Fixed wire electrical testing has many different names and can become confusing for many customers.
Some of the references have been listed below:
- Electrical Installation Condition Reporting
- EICR
- Periodic Inspection and Testing
- Fixed Wire Testing
- Hard Wire Testing
- Test & Inspection
- Fixed Testing
- Periodic Testing
- Electrical Testing
What is fixed wire testing
Electrical testing involves checking the safety of electrical installations and systems that provide electricity for consumers, this includes domestic, industrial and commercial properties. It covers all electrical wiring in a building and all its acceories including consumer units, sockets, switches and lights etc. The electrical installation will also cover the electrical supply for any air conditioning, hand dryers and appliances alike. All this should be documented on a electrical installation condition report (EICR).
What is done on a fixed electrical test
Electricians qualified to carry out electrical testing are known as a electrical tester and generally carry the 2391 qualification. The first thing on the list for a electrical test will be to identify the main supply on completion of this, the electrician will aim to identify all circuits at the consumer units. If this is not done, additional costs could be added so a good electrician will generally request the consumer does this before arrival. If the electrician does this it is called tracing circuits.
Once these are identified the electrician will continue the electrical testing by conducting a visual survey of the electrical installation
The engineer will then conduct a visual and physical assessment of the electrical installation using specially designed testing equipment. In order to complete fixed wire testing safely and effectively, electrical circuits will need to be disconnected briefly during testing.
Once this has been conducted the electrician will start the electrical testing, the first test usually conducted on a circuit will be a continuity test, this is know as a dead and is used to check there is no breaks in the cable. After the contiuity test a insulation resistance test is conducted and this is to ensure the cables are not damaged. Once these tests are done the system can be energised and live testing will be conducted which includes a earth fault loop impedance test and a RCD test.
On completion of the testing all the information will be gathered and placed on the electrical installation condition report (EICR)
