In this blog, you can see what work I have been doing and get some ideas for your own jobs. You can explore the reasoning behind the work I do.
Below you can see a distribution board that Arblec has recently installed in a large three bedroomed property.
You can also see some plastering work I have been doing - below is the picture before I started work and then you can see the results in the second picture.
 |  |
Just recently Arblec has been carrying out PAT Testing within Market Harborough.
PAT testing involves a visual inspection of the electrical items before connecting them to the specialist equipment so that they can be electrically tested. At the end of the testing process, a comprehensive report is provided which lists all items tested and whether they are fit for continued use or not..
Items I have tested recently include:
· Fridges
· Chiller cabinets
· Extension leads
· Cooling fans
· Movable halogen heaters
· Kettles
· Mobile disco equipment such as sound mixing equipment and laser lighting
The time spent on testing items varies due to their nature and how much time is needed to disconnect and reconnect. The paperwork is then processed back at my office and a report is with you shortly after the testing has finished.
The equipment used in PAT testing is readily portable so it would be easy for me to carry out PAT testing in central London or somewhere similar. For a quote and to discuss your particular requirements, contact Mark at Arblec.
PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING also known as PAT TESTING
PAT testing is the testing of electrical equipment used by the workforce of a particular company.
The objective of P.A.T. testing is to determine whether electrical equipment is fit for continued service or whether it needs repairing or replacement. Within a place of work, it is necessary for any piece of electrical equipment to be inspected including items such as photocopiers and coffee machines. P.A.T testing is beneficial for safety but it is not a guarantee because electical equipment can break down at different times for different reasons.
Once equipment has been tested, the results are recorded in the P.A.T. certificate. This incorporates an equipment register, a record of results and a faulty equipment register. You are given a bound copy for purposes of record keeping.
The "electricity at work" regulations from 1989 require that all electrical systems shall be maintained, so as to prevent, as far as is reasonably practicable, danger.
WHAT SHOULD BE TESTED?
All equipment that is portable or hand-held.
Equipment connected by means of a cable or cord to an outlet plate.
WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITES FOR ELECTRICAL SAFETY?
1) Users of electrical equipment (these responsibilities include their own user checks.)
2) Administrators who have responsibility for electrical maintenance. They may not have detailed technical knowledge.
3) The competent person who carries out the formal visual inspection as well as other inspections and tests.
4) Other responsible people within the business such as managers, building service managers or company directors.
P.A.T. testing is a service that ARBLEC provides at a competitive rate. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Change your fuse board for a new one. Why?
Old fuse boards are not capable of distributing power around the property safely.
Circuits that were put in over 30 years ago were never designed for today's needs and power demands.
Many of these electrical circuits have had extra bits added without correct testing. The result is that hot spots appear in cables, especially under floors and loft insulation, which can lead to electrical fires starting.
If electrical wiring is too long or of the incorrect size, the circuit breakers will not operate within the required time, in order to protect your property and your life.
As part of changing an old fuse board, all circuits connected to it must be inspected and tested to prove they are in working order.
The earthing cables to many old fuse boards are incorrect for today's needs and in the event of an electrical fault do not have the capacity to handle electrical current without melting.
If you have a distribution board in your property similar to the one shown below or are uncertain in any way contact ARBLEC.
Question
So what protects human life, whether at home or work, from electric shock.
Answers
1) The positioning of electrical items.
2) The earthing and insulation of all electrical cables and items.
3) The correct earthing of all metal work and pipe work such as gas ,oil, water and central heating systems.
4) And the all important residual current device or RCD. All new circuits and alterations are required by law to have one fitted. A residual current device constantly checks for in-balance in the power cable. This means that if even a small amount of electric current leaks to earth or through you to earth, it trips the power off within a maximum of 40 milliseconds and can be reset manually. This is a picture of one type of RCD device.
Why not look at it another way? If water was leaking out of a garden hosepipe, you would turn the water off. Well this device turns the electricity off in the blink of an eye, if it tries to go anywhere it is not supposed to.
A fuse of any type in any electrical circuit or item such as ab iron table lamp, washing machine or kettle is only there to protect the electrical cable from being overloaded in the event of the the equipment becoming faulty.
The purpose of a fuse is not to protect human life.
It is possible to receive an electrical shock powerful enough to stop your heart from beating and not have a fuse blow or break the circuit.
This picture shows some of the different types of fuse found in an ordinary home. There are many other different types.
If there is no fuse or the wrong rating of fuse is used in relation to the size of the cable, then the cable will become hot, eventually melt and cause a fire or an explosion .
The picture below shows what is called an MCB - a miniature circuit breaker which is found in the distribution board of the property. It is nothing more than a mechanical fuse that can be manually re-set.
As a point of interest, below, you can see the interior workings of an MCB. It is not possible to service them in any way or put them back together again.
