Testing IEC leads

Chrisdisco · Nov 21, 2015

Hi everyone
I have a question regarding an old tester I have purchased. The tester is a Seaward 500H, quite an old tester I know. My question is how do I test IEC leads and extention leads? It doesn't have a IEC socket so I guess I have to create an adapter?

Any help or advice is greatfully received.

Chris

Darkwood · Nov 21, 2015

Welcome to the forum Chrisdisco

Chrisdisco · Nov 21, 2015

Thanks darkwood, great to be here

Octopus · Nov 21, 2015

Yes you will need an adaptor.

Try forum sponsors "Test Meter" - they should be able to help you

HandySparks · Nov 21, 2015

Testing of cables requires both ends of the cable to be plugged into the tester.

There doesn't appear to be any connector apart from the usual 13A socket outlet and earth test lead connector on this tester so I don't believe that it has the ability to fully test IEC leads and extension leads.

You can test them as a class I appliance for insulation resistance, and you could make up an adaptor to allow testing of the continuity of the earth core, but it won't check the polarity of line and neutral.

amlu · Nov 21, 2015

you wil need another tester with continuity function to test live and neutral to measure resistance between both ends of the cable.
can do it manually but time consuming, is possible to rig up an adaptor with some double pole switches and test sockets that will plug into the tester.

ohreally · Nov 21, 2015

Martindale LTDV Extension Lead Tester

LTDV - Dual voltage (110V & 240V) for EasyPAT, MicroPAT, PAC1500xi, PAT1900xi, PAT2100xi, PAT500H, MPAT40, MPAT60, Megger PAT4, Robin SmartPAT3000 and PAT5000 and all Edgcumbe (Metrohm) PATs.

Chrisdisco · Nov 22, 2015

Thanks everyone for your replies. I must admit, this tester is a lot more basic than the supernova I was able to lend for the last few years!

I have a had a look at the instructions and the tester will preform the following tests:-

Protective earth
Insulation
Leakage

I have made an adapter which is a male IEC plug with just the earth wire coming out. The insulation and leakage tests work fine and achieve the expected results. The protective earth test for both + and - are reading results at around 0.295 ohms which brings the red light on as a fail. I have tried a couple of 2 meter leads and this is the same for both. I have a short 0.5 meter lead and when testing that, I get 0.195. It's could be that the adapter I made is rubbish and have found a professional one on the net which should turn up this week.

So I don't know if I'm missing something?

ohreally · Nov 22, 2015

Chrisdisco said:
I have made an adapter which is a male IEC plug with just the earth wire coming out. The insulation and leakage tests work fine and achieve the expected results. The protective earth test for both + and - are reading results at around 0.295 ohms which brings the red light on as a fail. I have tried a couple of 2 meter leads and this is the same for both. I have a short 0.5 meter lead and when testing that, I get 0.195. It's could be that the adapter I made is rubbish and have found a professional one on the net which should turn up this week.

So I don't know if I'm missing something?

I am uncertain what you're trying to achieve here. Can you clarify what is meant by "The protective earth test for both + and -"

Chrisdisco · Nov 22, 2015

http://www.seaward.co.uk/downloads/PAT500H-manual.pdf

Probably the best thing I can do at this point is show the page from the instruction manual. Its page 4 I'm struggling with for leads.