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eskimo39

Sorry if this has been brought up previously but after doing some research in my local area, I have found that there are very few PAT testers about.
I am currently halfway through my 1st year C&G 2330 and have been very fortunate to be employed by a local electrician who is teaching me as we go along (Whilst giving me 1 day a week off to attent college).

However I really fancy doing a PAT testing course and handing out some flyers locally to bring in a bit of extra cash.

Can anyone recommend a good PAT tester on the market? I will be looking at doing mainly offices and small shops (Approx 20-50 items).

I use Fluke tools for work now and have been really impressed with them, but Megger also seem to catch my eye.

I am looking for something which is reliable and fairly easy to use.

Thanks
 
Eskimo39,

You really need to dig deeper in your area to find out who is doing Pat testing as they creep out the wood work.

There are several national companies that offer the service for more or less peanuts which makes it a very competive market. To set up can cost a bit also.

The course is 2 C&G 2377 certificates covering Pat testing. Of course you will need insurance and a system to keep records etc.

All the main manufacturers supply Pat testing equipment, Megger, Fluke, Metrel, Seaward, Martindale.

I personally have Seaward equipment, but to be honest although the kit does the job when it works all of it has been back to seaward multiple times and therefore I would not recommend them. Also the after sales service is rubbish!

I use Megger for my installation testing and the kit is great and therefore wished I had just gone with Megger for my Pat kit.

If you use Fluke, you may find there kit is ok?

Hope this helps!

Warren
 
My Seaward went ---- up a while back and rather have it repaired at phenomenal cost, invested in a Kewtech KT61 instead. A nice no-frills, easy to use tester.
 
Sorry if this has been brought up previously but after doing some research in my local area, I have found that there are very few PAT testers about.
I am currently halfway through my 1st year C&G 2330 and have been very fortunate to be employed by a local electrician who is teaching me as we go along (Whilst giving me 1 day a week off to attent college).

However I really fancy doing a PAT testing course and handing out some flyers locally to bring in a bit of extra cash.

Can anyone recommend a good PAT tester on the market? I will be looking at doing mainly offices and small shops (Approx 20-50 items).

I use Fluke tools for work now and have been really impressed with them, but Megger also seem to catch my eye.

I am looking for something which is reliable and fairly easy to use.

Thanks[/quote

hi mate-i wouldn't bother, its a right pain and the money is rubbish
 
I agree with lukescotty, if you like scrambling under desks and untangling loads of flex's, moving handbags and box's of files thats ok. remember there are lots of firms out there that do pat testing as a loss leader looking for other work. plus you don't have to be a spark to do the job! i come across all sorts of faults when re testing other peoples tests,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, such as not even breaking the seal on a plug top to check the conection or fuse rating, items checked as class 2 when they are clearly class 1. damaged cable etc. a lot of these companies have a quota their testers have to achieve per day and i know for a fact a lot are cowboys.
 
agreed, the old company I worked for did pat testing, and made a loss on it, it was just to provide the service as other work was carried out. I think sum appliances dont need doing every year, sum have changed to every 3 years.

surely if u get a few jobs n that then maybe u'll get a bit of money like, but u'll be building up work for the next year ( for those wat need testing the following year) by then i reakon u'll be fed up and concentrating more on ur sparking.

I suggest you have ago, if u like it, persue it. maybe go with a pat tester for the day before taking the course.

regards luke
 
Many thanks for your answers. My main worry is, if I invest say £500-£600 on a tester, will it do everything I come accross? Or do I need to buy a £1000 machine to have all the features? Also I am currently trying to establish whether charging £1 per item will enable me to under cut the competition yet make enough money to warrant spending my weekends working. In all honestly if I could make £250 per month I would be more than happy.

I am working Mon-Thursday for a local electrician and honestly could not feel luckier, he is teaching me whilst we work and his work is of very high standard so I am confident no bad habits will be picked up. I attend college on a Friday and in three years (All been well) will have my C&G 2330, NVQ2 and NVQ Level 3. I am also planning on an inspection and testing course starting next year and will enroll on the 17th edition course towards the end of my Level 3. PAT testing is not a chosen career path or anything, just an idea to help pay the bills whilst at college.

Does anyone on here do PAT Testing? Or has anyone tried.

Thanks again for all the advice
 
Eskimo, I offer the service through my business but I now only service customers I already have because they know that the job is being done correctly.

It really is a pain in the rear end and there is far more to it then what people realise.

Flashbang has given a very good description of what it is really like, i.e. crawling under desk, tracing flex's etc and it is a very competitive market.

Of course you don't have to do it that way and simply just put stickers on everything as many cowboy companies do? But you can be sure if anything happens they will be pointing the finger at the person who has carried out the testing.

You could go and quote a £1 per test and there will always be somebody else who would like to under cut you and quote something like 79p. Saw this price on the net not so long back.

It’s unfortunate because these cowboy types of businesses come into the market quote silly prices, find that there is more to it than they thought, do a doggy job and get out the industry.

It leaves the customers unaware of the real process of appliance testing and thinking that any price higher than what they have paid before is a rip off. In the meantime company xxxx has gone bump. I have seen this so many times.

My customers pay the prices I charge based on the level of service they are given and I only work to one standard which is high. If they want cheap they can have it, there are plenty of companies that will do it for cheap.

Bottom line:
You will need to invest in PAT Equipment, adaptor leads for three phases for example if testing at a wider scale, labelling stocks of some sort, a record management system and insurance cover.

Of course you will need to account for vehicle fuel (how far is the job?), stationary for reports and maybe postage.

You need to ask yourself how you can cover the cost of all these things, how long will it take and make some money at the same time?

As said I have customers for PAT, but I would much rather be changing a CU for more money, quicker and working in one spot.

Hope this helps!

Warren

Just to add to this post. Eskimo it maybe worth looking at hiring a PAT machine to give it ago and see if its for you?

I have personally never used this company and I don't know where about you are but there maybe a company near you?

PAT Tester Hire- Hire Seaward, Robin, Megger PAT testers
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Two seconds spent PAT testing is like a day of having yr prostate examined by an orangutang wearing sandpaper mittens. It's cack. Megger kit did the job and survived being dropped overboard... unfortunately it floated.
 

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