PAT Servicing

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PAT Servicing

Like cars, portable appliance testing (PAT) devices need preventive maintenance and calibration to ensure top performance. A faulty car may still run, but it may not be safe to drive in. Similarly, a faulty tester may still work, but it may pass items that are actually unsafe. It’s a risk you don’t want to take.

When you’re a test and tag service provider, businesses will rely on you to ensure the safety of their electrical machines, so ensuring the accuracy of your readings is your responsibility. There should be no margin for error.

In some testing cases, a small discrepancy in the results could mean the difference between an electrical device passing or failing incorrectly. For example, when you’re performing tests on Class II appliances where you get minute values to begin with.

Our PAT tester is only a few months old, when does it need calibrating?

Most new machines are calibrated in the production plant by the manufacturer. So you won’t need to have it tested or calibrated until it is a year old.

In the test and tag industry, the general consensus is that servicing PAT devices must be done every 12 months regardless of the type of tester you use. It is also stated in the AS/NZS 3760 Standard that regular intervals are necessary to ensure your PAT equipment is working as it should.

However, if you suspect something is wrong with your PAT tester, you should book a repair immediately. Or if you are testing frequently, you might need to have a calibration done sooner.

Do you service PAT testers that were not bought from you?

Yes, we do! We calibrate and repair all major brands of portable appliance testers, such as:

  • Megger
  • Seaward
  • Metrel
  • Sonel
  • Fluke
  • Aegis
  • Ethos
  • MTI

We have a wide knowledge base and a vast experience across different product types including standard testing devices.

What does servicing involve?

Our in-house repair team performs a comprehensive calibration service, including testing, refurbishing, dismantling and firmware upgrades (when necessary). You can opt for a ‘MedCal’ or medical + calibration, where our techs will open up the tester, clean it out and check for signs of trouble such as loose fittings, overheating, internal battery voltage issues, etc. We make sure to cover all major parameters to a high degree of precision, using the latest diagnostic equipment.

If a tester with printer is sent for a service, we may require you to send the printer in for a check as well. Printer repairs done by us include the brands TSC, ProTag, Sato, Intermec and Zebra. Should our repair team find minor issues or broken parts, we will advise you on the best recourse and if any delays are to be expected due to parts needing to be ordered. The good news is our repair facility in Blenheim stocks a wide range of parts for PAT testers, printers and scanners, so it’s not likely that your device will be out of service for long.

How long does it take?

It will take around five days to have a tester calibrated. But since we have our own in-house technicians and comprehensive facilities, the turnaround time for repairs is just a few days. It might seem too long for a tester to be out of service, but it’s certainly worth taking the time to ensure results are correct.

Meanwhile, to reduce your down time, you may hire one from our range of modern PAT devices while the old one is being fixed. We’ll definitely one to lend that is identical or similar to your own tester. This will help you to keep business going as usual.

Quality Control

All testers that arrive at our calibration house are handled and repaired in accordance with our stringent repair procedures. We use equipment and calibration certificates that are fully traceable to national and international standards.

We store all calibration data digitally, making it easy to locate your results should you lose your calibration certificate. In which case, we can easily email you a copy of your calibration results.

How do I request for servicing?

Download and fill out a Metrotest Service Form to book a repair. Then, either ship your tester or drop it at any of our two repair facilities in New Zealand. Once repairs/calibration is done, we will have it shipped back to you along with your calibration certificate. We’ll also give up reminders for when your tester is next due for its regular servicing.

Contact us on 0800 638 768 for a quote or for more information!