Fixed Appliance Testing
Fixed appliances, often forgotten about, need testing too.
Fixed appliance testing of installed electrical equipment is something that is often forgotten about, but is just as important as portable appliance testing, may be even more so.
Why is it forgotten about?
Because there has been a long drawn out discussion about who should be testing them… electricians testing the mains wiring, doing the EICR check the fuses and the wiring up to the point where the wiring ends at the switches and sockets but they do not test the actual appliances, so as far as they are concerned, the appliances have to be tested by someone else. Whilst the PAT tester in most cases is only trained to test the appliance that can be unplugged. Appliances that are hard wired, are a whole other ball game, that most PAT engineers are not competent to maintain.
What’s involved in fixed appliance testing?
A PAT engineer cable of testing a fixed appliance must be competent to do so – he must have attended a course on the subject and be comfortable with the process, which includes turning off the mains power supply, securing the system and providing the switch is dead before opening it up and removing wires.
The wires from the appliance need removing from the spur and connecting to a unit cable of assisting the test, such as a quick test connector safety block.
The appliance would then be tested in the same way as a portable appliance, before everything has to be put back in the correct way, the fuse unit connected back to the wall, and the power put back on.
The whole process as you can imagine, takes a lot longer than a standard PAT test, so normal rules for pricing do not apply. You won’t get this done for a pound an item.
We are able to test fixed appliances and will visit your workplace, rental property, etc. to test them but you need to be aware of this complication before hiring us:
- The mains power will need to be turned off to run the tests – we’re not sticking our fingers in any live circuits!
So many clients, especially those running a business from the premises prefer this work to be carried out when they’re not working – bank holidays and weekends for example.
So you are aware; if you already use us and are thinking, we’ve not done this, no, we probably haven’t, but if you have fixed appliances we will have talked through the options with you. We always do a visual inspection on your fixed appliances, and check the earth continuity, when we’re doing the PAT tests, as they can both be done whilst the appliance is live, but when it comes to doing the full test that has to be done on a dead unit, hence the additional measures.
If you want to discuss getting your fixed appliance testing done contact us, the details are below.
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Great service, very quick and easy to book. Very understanding when I needed more things testing than originally expected. Friendly and chatty staff. Will definatley be using them again.
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We used DRA Pat testing for the first time recently, they were very competitively priced and very professional. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone in the future and have already arranged next years PAT test to be done by them.
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DRA provided an efficient and professional service for our PAT testing. They managed to work around everyone in the office and didn’t cause any inconvenience. We definately have no hesitation of using their services on an ongoing basis
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These guys were recommended to us and they came in recently to do the PAT Testing. The service was first class and report very professionally presented in an easy to understand format. It is rare I give 5 stars in a review however in this case it is thoroughly deserved and would recommend DRA PAT Testing Limited to any organisation
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We are very impressed with your service, everything very professional and as you promised. As a small business we find it hard to find reliable companies to deal with, it makes a refreshing change to come across a company with similar ideals to us – a fair job at a fair price with pleasant employees and proper paperwork!
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We always use DRA Electricals for our office. I would highly recommend these guys to any business. Very professional service and friendly! We had our PAT Testing done.
Thanks guys
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Excellent, friendly and efficient service. We have a lot of staff that work flexibly and Richard was happy to pop back at a later date to test their equipment which we hadn’t initially mentioned. Would recommend DRA pat testing to any organisation that needs PAT testing carried out.
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Have used DRA PAT Testing for a number of years now. Hassle free, brilliant service. Provides reminders as to when your testing is due which is helpful. Has also informed me in the past that some items aren’t annually tested – saving me money rather than just going ahead and doing it. Excellent friendly service
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Have used Richard and DRA for a number of years now, every time giving first class service and efficiency. He is punctual with timing, very flexible with any needs or requirements and won’t try to add any extras or unnecessary work to what is required. I have no hesitation in recommending him and will be using his services in the future.
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Richard and his team completed our PAT testing last week in lightning speed; punctual, polite, great value and very efficient – I highly recommend DRA Electricals.
About our Fixed Appliance Testing service
- Our fixed appliance testing engineers are experienced and qualified with City & Guilds 2377
- Our engineers are checked by DBS
- We will perform the full range of tests as recommended by the The Institute of Electrical Engineers Code of Practice
- A full Fixed Appliance Testing Report including certificate and detailed test results, issued as a pdf document.
- We are registered members of the Portable Appliance Testing Trade Association (PATTA)
- If you would like a Fixed Appliance Testing quotation, please complete the form below
- We also carry out Electrical Installation Condition Reports and PAT Testing.
Why you need fixed appliances testing
Fixed appliances are an an electrical risk often neglected by business owners and landlords, but it is just as important to test them as it is to test a portable appliance.
In our homes and workplaces we all take it for granted that appliances we use every day such as cookers, extractor hoods and hand-driers are safe as houses, and we never think about them until something goes wrong. As with any portable electrical item a fixed one in regular use is affected by general wear and tear so needs periodically testing to make sure it is still ok to use.
Therefore, from a Health and Safety perspective, regular electrical testing of all electrical appliances cannot be emphasised enough.
Consider this fact; faulty fixed electrical appliances can kill you if they are not repaired, and the majority of them never get tested. How would you feel if you let a property with a dangerous cooker in, that hurts or kills the tenant, and you know you could have done something about it earlier? Don’t take that chance.
Approximately 1000 work related electrical accidents are reported to the Health and Safety Executive every year, and around 30 people die from their injuries.
All businesses should be controlling its electrical risks by ensuring it has a managed programme for inspecting and testing both portable and fixed electrical appliances. This in turn greatly reduces the risk of accidents or fires from occurring as there is a much higher chance of faults being found and being rectified before they become a major issue.
What is a fixed electrical appliance?
A fixed electrical appliance is an appliance which has been connected to the mains electricity supply via a fused connection unit (spur) to which the flex has been permanently connected, rather than by using a plug and socket system. Examples of fixed appliances are below.
Fixed Appliance Testing enquiry form
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