What is "PAT" - What does "PAT" stand for? 'PAT' is an acronym abbreviation shorthand or slang term that stands for 'Portable Appliance Testing' PAT is a process of inspecting and testing portable electrical appliances; a portable appliance is any electrical appliance that is powered from a plug and socket outlet. The PAT process involves visually inspecting an appliance, and carrying out a sequence of PAT tests using a test machine. You can [...]
Be careful not to overload extension leads Why the British Plug and Socket is what it is The British plug and socket is one of the greatest designs to have ever come into this wonderful world we all live in, and despite their being so many options available to help us many of us seem determined to overload our sockets with too many plugs, for no apparent reason at all, except maybe [...]
Fixed wire testing of main fuse board Need to get a price for your fuse board check but don't know how many circuits? When you want a quote for fixed wiring inspections (PIR / EICR etc) you'll be asked how many circuits you have, but if checking how many circuits you have totally baffles you then this article will prove useful. If you contact us for [...]
Why do we do PAT testing? Electrical appliances start off life perfectly safe, but over time they can deteriorate to such an extent that there is a real risk of electric shock to a user or the appliance catching fire. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) ensures electrical appliances are safe to be used (much like an MOT checks your car is safe to be driven). Here in the UK all workplaces must make sure electrical appliances are safe [...]
When you get PAT testing quotes you're going to come across many companies wanting to charge you for socket checks... Some national firms charge as much as £39.99 to look at your sockets, no different to how you do, and tell you that they're all fine or one has a crack - you don't need to pay for that. Checking sockets is not a formal part of PAT testing, but is part of [...]
User Checks What are User Checks? We're all responsible for our own health and safety, so it is essential before starting to use an electrical appliance you do your own User Checks. But what is a user check? It is a simple check of the appliance to make sure it looks safe to use.. Does the cable have any cuts? Is the plug in tact? Does anything look wrong? [...]
PAT Testing for Charity Shops What Charity Shops have to do when selling second hand electrical equipment Make sure appliances are safe If you are selling electrical goods in charity shops you need to make sure the appliance works, and is safe to use, before you sell it. It seems so obvious to us, and you probably, but you'll be surprised how many charity shops sell junk [...]
How often do I need to get PAT Testing done? How often do I need to get PAT Testing done is a topic for discussion on so many occasions, but our best advice is this - Keep it simple Most customers want to know how often PAT testing needs doing for the wrong reasons; it shouldn't be about how much money can be saved. A better question [...]
Have you heard about the PAT Testing Network's campaign to show customers what is NOT PAT Testing? The national standards organisation want to raise the profile of the appliance testing industry, illustrating the importance of good appliance testing over poor standards. Some naughty people out there are getting away with charging customers hard earned money for a poor service, and the people at the PTN want to show their customers what is happening. No one [...]
New legal requirements for landlords of rental properties From July 1st this year all private tenancies in England will need to ensure that electrical installations are inspected and tested by a qualified person before the tenancy begins. Under the new rules, the landlord will have to ensure that the installation is inspected and tested at least every five years. For existing tenancies, an electrical safety test will need to be [...]
