Discuss PAT Testing 3 phase to 13amp adapter leads in the Electrical Testing & PAT Testing Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Hi

Hope anyone can help

Can someone give me advice on how to connect up a 3 phase to 13amp adaptor lead for carrying out PAT testing on 3 phase equipment but using a 13amp port on the PAT tester. Need to know the connections for

4 pin 3phase & earth plug to 13amp plug
5 pin 3phase & neutral & earth to 13 amp plug

Advice will be much appreciated

Thanks in advance
 
The ready made ones you can purchase have the earth connected at both ends and the neutral connected at both ends. The lives however are linked out at the three phase end, L1, L2 and L3 but the live from the 13A is not connected and this is done for safety but to me it doesn't matter if it is connected as you are using them for test purposes.
 
Hi thanks for the replies lads, it was to save buying the test kit adapters as we have spare plugs etc at our yard. So is the below correct.

4 pin - 3 phase and earth
3phase plug side - earth to earth connection , neutral to L1 and link around to L3. Don’t connect the live into 3 phase plug.
13amp plug side - earth to earth connection, neutral to neutral connection and don’t connect the live at 13amp plug side.

5 pin - 3 phase / neutral and earth
3 phase plug side - earth to earth connection , neutral to neutral connection , live to L1 and link around to L3.
13 amp plug side earth to earth connection , neutral to neutral connection and don’t connect live to 13amp plug side.

So when the IR test is carried out from the PAT tester it will go down the neutral conductor and able to check against each phase to earth as they are all linked out. Reason they don’t connect the live is due to if anyone try’s to use this for a power supply and blows the fuses as it will be a dead short. Is this correct ? Thanks
 
Seems about right.
With the line not connected I would give it a try and see what happens.
You could also short the lines to earth at the socket to make sure it reads it correctly.
 
That’s great thanks for the link, so that’s right in what I am saying then don’t connect the live conductor only the neutral conductor at both ends of the lead and link thr neutral around the phases ? The IR test will go down the neutral conductor and will pick any leakage to earth on the phases as they are all connected together ?
 
That’s great thanks for the link, so that’s right in what I am saying then don’t connect the live conductor only the neutral conductor at both ends of the lead and link thr neutral around the phases ? The IR test will go down the neutral conductor and will pick any leakage to earth on the phases as they are all connected together ?
What you describe appears the safest way to construct the adapter lead, but only works on the basis your particular tester does effectively connect L and N together to do the test. I think it would be worth checking on your tester with a high value resistor or a faulty appliance that an IR fault on N only is detected - it surely would be? Otherwise you will be passing everything you test!
 
Ok, thanks for the response. Why to 3 phase PAT test leads with 13amp plug tops come with the fuse out of the moulded plug meaning they are only IR testing down the neutral to phase and earth. So the test I will carry out will only test between Live/neutral conductors to earth not live to neutral then ? Is this acceptable for PAT testing ?
 
So the test I will carry out will only test between Live/neutral conductors to earth not live to neutral then ? Is this acceptable for PAT testing
As I understand it, the standard IR PAT test (called EET or ISITEE now), connects L+N and measures IR between that and E at 500V.
So I believe the test done with the adapter you describe would be OK, but I'm not up to date with the ISITEE 5th ed. CoP requirements. Maybe someone here will confirm?
 
So the test I will carry out will only test between Live/neutral conductors to earth not live to neutral then ? Is this acceptable for PAT testing ?

Normal testing of equipment (as distinct from wiring) does not, and must not, test L-N. Otherwise, the DC test voltage will attempt to energise the equipment under test, which would normally result in a test failure indication and at worst could damage the equipment.

If there is no connection to the L pin in the 13A plug of the adaptor lead, it means that the plug N connects to socket N and all L's. When used with a tester (which parallels L & N at the 13A) this achieves the same result (all live terminals paralleled) as connecting the plug L to all socket L's and plug N to socket N.

The missing L connection in the plug makes the adaptor proof against misuse or accidental use to energise a piece of 3-phase equipment with the same phase on all L's. Depending on the connected equipment, that would either cause nothing to happen, normal operation, blown fuses or damage. Obviously such adaptors cannot be used to carry out differential leakage or extension lead continuity tests.
 
Thanks for the responses, so inside a supplier manufactured 3 phase plug to 240volt plug how are they connected and I will connect my leads to the same as this, so I am connected the way I would be with a supplier purchased lead ? Any info will be much appreciated
 
Are both ways ok for testing purposes if I was to connect the leads as follows
3 phase plug
E - E
N- N
L - linked out with all 3 phase connections
240volt plug
E-E
N-N
L-L
Or
3 phase plug
E-E
N - linked out with N and all 3 phases
L - cut off and terminated
240volt
E-E
N-N
L - cut off

Which one is the best to use if only for testing purposes is there much of a big deal with either of them ? Thanks in advance
 
Thanks for the responses, so inside a supplier manufactured 3 phase plug to 240volt plug how are they connected and I will connect my leads to the same as this, so I am connected the way I would be with a supplier purchased lead ? Any info will be much appreciated
So just a minor correction to your original post and you're there:
Sorry I've just seen you've posted again but I'll send this anyway!
Best to leave fuse out of 13A plugs as well I guess

4 pin - 3 phase and earth
3phase plug side - earth to earth connection , neutral to L1 and link around to L3. Don’t connect the live into 3 phase plug.
13amp plug side - earth to earth connection, neutral to neutral connection and don’t connect the live at 13amp plug side.

5 pin - 3 phase / neutral and earth
3 phase plug side - earth to earth connection , neutral to neutral connection AND TO L1 and link around to L3.
13 amp plug side earth to earth connection , neutral to neutral connection and don’t connect live to 13amp plug side.
 
Are both ways ok for testing purposes if I was to connect the leads as follows
3 phase plug
E - E
N- N
L - linked out with all 3 phase connections
240volt plug
E-E
N-N
L-L
Or
3 phase plug
E-E
N - linked out with N and all 3 phases
L - cut off and terminated
240volt
E-E
N-N
L - cut off

Which one is the best to use if only for testing purposes is there much of a big deal with either of them ? Thanks in advance
The second one Is the one to use.
The first could potentially cause a problem if someone tried to connect equipment by means of the adapter.
 

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