Many businesses, schools, nursing homes and offices have a microwave in the office, kitchen or canteen. Often the microwaves are missing a fourth test, so at PAT Testers we have decided to highlight this missing link and show you a comprehensive microwave PAT Test;
When testing microwaves the electrical tests performed consist of:
- Visual
- Earth Continuity
- Insulation at 500Volts DC
No 1 to 3 are all standard PAT Testing Tests - Leakage (Electrical)
The fourth test, also known as the Microwave Leakage or Radiation test is one of the most important, and yet is often missed by many PAT Testers.
As outlined in our ‘How do I Test Microwaves FAQ,’ the IEE Code of Practice recommends that door seals and ventilation grills are checked for radiation leakage. The leakage must not exceed 5mW per cm2. For this you will need a microwave leakage tester.
The Test (Exert from our FAQ):
To perform the test you place a cup of water into the tester as a load, select the highest setting and start the microwave oven. Having switched the microwave detector on, you hold it approximately 5cm from the door seal and proceed to move it around the complete door seal making a note of the highest reading. Any ventilation grills should also be tested. The final test is to open the door while it is running to prove that the door interlock is working correctly and the oven stops operating.
The Label:
Filling in the specific Microwave Testing PAT Label is the next vital step in recording microwave leakage. The highest reading is entered onto the label with the test date. Thus the microwave should have two test labels; one for the PAT test and one for the microwave leakage test (Radiation test).
See completed label to the left.
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