More than 4 million household appliances have been recalled by manufacturers in the past four years with faults that include a risk of fire or electric shock, and yet the majority may still be in UK homes. The findings are reported in a study published by Electrical Safety First. Since [...]
It's hard to believe I've been working for myself for 5 years now; in some respects it seems like only yesterday, and in others it feels like 20 years but in October 2009 I set up my sole-trader business DRA Electricals. At the time I was living in Seaham, Co. [...]
An RCD, or residual current device, is a life-saving device which is designed to prevent you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live, such as a bare wire. It can also provide some protection against electrical fires. In the event of a fault the RCD will [...]
The BS 1363 Plug British Standard BS 1363 specifies the type of mains power plug and socket most commonly used in the United Kingdom. It is more commonly known as the 13 amp plug. The BS 1363 is considered to be one of the safest domestic power-connector systems in the [...]
Seaward PAT Testers This article about us was published in the Seaward industry news issue 36 in August 2014. Versatile electrical safety testing instrumentation is helping a specialist UK PAT company to grow by putting the emphasis on an all round preventative maintenance service. The Tyneside based DRA Electricals has [...]
Another report of a house fire highlights the dangers of overloading of electrical extension leads. Fire crews in Coventry were called to a property in the city when smoke was seen coming from one of the bedrooms. Whilst the house was unoccupied at the time, a number of pet reptiles [...]
How to wire a plug How to wire a plug - this article is intended to guide you in wiring a plug or rewiring a plug, so that when you have to change a plug at home or work you know how to do it correctly. In the [...]
Choosing the right fuse These days, all appliance plugs contain fuses that are normally rated at 3, 5 or 13 amp, depending on the wattage of the appliance. The fuse is intended to protect the appliance. An appliance that's rated up to 700 watts should be [...]
The initial stage of PAT testing is the formal visual inspection; this formal visual inspection should only be carried out by a person competent to do so. The results of the inspection must be documented Conducting a Visual Inspection When conducting the visual inspection the engineer must consider the [...]
The North East's leading IT Equipment PAT Testers Providing PAT testing of IT Equipment in the North East Book your PAT testing now PAT testing IT Equipment PAT testing IT equipment in offices is our specialist area; we use equipment intended for testing [...]
