If you're doing any repair work at home, it's important to ensure your equipment is in good condition. Here are some things to look out for.
Give it a PAT!
We see a lot of items come through our doors of different types. I am personally involved in a lot of electrical repairs. One thing we have to do before working on anything electrical is perform a Portable Appliance Test (or PAT as you may know it).
The PAT isn't just plugging it in, making sure it says "Pass" and getting on with it. One part of the PAT that people often skip over is the Visual Checks.
Electrically, your item might check out, but it would hardly be considered safe to use if there's insulation missing, or even if the back of the plug has come off (such as the lamp I once found in a room of a well known hotel chain that I was staying in once!).
What to look out for
Things that need to be checked for a visual inpection include:
- Damage to the lead, fraying, cuts or heavy scuffs
- Damage to the plug including bent pins
- Tape holding parts of the lead together
- Coloured wires visible where the lead joins the plug
- If you can see loose parts or screws
- Signs of overheating such as burn marks or stains on the lead or plug
- Where the item is stored - is it suitable? Is it too wet, or dusty?
- Can you see any cables trapped under furnature, or pinched between furnature and wall?
- Are the wires the right way around in the plug itself? This will require you to take the plug apart and have a look.
- Are the wires fully in the pins, or can you see some "whiskers" sticking out?
Any one of these conditions would likely constitute a fail, or in the case of trapped furniture, releasing the cable and inspecting it for defects.
It is extrememly important to remedy these issues before continuing any further examinations.
Do it yourself
If you feel confident to do so and have the right tools, you can replace a plug at home with relative ease. Most new plugs come with a handy bit of card that tells you how long each lead should be, how far you have to strip it back and where each of the colours goes.Though it is important to take this card off before you use it!
Visible coloured wires where the lead joins the plug means you've lost your secondary insulation. This poses a danger as continued use could rub away the only layer of insulation that's left and leave you with bare wires which could give someone a shock, or cause sparks which could lead to fires.
Do it at a Repair Café
If in doubt, bring it to us! We're happy to teach you how to do these things, and usually have the bits to let you practice. Or if you want to do it yourself under the watchful eyes of our volunteers, we are happy for you to book in a space to do so and to check your work when you're done!
What next?
I will be posting a full guide on changing a plug, how to check a fuse without a multimeter, and replacing a flex in the future, so keep an eye out!