PAT Tester Buyers Guide

We here at Test Meter know that choosing the right PAT Tester can be more than a little daunting. No matter your level of experience, the sheer amount of features, functions and accessories on offer can leave you feeling more confused than ever. With a wide range of products to select from, we aim to make this process as simple as possible whilst still providing you with all the information you need to avoid the cost of outsourcing.

For example every PAT Tester we offer, at the very least, performs the necessary mandatory tests recommended within the IET's Code of Practice. From simple pass/fail appliance checkers to more industrial solutions, from leading manufacturers such as Seaward, Kewtech, Metrel & Megger, this buyers guide will find the right PAT tester for you.

Contents

Questions You Need to Ask Yourself

Choosing the right PAT Testers can seem daunting, but it can be made much easier by asking yourself a few basic questions. Considering the questions below will quickly narrow down the vast range to just a few options:

What is my budget?

The first of which is of course, how much do I want to spend? If you only need a simple Pass/Fail unit for a handful of PAT tests, chances are you don't really need to be dropping thousands of pounds on all the extra bells and whistles. Likewise, it could be that spending that bit more initially will save time and hassle in the long wrong which could save you time and avoid buying twice. You can filter buy price if this helps on our PAT Testers category page

Hints:

• Budget of £200 - £500
  See section 1 | section 2 | section 3
• Budget of £500 - £1000
  See section 2 | section 3 | section 4
• Budget of £1000+
  See section 4

Volume of PAT testing?

Next up, try and consider how many appliances you will need to test and how often? Are you working with a few electrical appliances once a year, or are you testing appliances on a regular or daily basis? The right model for a landlord annually checking household appliances would certainly not be the right model for a full time PAT contractor or a Duty Holder operating within a large manufacturing plant or school. The answer to this question will inevitably assist with decisions concerning features you will need and potentially help dictate the budget needed also.

Hints:

• Less than 100 tests p.a.
  See section 1
• 100-500 tests p.a.
  See section 1 | section 3
• 500-1500 tests p.a.
  See section 3 | section 4
• More than 1500 tests p.a.
  Section 4 recommended

Battery powered and portable OR mains powered and stationary?

Ask yourself whether the environment(s) you are testing within lends itself to testing appliances where they are operated or does it make better sense to gather them and perform tests in one location.

As a contractor you would almost certainly want a battery powered and portable PAT tester as you never know what the environment would dictate. As speed of testing and portability to adapt to working environments has become increasingly important most PAT testers are now battery powered. But there are still excellent mains powered testers available, ideal for workshops and other areas where testing is carried out from one location. Some battery powered testers will have the ability to perform some mains operated tests such as Earth Leakage tests and RCD testing when connected to a mains supply.

Hints:

• Battery powered only
  See section 1
• Battery/Mains and Mains powered
  See section 2
• Battery powered and Battery/Mains
  See section 3
• Battery/Mains and Mains powered
  See section 4

How should I record my test results?

Remember, PAT testing is all about traceability. If you are offering PAT testing as a service, then your client will almost certainly require a report of the testing. Basically, PAT testing involves a lot of data capturing. PAT results and appliance info is typically logged either by hand (using pen and paper), manually entered into a PAT testing phone app (more info below) or downloaded from some PAT tester models onto a computer or App. The last option will save a significant amount of time and could further speed up re-testing appliances using scanners and printers.

As this option will, to a varying degree, impact budget it should really be considered next to the question regarding volume of testing. So, for instance, if you are testing less than 100 appliances annually the additional cost of a downloadable tester is not likely to ever pay for itself. But on the other hand, if you are testing several hundreds or certainly 1000+ appliance annually then a downloadable solution is likely to save time, provide better traceability/reports and could speed up re-testing significantly.

Hints:

• Manual PAT testers
  See sections section 1 | section 2
• Basic downloading PAT testers
  See section 3
• Advanced downloading PAT testers with printer/scanner options
  See section 4

What else should I consider?

You may have a requirement to perform a certain test such as insulation testing for surge protected extension leads, Load/Run testing that powers up and measure earth leakage on either 230V or 110V appliance, Flash testing (although this is no longer recommended for in-service testing), testing of portable RCD’s or something entirely different.

Hints:

• Earth Continuity and Insulation Testing only
  See section 1 | section 3
• 230V Earth Leakage Testing
  See section 2 | section 3 | section 4
• Flash Testing
  See section 2 | section 4
• RCD Testing
  See section 2 | section 3 | section 4
• 110V Run/Leakage Testing
  See section 2 | section 3 | section 4

Qs When Buying a PAT Tester

• Qs When Buying a PAT Tester

Section 1: Basic Entry-Level PAT Testers

PAC vs PAT?

Perhaps you only need a tester for a small list of appliances and need something that is extremely easy to operate even with basic training? We hear this often from the likes of charities, shops or DJ’s looking to test their own equipment. Is it enough to know if the device under test has either passed or failed without logging or interpreting a test reading? PAC checkers are a simple, affordable solution which offer only the necessary essentials. However that isn't to say there aren't several low cost PAT Testers which are still ideal for novice users and low testing volumes. These may feature more testing functions such as 250V insulation resistance tests (used for surge protected leads and some IT equipment) and displays test readings that can be kept for record keeping. Using a PAT tester that provides test readings can be especially important if you are testing longer extension leads or appliances with long cables where the Pass/Fail limit on the earth continuity test is variable depending on the length and thickness of the cable.

