PAT testing on a class 1 Appliance?

[sleeping giant]

Would taking the Earth from the Earth pin on the plug on a class 1 appliance during a PAT be wrong ?
I know its not normal practice but in some situations , there is nowhere else to get it so pull out the plug a few mm , insert one screwdriver , clip on to screwdriver , stand back a wee bit and hey presto :greengrin:

I'm thinking that if the appliance was going to fail due to an Earth problem then it would still fail on the Earth pin?

Can someone clarify?

Its one of these questions that i have waited too long to ask at my work :greengrin:

If i asked now , i would get a few funny looks.

[RigRoars]

No you cant do the test from the earth pin at the source because the whole point of a earth continuity/earth bond test is to ceck the continuity of the earth conductor to the metal parts of whatever you are testing.

The reading would always pass when tested from the earth pin as you are not actually testing the appliances earth, but could give a low/fail reading at the appliance due to the breakdown of the insulation or even a bad connection/broken cable.

You say there is nowhere to connect the lead on the appliance?
That sounds like a class II appliance(double insulated)
A class I should have exposed metal parts to connect to.

Hope this helps.

[sleeping giant]

Cheers for the reply.

The offending item is a class 1. It is an inspection lamp which has a transformer. No earth wire after the transformer so i cant connect to metal parts to get earth.

Short of taking apart the transformer , i cant see anything else i can do.

[Wembley67]

Cheers for the reply.

The offending item is a class 1. It is an inspection lamp which has a transformer. No earth wire after the transformer so i cant connect to metal parts to get earth.

Short of taking apart the transformer , i cant see anything else i can do.

Call a good sparky :wink:

[RigRoars]

Cheers for the reply.

The offending item is a class 1. It is an inspection lamp which has a transformer. No earth wire after the transformer so i cant connect to metal parts to get earth.

Short of taking apart the transformer , i cant see anything else i can do.


Got ya.

What you have then is a class I / II appliance.
You do a class I test up to the transformer,if the transformer has no metal parts either,you can only do a class II test, just hold down the test button and using the earth bond test lead,probe areas where you might expect to get some earth leakage. ie.joins/appertures.
Do the same with the hand lamp.

Sorted :greengrin

[sleeping giant]

Got ya.

What you have then is a class I / II appliance.
You do a class I test up to the transformer,if the transformer has no metal parts either,you can only do a class II test, just hold down the test button and using the earth bond test lead,probe areas where you might expect to get some earth leakage. ie.joins/appertures.
Do the same with the hand lamp.

Sorted :greengrin
I hadn't even thought of holding down the test button :thumbsup:
I shall use that from now on :agree: