IT Equipment & Other Sensitive Equipment

[stules2905]

Fairly new to PAT Testing. Been qualified for a while but not done any!

Been asked to carry out all the PAT testing in the office of our company.

Fairly mythed as to the testing of IT equipment and sensitive stuff such as monitors, printers, fax machines and the like.

I am using a Fluke 6200. It does not have an option to decrease the IR voltage and was wondering whether to leave it and just do the 200mA bond.

Got some monitors to test and didn't know whether they were susceptible to damage? Not only ones with IEC leads but also ones with DC Power straight from the plug.

Also like I said, fax machines, boosters, printers, franking machines. If anyone can shed any light on this it would be great!!

Cheers

Stu

 

[Marvo]

I can't help thinking PAT testing IT equipment that's classII beyond a visual check is likely to cause more heartache than it's worth. Even if you connect the L+N together an test using 250v range, the day you come across a piece of equipment with an earth referenced comms system you're still probably going to blow the comms card with a N-E voltage of anything over 30v or so.

 

[Sintra]

If you check your tester you will find that it shorts out the L & N pins and conducts the test to earth. Therefore it doesn't damage anything.

 

[telectrix]

Plug-in PSUs can only be inspected visually. the IT equipment they feed is selv, so there again, visual. afaik, PAT teaters do the IR by linking L-N and testing to E, so should not damage the equipment. and the earth bond test should be carried out using the 100mA setting.

 

[Simlec]

Everything you need to know is in "Code of practice for in-service inspection & testing of electrical equipment"
4th edition

 

[Marvo]

RS232 comms with internal earth referencing possibly won't survive an IR test to earth even with the L+N shorted during the test.

 

[stules2905]

Everything you need to know is in "Code of practice for in-service inspection & testing of electrical equipment"
4th edition

Yes but its very contradictory and vague. Just like the 17th Edition.

 

[Simlec]

Yes but its very contradictory and vague. Just like the 17th Edition.

Which part/page are you having trouble with?
As far as IET comics go this ones very easy to follow.

 

[stules2905]

At 500vDC? Could you test monitors and PC's at that?

 

[stules2905]

If you check your tester you will find that it shorts out the L & N pins and conducts the test to earth. Therefore it doesn't damage anything.

So you could test all of the things I've mentioned above with a 500vDC IR test as long as the bond was done at a low current??