A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant, cheaper
to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this more &
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a course??

According to this site; http://www.pat-testing.info/


No specific qualifications are required to under take the PAT testing,
rather that they must be competent to do so. However a City & Guilds
2377 - Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, qualification is
available. The City & Guilds 2377 course has been designed jointly by
the IEE and City & Guilds.

And

The IEE Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection and
testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where
appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having due
regard of their own safety and that of others. What should be considered
is that the 'danger' to be prevented, includes not just the dangers
which may arise during the testing procedure to the tester and others,
but also the dangers which may arise at a later date as a result of
using equipment which has not been effectively tested.

So, provided I know what I'm doing & understand how the equipment works,
do I need the course?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant, cheaper
to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this more &
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

According to this site; http://www.pat-testing.info/


No specific qualifications are required to under take the PAT testing,
rather that they must be competent to do so. However a City & Guilds
2377 - Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, qualification is
available. The City & Guilds 2377 course has been designed jointly by
the IEE and City & Guilds.

And

The IEE Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection and
testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where
appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having due
regard of their own safety and that of others. What should be considered
is that the 'danger' to be prevented, includes not just the dangers
which may arise during the testing procedure to the tester and others,
but also the dangers which may arise at a later date as a result of
using equipment which has not been effectively tested.

So, provided I know what I'm doing & understand how the equipment works,
do I need the course?


I'd say definitely, if only to cover you @rse in the unlikely event of
something going wrong. If you don't have a piece of paper, the insurance
could be very sticky about paying out, which leaves you with lawyers
queueing outside your door with papers to serve.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Although our gear at the talking newspaper studio was done by a bloke from
the council and all he had was a checklist and told us nobody needed any
qualifications but just the list.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"John Williamson" wrote in message
...
The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for them
(at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant, cheaper
to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this more & more
often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

According to this site; http://www.pat-testing.info/


No specific qualifications are required to under take the PAT testing,
rather that they must be competent to do so. However a City & Guilds
2377 - Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, qualification is
available. The City & Guilds 2377 course has been designed jointly by the
IEE and City & Guilds.

And

The IEE Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection and
testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where
appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having due
regard of their own safety and that of others. What should be considered
is that the 'danger' to be prevented, includes not just the dangers which
may arise during the testing procedure to the tester and others, but also
the dangers which may arise at a later date as a result of using
equipment which has not been effectively tested.

So, provided I know what I'm doing & understand how the equipment works,
do I need the course?


I'd say definitely, if only to cover you @rse in the unlikely event of
something going wrong. If you don't have a piece of paper, the insurance
could be very sticky about paying out, which leaves you with lawyers
queueing outside your door with papers to serve.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant,
cheaper to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this more
&
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

Unbeliever will be along shortly to call you a ****.

Personally I avoid PAT testing.

The rule of thumb with electricans is that you just run your fingers down
the flex to check it is OK and then you press the test button on the PAT
tester. Unless the machine says NO then it is a pass sticker on the
appliance. And most electricians have no idea what they are lookng for with
a PAT test.


--
Adam

* Sometimes I like to lay in my neighbours garden and pretend to be a
carrot *

ARWadsworth wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant,
cheaper to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding
this more &
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

Unbeliever will be along shortly to call you a ****.

I wouldn't do that, as they are useful on occasions - as for TMH...

Personally I avoid PAT testing.

The rule of thumb with electricans is that you just run your fingers
down the flex to check it is OK and then you press the test button on
the PAT tester. Unless the machine says NO then it is a pass sticker
on the appliance. And most electricians have no idea what they are
lookng for with a PAT test.

And if that applies to qualified electricians, what hope has TMH of knowing
what *he's* doing? Oops, he doesn't!

You must have one hell of a wicked streak in you Adam. LOL

Unbeliever wrote:
ARWadsworth wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant,
cheaper to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding
this more &
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper
in order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390
for a course??

Unbeliever will be along shortly to call you a ****.

I wouldn't do that, as they are useful on occasions - as for TMH...

Personally I avoid PAT testing.

The rule of thumb with electricans is that you just run your fingers
down the flex to check it is OK and then you press the test button on
the PAT tester. Unless the machine says NO then it is a pass sticker
on the appliance. And most electricians have no idea what they are
lookng for with a PAT test.

And if that applies to qualified electricians, what hope has TMH of
knowing what *he's* doing? Oops, he doesn't!

