don't have public using my equipment

3. I am not hiring equipment

 

There is no legal requirement for me to actuall get Pat tested. :djurant:

Edited July 24, 2008 by Dynamicdiscos

[Dream Catchers 0]

No there is no regulatory body that you MUST be registered with.

There are certain things that make you "competent" though, these can be various methods, you can go on a course, you could be time served and qualified etc..

PAT testing with a PAT tester is not necessary but is more the norm, you can test with various meters and log the results manually.

As for a tester to be tested, any instrument that is being used for testing should be "calibrated" every year, when it is calibrated it is also tested for safety and seals are normally put on the tester stating when it was calibrated. Yes the instruments that are used for calibration are also tested and calibrated annually but you need not concern yourself about that.

If you have your own tester calibrated you will get a cert stating the calibrators used and their calibration dates, you only use this for your records.

I'm not sure about other manufacturers but I know my PAT certs have the details of my Seaward calibration date on them.

 

Jim

[Andy Westcott 0]

For your own safety, if you do intend to test your own gear, I'd recommend yo go on a course unless you really know what you are testing for, and how it is being done - that is, the currents being applied to what parts, and the voltages being applied, and to what parts.

[superstardeejay 0]

Mm yes we get a few items a year that have been damaged by PAT testers...either by testing the wrong class or testing too often.

 

 

[dj_dex 0]

I am qualified to perform PAT testing, did it during my real job for 10years, I borrow the tester from my company which means it's traceably calibrated. I don't give myself a certificate, I do carry my PAT records with me. I've found some frightening wiring during PAT testing for my work, but the only problems I've found with my gear were perfectly visible, normally the cord pulling from extensions exposing the inner cores, easily fixed.

 

If you've had equipment damaged by a PAT test they applied incorrect tests for the item, voltage selectors need to be checked and some switched mode power supplies are vulnerable, but generally the only tests really required are visual inspection, earth continuity and insulation resistance, with leakage current if the equipment can be run safely. There is a flash - high voltage test that I would never perform on my gear. I'm not perfect and in my early days I blew up a pc destined for outside the UK and set to 110V, my 240V tester killed it on the spot - DoH! :aa

[Welsh Audio Man 21 0]

I do agree that its worth taking the course if your not 100% competent... mainly for your own safety, not to mention the safety of others.

[Kingy 0]

I was doing some PAT testing last week and found a brand new item which had the wires in the plug reversed. It was a class II item and I only opened the plug to check the fuse value, the item would have worked correctly, but you EXPECT new goods to be wired correctly!!

[DJF 0]

i am a certified pat tester after attending a one day pat testing course in 2005,

 

i test my gear every year and my pat tester is borrowed off my old workplace and its callibrated every year,

 

i have only been asked twice for my certificate which i produce myself on my computer and it lists the number of items tested, the date tested and next due date.