Fuse botton on PAT Tester

[paul161]

What check will be carried out with the Fuse test on a PAT Tester?
Is it Polarity?

 

[Adam W]

"Fuse test"?

The only part i can think of that involves a fuse is checking it is ASTA approved, in reasonable condition (eg not wrapped in tin foil) and of an appropriate rating.

 

[paul161]

How can the Pat tester, test for appropriate rating?

 

[Graeme Harrold]

How can the Pat tester, test for appropriate rating?

It cant. thats what the visual is for. As for the fluke, during some of the sequences when powering up a fuse test is done, but it only checks if the fuse is blown or not prior to fully powering the appliance up. If for example Im doing a toaster and forget to depress the handle, it will warn me of the fuse being blown!!!

 

[MNR]

If it is not a moulded plug then I always take apart.Check connections and while doing that check fuse rating. Just pop the fuse out and check rating on moulded ones.

 

[ringer]

I take it you are doing an IEC test on IEC cables and extension leads. The fuse test will be to see if it has blown (i.e. no continuity on live)

 

[ringer]

It's also an initial part of the Touch Current Test and the Load/Leakage Current Test.
From the user manual for the Fluke 6500:

Fuse/L-N Pre-test
The pre-test verifies the fuse and lead continuity by applying a low voltage signal across the appliance phase and neutral pins...A fail may indicate that the fuse is blown or that there is an open circuit in the L-N conductors...

So presumably a signal is sent to L and then N is checked to see if it appears there - thus proving continuity.

 

[russty]

How can the Pat tester, test for appropriate rating?

Do you know what you doing at all?

 

[ian.settle1]

How can the Pat tester, test for appropriate rating?

The PAT tester gets a screwdriver and unscrews the screw on the plug top or removes fuse carrier on a moulded plug from the plug top and visually checks that the fuse rating is correct for the appliance being tested as per the PAT testers training should have taught them along with other visual checks you are supposed to carryout before connecting the appliance to the tester.

If it does not pass the visual tests then the appliance has failed and test is terminated.

The PAT testing machine cannot do this

Asking a question like this would have me asking are you competant to carryout PAT testing.

 

[mogga]

I was thinking the same Ian unless theres a new Xray pat machine that can see through plugtop and determine fuse size

 

[ringer]

To give the OP the benefit of the doubt, specs for some machines do state that they do a fuse check and a fuse test

check the blurb here

quote ........Tests available from the KT75: Fuse Test, Fuse Check (on front panel)....

 

[xraytek]

To give the OP the benefit of the doubt, specs for some machines do state that they do a fuse check and a fuse test

check the blurb here

quote ........Tests available from the KT75: Fuse Test, Fuse Check (on front panel)....

Seems like a pointless function to me
A continuity and insulation PAT test would not show up a blown fuse, but the functional test would.
An incompetent tester may even believe his machine has it all covered, and may not check to see the correct fuse has been fitted in the appliance.

 

[Liberator]

Think the only tests a PAT tester can/will perform is a continuity test to check that a fuse hasn't blown.

You can do this with any continuity tester too, you'll get a ::beeep:: if its okay...

 

[nickblake]

It carries out a continuity test of the fuse and thats about it , no point doing an insulation test if the fuse has blown as it would give false readings , you will also find that in some cases of IT equipment an item of equipment will fail the fuse test ,this is due to the fact that it has an electronic power supply rather than a transformer