PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING IN UAE
EIWAA Offshore and Marine provides certified Portable Appliances Testing Services (PAT), megger testing, and insulation resistance testing. We provide electrical safety inspection of earth, voltage, continuity, and ground resistance testing in UAE .Portable appliance testing, or PAT, is the process of visually inspecting and electrically testing portable electrical equipment used in commercial, industrial, or public access areas and locations (including rented property) to make sure it is safe to use and couldn’t pose an electrical risk to the operator or anyone nearby. Testing portable appliances is a set of procedures that, when combined, are intended to find any flaws or product defects that could otherwise go undetected. Regular safety checkups of electrical equipment tend to extend the equipment’s operating life in addition to safeguarding personnel.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY INSPECTION IN UAE
Electrical Safety Inspection or In-service inspection/testing of electrical equipment is the standard phrase for the procedure. The majority of electrical safety faults can be identified visually; however, some issues can only be identified by testing. But it’s important to realize that visual inspection is a crucial step in the process because testing alone can’t identify all electrical safety flaws. The idea that all portable electrical equipment in low-risk settings, such offices, must undergo an annual portable appliance test (PAT) is untrue. The law doesn’t specify what must be done or how frequently; it only mandates that employers make sure electrical equipment is maintained to avoid hazards.
- IET Code of Practice for Electrical Equipment In-Service Inspection and Testing, Fifth Edition, 2020
- BS 7671: IET Wiring Regulations: Electrical Installation Requirements (Latest: 18th Edition, Amendment 2: 2022)
- Low Voltage Electrical Installations (IEC 60364 Series)
- IEC 60364-6:2016: Testing and Verification
- The IEC 61010 and IEC 61557 series cover testing tools used in PAT, including earth and insulation testers.
ELECTRICAL CONITUITY TESTING
Earth bond/continuity tests are only applicable to Class I equipment and are used to verify the presence of a safe return channel. The test is designed to check that the ground terminal connects to the appliance’s conductive metal housing with low resistance. A proper connection to the system ground within the fixed installation of the premises ensures safety. Testing is performed with an ohmmeter or a PAT tester. Using a PAT tester in the following conditions:
- 12V maximum, test current range 100mA to 200mA, often known as "earth continuity test" or "screen test"
- 12V maximum, test current 10A, often known as "routine test"
- 12V maximum, 1.5 times rated current of appliances or test current 25A, often known as "type or bond test"
The earth pin of the plug (or earth/ground-terminal of the supply) and exposed conductive elements of the equipment should be connected to a short circuit test current of 20–200 mA in order to evaluate continuity. To conduct this test, the earth bond lead is utilized. The asset supply cable should be flexed to determine the maximum resistance, and the power cable terminations at both ends should be visually inspected. To find the cause, every variation in the reading should be examined. Earth connections that could exist for functional rather than safety reasons are not at risk of being damaged because the test current is so low. Another name for this low-current test is a “soft test.”