* Prices displayed exclude VAT and may have changed since this article was written

Section 2: Mid-Level PAT Testers

For some, a basic PAC Checker or PAT tester simply won't do. The next level up of “Mid-Level” PAT testers boasts several highly useful features that may be required such as mains powered leakage testing, test lead nulling & RCD trip testing, alongside performing all the necessary tasks of the basic PAT Tester and PAC Checker models. These testers are often hybrids between battery powered and mains powered providing you with the best of both: a portable battery powered tester that performs the basic testing and when/if needed, performs mains operated tests by connecting the tester a mains supply. Some Mid-Level PAT testers will even perform 110V powered leakage tests as well as 230V provided they are connected to the corresponding power supply.

Testers for Workshop Environments

If you are testing within a workshop, or other industrial environments, you may want to consider a mains powered dual-voltage PAT Tester. These are not designed for portable use but for fast and accurate appliance testing in a harsher working environment that often incorporates both 230V and 110V tools. There are both manual (PAT300 series) and downloadable (PAT400 series) options available.

* Prices displayed exclude VAT and may have changed since this article was written

Section 3: Mid-Level Downloadable PAT Testers

Downloadable vs Non-Downloadable?

Naturally, a large part of PAT Testing is logging data for traceability purposes, however this task is often far more time consuming than the visual inspections and testing components themselves. Ask yourself, could a PAT tester with storage and downloading or App compatibility features save enough of your time to make it worth considering? How many tests are you performing? Is there an ever increasing mountain of physical records? Perhaps you would simply prefer to have a tester that can store, download or transfer test results and appliance data to keep your records digital? These basic or mid-range downloadable PAT testers are ideal solutions for maintaining and cataloguing data whilst conserving on pen & paper records and ultimately, vastly reducing the time you spend recording PAT information. Please see further down for our range of Advanced Downloadable PAT Solutions.

* Prices displayed exclude VAT and may have changed since this article was written

Section 4: High-Level PAT Testers

Advanced Downloadable PAT Solutions

If you are testing large numbers of appliances and require maximum speed and traceability along with advanced reporting capabilities then you may want to consider a more advanced PAT tester with download facilities. At this level, data management and asset datalogging become high priorities for any operator, as such internal memory and compatibility with label printers & barcode scanners are often much sought after necessities. PAT Labels printers with barcode/QR code scanners can streamline the process by allowing the operator to scan appliances previously tested and speed up the re-testing process by not having to re-enter the appliance information. Duty Holders for example, can with some PAT solutions, scan QR codes on assets to instantly view information if its electrical safety status using a free phone app.

When a job involves high volume testing these types of units are the ideal solution and spending extra on the tester, printer/scanner, software is likely to provide a good return on investment by accounting for time saved while operating professional PAT equipment. Some of these testers differentiate by size, portability, dependency of phone app to operate, built-in camera, 110V operation, flash testing, risk based retest calculators and much more. Again, above all, do consider the environment of where you will be working. Some types of PAT testers are not designed to be easily portable, but used in a fixed location where others are battery powered and communicate with printers and scanners wirelessly. You may also consider the cost need for PAT testing software and potentially ongoing associated costs.

* scanner required

**printer and scanner required

PAT Training & Calibration

Regular, planned inspections and testing of portable electrical equipment is proven to save lives and reduce costs. Notably, these important periodic safety checks can be performed by personnel with minimal to zero PAT Testing experience. All one really needs is a common sense approach to safety however, there are many online and in-person courses which offer more advanced guidance which may be important to you.

It is up to the individual to determine the amount of PAT Testing required. By considering usage, type and the environment of the equipment in question, a proportionate risk-based schedule can be created. With this in mind, it may become clear that some level of training would be appropriate.

Calibration is another vital facet of PAT Testing as annual servicing is the best way to ensure that your equipment is still providing accurate results. The Test-Meter team includes a skilled calibration department able to provide a speedy turnaround, keeping downtime to an absolute minimum.

For full rules and regulations, pick up a copy of the IET Code of Practice: Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment 5th Edition or to book a calibration please click here.

Recording Results

For those who do not have a downloadable tester or for those who simply prefer keeping physical logs, there are many solutions on offer to help manage all the necessary PAT Testing data. PAT Certificate Pads and PAT Register Books are purposefully designed to help record every formal visual & tested inspection detail.

Many of these pads will include helpful features such as example certificates pre-completed, suggested inspection frequencies, testing tables, test limits or the ability to produce carbon copies underneath each page. Portable and with the space for recording earth, insulation, leakage test results & much more alongside a PASS or FAIL status, PAT pads are a simple and affordable accessory suitable for many entry level PAT Testers.

PAT Testing Apps

Would you like the option to create professional PDF reports, scan barcodes or display PAT records directly on your personal smart device? Well good news, there's an App for that! To be more precise there are several, as many of the biggest manufacturers boast their own PAT Tester compatible App for iOS or Android, for example:

• Seaward PATmobile App
• KEWPAT App
• Metrel PATLink App

To discover which PAT Testers are compatible with an App please consult the comparison tables above.

These Apps provide a wealth of different functions in addition to storing all of your collected PAT testing data. Some of these incorporated features include the ability to share results with customers, print labels, create custom automatic test sequences or even act as a remote control for your device. For transferring data or amending and annotating results wirelessly, PAT Testing Apps are the ideal solution.

Further Information

For more detail concerning any of the above PAT Testers, or for additional advice from our expert support, please contact us at 0113 248 9966 or drop us a message here.