Stevie C.
Helping make your event The Place To Be
Technical services & crew for events & theatre.
Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
(In-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment)
I specialise in testing theatrical and gig/events equipment; I split my time between Dundee & Angus and Woking & Weybridge.
Is PAT a legal requirement?
No - but under the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989: employers, landlords, venue owners, suppliers and hire companies have a duty of care to ensure the safety of their employees, tenants, customers and the public who use or come into contact with their electrical appliances/cabling. Insurance companies may also require regular testing of insured equipment.
A PAT test is therefore the best way to ensure that electrical equipment is in safe working order.
Added Value
PAT is not just about maintaining electrical safety and Health & Safety compliance. Having your equipment regularly tested can aid in the reduction of risk to you or people you are responsible for. A PAT test done properly can also ensure functionality of equipment and flag assets that while not unsafe, may still require service to return them to full working order.
The PAT Process
As part of the Portable Appliance Testing process, I will: visually inspect and perform the relevant electrical tests on your equipment, label them accordingly with pass/fail stickers, and issue you with a PDF log of test data for your records upon full payment. I can advise on repairs and/or carry out minor repairs* on-site (plug replacement/rewiring, fuse replacements, appliance rewires etc); see price info below.
There may be limitations to the tests carried out. Examples of limitations include: wiring that is not practicable to inspect (eg installed in a cabinet), integrated appliances (eg microwave), items that cannot be safely powered on in test conditions (eg welder) or items whose power loads are operated by a micro-controller and not in-circuit during test conditions (eg washing machine). Any limitations and advisories will be noted in the report.
What I won’t do: chop off theatre-specific BS546 15A plugs, slap on as many stickers to things that do not require testing, conduct touch leakage tests with the probe disconnected, fail something without a valid reason or pass something that’s obviously unsafe to use. I’ve witnessed all the above from test technicians who really should know better.
Pricing
I charge £30/hour for testing large amounts of equipment, this includes local area call-out, minor repair work* and re-tests.
I charge £50/hour for last-minute call-outs (booked with less than 14 days notice).
I can charge £2.50/item plus a callout fee if you have literally one or two items that need testing.
* Plugs, fuses and other consumables billed separately.
I compete on quality of work and attention to detail, not price.
Am I Insured & Legit?
Yes. £1,000,000 Public Liability & £100,000 Professional Indemnity.
I’m registered self-employed, my test instrument is calibrated annually and I work to the C.O.P. V5.
What needs tested
“Portable Appliance” is a bit of a misnomer. A washing machine isn’t exactly portable, but would still qualify for PAT. The best rule of thumb is: if it has a plug on it or it is designed to be moved; it needs tested. How often depends on environmental and usage factors.
The test schedule is ultimately decided upon by the duty holder or owner of the equipment. Construction site tools will have a much harder life than an extension lead used by a DJ, which in turn will have a much harder life than a desktop PC in an office; therefore the test frequency should reflect the working environment & conditions of the equipment.
Items that require PAT testing include (but are not limited to):
desktop computers, servers, monitors, printers, scanners, laminators, shredders, amplifiers, powered speakers, laptop power supplies, extension leads, adaptors, transformers, power cables, IEC/Powercon links, oscilloscopes, bench power supplies, fume hoods/extractors, DJ mixers, turntables, CD players, phone chargers, projectors, video walls/televisions (TVs), DVD/Laserdisc/VCRs, AV receivers, fans, heaters, lighting controllers/desks, disco lights, smoke/bubble/snow machines, DMX buffers, PAR cans, spotlights, fairy lights, love letter lights, selfie booths, ballasts, followspots, dimmer packs, rotators, moving heads, strobes, lasers, rack-mount processors, reverb/effects units, wall-warts, soldering irons, glue guns, heat guns, sewing machines, pressure washers, festoon harnesses, work lights, floodlights, PCE distribution boxes, binos/spiders, kettles, urns, toasters, microwave ovens, hotplates, fridges, freezers, glass washers, cash registers/POS units, beer coolers, dehumidifiers, UV note scanners, lawnmowers, power tools, desk lamps, stereos, electric grills, air fryers, portable hobs/stoves, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, bug zappers/insectocutors, water pumps, macerators, air filters, ozone generators, vending machines, fruit/pinball machines, jukeboxes …
Visual Fail Examples
The connections in a 16A CEE plug were poorly made and loose. This leads to arcing and heating effects; the earth connection cannot be relied upon in a fault condition.
The outer insulation has failed and the primary earth insulation has worn away exposing copper.
The plug has cracked, exposing live copper parts.
Electrical Fail Examples
The cord grip is incorrectly fitted and rubbing on the primary insulation; the terminals are loose which has led to arcing and heating effects, damaging the wires and increasing the risk of fire.
This plug-in RCD/GFCI has failed to trip in a timely manner; it would therefore not remove mains power in the event of a fault nor would it prevent electric shock or electrocution.
This 16A CEE has been submerged under water, allowing moisture ingress which caused an RCD to nuisance-trip. An insulation resistance test confirms this; as repeated tests cause the value to creep up.
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Electronics design & repair and PAT Testing for events, theatre & small businesses. Serving Dundee, Angus, Glasgow, Twickenham, Woking & Weybridge.