You must have one hell of a wicked streak in you Adam. LOL

I have, but the truth is proper electicians do not PAT test but they should
know how to.

I PAT tested 500 appliances last week! I have never seen the place where the
appliances were located. I phoned up a PAT tester to do the work and I stuck
£200 on top of his bill.


--
Adam

* Sometimes I like to lay in my neighbours garden and pretend to be a
carrot *

ARWadsworth wrote:

And most electricians have no idea what they are lookng for
with a PAT test.

I'm surprised, as the basic tests are not disimmilar to installation
testing.

I do the odd "pat" on my own stuff with a megger - eg insulation test and
end-end continuity, mostly on extention leads which get abused and the only
thing a megger cannot do is bang a big test current down them in isolation.

But, yes, I agree that visual inspection is half the battle and soemthing
anyone can do

Cheers,

Tim
--
Tim Watts

In article ,
ARWadsworth wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant,
cheaper to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this more
&
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

Unbeliever will be along shortly to call you a ****.

Personally I avoid PAT testing.

The rule of thumb with electricans is that you just run your fingers down
the flex to check it is OK and then you press the test button on the PAT
tester. Unless the machine says NO then it is a pass sticker on the
appliance. And most electricians have no idea what they are lookng for
with a PAT test.

you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the connections;
that means opening the plug.

I've been on a course and have the piece of paper.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.16

charles wrote:

you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the connections;
that means opening the plug.

Eh, aren't the majority of plugs moulded-on now? Concievably you could
check inside the fuseholder, but that'd be about it for most leads.

Andy Burns wrote:

charles wrote:

you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections;
that means opening the plug.

Eh, aren't the majority of plugs moulded-on now? Concievably you could
check inside the fuseholder, but that'd be about it for most leads.

True - but one of the "official" PAT inspections is to remove the fuse and
check it has a kitemark.

--
Tim Watts

In article ,
Andy Burns wrote:
charles wrote:

you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections; that means opening the plug.

Eh, aren't the majority of plugs moulded-on now? Concievably you could
check inside the fuseholder, but that'd be about it for most leads.

1. Some new items still have separate plugs. Nearly all the multi-outlet
splitters seem to have them and for these you should check the terminals at
the socket end, too.

2. older items will have plugs to check.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.16

In article ,
charles wrote:
you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections; that means opening the plug.

How often can you do that these days?

--
*Why do psychics have to ask you for your name? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Huge wrote:

On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
charles wrote:
you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections; that means opening the plug.

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.


It's true. I've never seen anyone do that other than a couple of colleagues
and myself who were trained but did it as a secondary role.

Which is rather disturbing...

--
Tim Watts

In article ,
Tim Watts wrote:
Huge wrote:

On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
charles wrote:
you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections; that means opening the plug.

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.


It's true. I've never seen anyone do that other than a couple of
colleagues and myself who were trained but did it as a secondary role.

Which is rather disturbing...

yes, considering that when I checked the extension cables in our theatre
this summer quite a number needed the screws on the pins tightening up.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.16

On 01/12/2011 09:40, Huge wrote:
On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman wrote:
In ,
wrote:
you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections; that means opening the plug.

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.

I have

In article ,
Newshound wrote:
On 01/12/2011 09:40, Huge wrote:
On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman wrote:
In ,
wrote:
you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections; that means opening the plug.

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.

I have

I would if it looked home fitted. Or the equipment was so old it likely
had been.

--
*Why is the word abbreviation so long? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Dec 1, 9:40*am, Huge wrote:
On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.

I've never re-employed a PAT tester who _didn't_ do it. The few times
I have to pay for this (I have my own meter, but sometimes I need
traceable paperwork) are on workshop equipment. By _far_ the most
likely fault is a cable pulling out of the strain relief on a plug.

In message
,
Andy Dingley writes
On Dec 1, 9:40*am, Huge wrote:
On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.

I've never re-employed a PAT tester who _didn't_ do it. The few times
I have to pay for this (I have my own meter, but sometimes I need
traceable paperwork) are on workshop equipment. By _far_ the most
likely fault is a cable pulling out of the strain relief on a plug.

And how often have you found that it wasn't the live that pulled away
first? I always understood that the live should be the shortest lead in
a plug, then the neutral and finally the earth lead should be as long as
practical so that it was the last to pull free. Having checked quite a
few, non moulded, plugs on new equipment it seems that anything goes
now.

