Whether you are buying your first PAT tester or whether you are updating your existing machine, it is important to consider the following points before committing yourself.
Our quick five step guide will help you decide which PAT tester best suits your needs.
1.Think about the type of equipment you will be testing during a year and if this equipment is domestic, IT, industrial or 110v. IT equipment needs a tester that is capable of Earth Continuity at 100/200mA. Industrial equipment at 110v needing a leakage test at 110v will require a true Dual Voltage tester that can complete 240 and 110v tests. If you don’t need to perform a leakage test at 110v, then 110v equipment can be tested with a 240v tester using a 240/110v adaptor.
2.The volume of tests you will be carrying out in a year. If your testing volume is 100s per year, a manual tester with written result recording is sufficient. If your testing volume is 1000s per year, a tester with a memory and a downloadable feature will be needed.
3.Whether you will need a mains operated tester or a battery powered machine. Mains operated testers can perform dual voltage testing, whereas battery operated testers exclude the leakage test at 110v.
4.If you will record your results on a paper record or via a download. Paper recording takes longer but is sufficient for small amounts of testing. Downloadable results are much quicker and are suitable for those who are going to be testing large quantities of items.
5.Weight and portability, this may seem like an unimportant concern, but the portability and weight of your testing machine will affect you when you have to carry it around all day. Its ability to be manoeuvred into small awkward spaces might prove to be a very important factor.
By following our guide, you will soon be able to choose the right tester for your needs. Buying a tester that is impractical and unsuitable for your needs will not help you and may end up being very expensive.
