PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING

 

This is what happens when you get your appliances tested. This test is recommended to be done at any time from one to three years - it depands on how often you move the appliance.

 

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Where applicable, the following tests have been carried out:

 

Visual – a visual examination of cables and connectors.

 

Earth bond (class 1 appliances only) - A test to ensure the continuity of the earth bond between the earthing pin of the plug and the metal casing of the appliance and that the earth bond is of a sufficiently low resistance. The acceptable level of resistance is determined, in part, by the length and diameter of the lead in use and requires the test operative to make a calculation in order to take into account these variables when deciding whether the appliance has passed or failed the test.

 

Insulation – a test which involves the application of 500 volts DC (in some circumstances reduced to 250 volts DC) between the earth pin and both the live and neutral pins of the appliance mains supply plug and measuring the resistance.

 

Leakage – a voltage of 40 volts RMS is applied to the appliance between the earth pin and both the live and neutral pins of the supply plug. The current that flows is measured and scaled to that which would flow if the test voltage had been the nominal mains supply voltage.

 

Extension leads and IEC removable leads are tested for earth continuity, insulation and lead wiring. The earth continuity test is in two parts with a test current of +200mA being applied for 2 seconds followed by a test current of -200mA for 2 seconds. The insulation test is carried out at 500V DC as detailed above. The wiring test checks for open circuit and shorted wires and for crossed polarity to ensure that the lead has been correctly wired.