--
Bill

On Thu, 1 Dec 2011 07:23:02 -0800 (PST), Andy Dingley
wrote:

On Dec 1, 9:40*am, Huge wrote:
On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.

I've never re-employed a PAT tester who _didn't_ do it. The few times
I have to pay for this (I have my own meter, but sometimes I need
traceable paperwork) are on workshop equipment. By _far_ the most
likely fault is a cable pulling out of the strain relief on a plug.

A fault fixed forever, or as near as dammit, nearly 30 years ago with
the MK safetyplug cable clamp, that's one of the reasons why they are
six times the price of 'the rest'

--

Huge wrote:
On 2011-12-01, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
charles wrote:
you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the
connections; that means opening the plug.

How often can you do that these days?

I have *never* seen a PAT tester do that.

I have seen it, once, I was most impressed. The guy also *fixed* any
obvious loose/frayed connection sort of problems.

--
Chris Green

On Nov 30, 10:36*pm, charles wrote:
In article ,
* *ARWadsworth wrote:









The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). *They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant,
cheaper to get someone like me in as & when needed. *I'm finding this more
&
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? *Quite happy to if necessary, but 80 to 390 for a
course??
Unbeliever will be along shortly to call you a ****.
Personally I avoid PAT testing.
The rule of thumb with electricans is that you just run your fingers down
the flex to check it is OK and then you press the test button on the PAT
tester. Unless the machine says NO then it is a pass sticker on the
appliance. And most electricians have no idea what they are lookng for
with a PAT test.

you've missed the most important bit. *Checking (visually) the connections;
*that means opening the plug.

I've been on a course and have the piece of paper.

Put some baccy in it.


--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.16

In message , charles
writes
In article ,
ARWadsworth wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant,
cheaper to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this more
&
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

Unbeliever will be along shortly to call you a ****.

Personally I avoid PAT testing.

The rule of thumb with electricans is that you just run your fingers down
the flex to check it is OK and then you press the test button on the PAT
tester. Unless the machine says NO then it is a pass sticker on the
appliance. And most electricians have no idea what they are lookng for
with a PAT test.

you've missed the most important bit. Checking (visually) the connections;
that means opening the plug.

I've been on a course and have the piece of paper.

And checking the correct fuse is fitted.
--
hugh

The Medway Handyman wrote:

A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant,
cheaper to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this
more & more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

According to this site; http://www.pat-testing.info/


No specific qualifications are required to under take the PAT
testing, rather that they must be competent to do so. However a City
& Guilds 2377 - Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment,
qualification is available. The City & Guilds 2377 course has been
designed jointly by the IEE and City & Guilds.

And

The IEE Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection
and testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where
appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having
due regard of their own safety and that of others. What should be
considered is that the 'danger' to be prevented, includes not just
the dangers which may arise during the testing procedure to the
tester and others, but also the dangers which may arise at a later
date as a result of using equipment which has not been effectively
tested.

So, provided I know what I'm doing & understand how the equipment
works, do I need the course?

Generally yes, if only to prove you're qualified when getting
contracts.

It may well also be a requirement of your third-party insurance.

I have C&G but because I haven't renewed it annually for 7 years our
school 'buys out' PAT testing too ...

--
Paul - xxx
"You know, all I wanna do is race .. and all I wanna do is win"
Mark Cavendish, World Champion 2011.

In message , The Medway Handyman
writes
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant, cheaper
to get someone like me in as & when needed. I'm finding this more &
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a
course??

According to this site; http://www.pat-testing.info/


No specific qualifications are required to under take the PAT testing,
rather that they must be competent to do so. However a City & Guilds
2377 - Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, qualification is
available. The City & Guilds 2377 course has been designed jointly by
the IEE and City & Guilds.

And

The IEE Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection and
testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where
appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having due
regard of their own safety and that of others. What should be
considered is that the 'danger' to be prevented, includes not just the
dangers which may arise during the testing procedure to the tester and
others, but also the dangers which may arise at a later date as a
result of using equipment which has not been effectively tested.

So, provided I know what I'm doing & understand how the equipment
works, do I need the course?


No you don't NEED to. Whether it would be prudent only you can judge.
--
hugh

On Nov 30, 8:51*pm, The Medway Handyman
wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). *They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant, cheaper
to get someone like me in as & when needed. *I'm finding this more &
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? *Quite happy to if necessary, but 80 to 390 for a course??

According to this site;http://www.pat-testing.info/

No specific qualifications are required to under take the PAT testing,
rather that they must be competent to do so. However a City & Guilds
2377 - Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, qualification is
available. The City & Guilds 2377 course has been designed jointly by
the IEE and City & Guilds.

And

The IEE Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection and
testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where
appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having due
regard of their own safety and that of others. What should be considered
is that the 'danger' to be prevented, includes not just the dangers
which may arise during the testing procedure to the tester and others,
but also the dangers which may arise at a later date as a result of
using equipment which has not been effectively tested.

So, provided I know what I'm doing & understand how the equipment works,
do I need the course?

If you need to ask (you have already shown that), then yes.
Competence includes remembering it is the IEEE (Institute of
Electrikill and Elechronic Engineers).

thirty-six wrote:

do I need the course?

If you need to ask (you have already shown that), then yes.
Competence includes remembering it is the IEEE (Institute of
Electrikill and Elechronic Engineers).

They are called the IET. They used to be called the IEE. They've *never*
been called the IEEE - someone else entirely.

--
Tim Watts

In article ,
Tim Watts wrote:
thirty-six wrote:

do I need the course?

If you need to ask (you have already shown that), then yes.
Competence includes remembering it is the IEEE (Institute of
Electrikill and Elechronic Engineers).

They are called the IET. They used to be called the IEE. They've *never*
been called the IEEE - someone else entirely.

from across the 'pond'

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.16

On 01/12/2011 08:34, charles wrote:
In ,
Tim wrote:
thirty-six wrote:

do I need the course?

If you need to ask (you have already shown that), then yes.
Competence includes remembering it is the IEEE (Institute of
Electrikill and Elechronic Engineers).

They are called the IET. They used to be called the IEE. They've *never*
been called the IEEE - someone else entirely.

from across the 'pond'

I threw an electrical appliance into a pond once. it went WEEEEEEE...

--

Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Dec 1, 2:06*am, thirty-six wrote:

If you need to ask (you have already shown that), *then yes.
Competence includes remembering it is the IEEE (Institute of
Electrikill and Elechronic Engineers).

That's a bit like one of those posts correcting someones' grammer or
there spelling.

On Dec 1, 3:25*pm, Andy Dingley wrote:
On Dec 1, 2:06*am, thirty-six wrote:

If you need to ask (you have already shown that), *then yes.
Competence includes remembering it is the IEEE (Institute of
Electrikill and Elechronic Engineers).

That's a bit like one of those posts correcting someones' grammer or
there spelling.

It is poetic, I'm allowed.

On Nov 30, 8:51*pm, The Medway Handyman
wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). *They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant, cheaper
to get someone like me in as & when needed.

It may be cheaper for them, in the long run, to get specific people
for specific jobs, rather than one size fits all.

MBQ

I've been told that the best way to test a PA is to take her out for dinner.

Gib Bogle wrote:
I've been told that the best way to test a PA is to take her out for
dinner.


:-)


--
Adam

* Sometimes I like to lay in my neighbours garden and pretend to be a
carrot *

On Nov 30, 8:51*pm, The Medway Handyman
wrote:
A regular customer (care home) has asked me to do the PA testing for
them (at my normal rates). *They have the test equipment.

(They used to have a full time maintenance guy, made redundant, cheaper
to get someone like me in as & when needed. *I'm finding this more &
more often in the current climate).

Anywho, do I need to pay to go on a course to get a piece of paper in
order to do so? *Quite happy to if necessary, but £80 to £390 for a course??

According to this site;http://www.pat-testing.info/

No specific qualifications are required to under take the PAT testing,
rather that they must be competent to do so. However a City & Guilds
2377 - Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, qualification is
available. The City & Guilds 2377 course has been designed jointly by
the IEE and City & Guilds.

And

The IEE Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection and
testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where
appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having due
regard of their own safety and that of others. What should be considered
is that the 'danger' to be prevented, includes not just the dangers
which may arise during the testing procedure to the tester and others,
but also the dangers which may arise at a later date as a result of
using equipment which has not been effectively tested.

So, provided I know what I'm doing & understand how the equipment works,
do I need the course?

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk
(theres a testing and test management exam)
when I done the course for Work I used a place in Tring. Done the
course and 2 exams in a day. Was easy for me but then I did study
electronics at uni

Martin