To ensure that electrical appliances are
safe and reliable, they pass through electrical testing.
This is to ensure they conform to the safety standards as required by the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
The body recommends electrical testing on products and homes that use electricity.
What is Electrical Testing?
Electrical testing involves applying voltage to an appliance or device, and comparing the measured value to the expected result.
This is done with
electrical testing equipment, and each test requires specific equipment.
It is the duty of a test technician to know which equipment to use for a particular test and also to understand the limitations of the test equipment.
Why is it important to test electrical products before use?
It is important because the test provides an insight into the product’s quality. Whether they safely produced it to reduce the risk of causing
electrical hazard in the homes and workplace.
The product must therefore pass a stringent requirement test before approval for public use.
How do you test an electrical product?
It is the duty of a technician to test a product using the right electrical tester. However, a DIY lover with little experience can still do the test.
You can test an electrical product by subjecting it to a specific high voltage for a specified period, and comparing the measured reading with the standard requirement.
Types of Electrical Safety Test
Electrical testing is being carried out by a qualified electrician with relevant equipment. The most common tests include:
- Visual inspection
- Earth
- Continuity
- High voltage test
- Polarity testing
- Fault-loop impedance
- Current leakage test
- Insulation resistance
- RCDs testing
- Functional test.
Visual inspection
This is the first step in testing
electrical equipment. During this stage, the electrical inspector checks the
wiring system and the outlets to make sure they conform with the stringent requirements.
They also check for earth rod, protective devices like
circuit breakers,
GFCIs, fire barriers, sockets and
switches to make sure they are present with no visible damage.
Continuity testing
This is usually the first test to do when inspecting
electrical wiring. The inspector checks all connections with his tester to make sure there is no break up along the power system.
High voltage
This is a general test which electrical products pass before use. During the test, the device passes through a higher voltage, about twice the operating voltage. They must withstand or pass the test with no defect on the insulated parts.
Earth
This measures the resistance between the
earth and the metallic body of the electrical product. A resistance of 0.5 ohms is good, but some standards specify 0.1 ohms.
Earth continuity tests help to check if a product will cause electric shock when there is insulation failure. They do the test at a higher voltage, about 25 – 60 A, using a multimeter or other testing kit.
Polarity test
This shows the various terminals in a circuit (i.e., positive, negative, and neutral). This helps to check for the wrong connection. If you switch the neutral of a circuit with a single-pole switch, the circuit will seem to be dead while it is alive.
Polarity tests ensure the switches are connected to the current-carrying conductor, and not the neutral wire.
Insulation resistance test
This ensures that the insulation of the cable is ok and has no faults. The test measures the insulation resistance between the live wires and earth.
During the test, all installations, equipment and lamps must be OFF, to ensure an accurate reading. While the
circuit breakers, switches and fuses should be ON.
Depending on the size of the electrical system, a test voltage of 250, 500 OR 1000 V is supplied to it. But for single-phase supply, a test voltage of 500 V can be served.
The resistance values should be 0,25 MΩ for 250 V, 0,5 MΩ for 500 V, and above 1 MΩ for 1000 V test voltage.
Current leakage test
The current leakage test helps to check the amount of
leakage current that flows through the surface of the insulator. The maximum acceptable limit for a leakage current is 210 microamperes.
Prospective short-circuit test
Reason for testing: To ensure that in the event of a short circuit, the cable can carry enough faulty current to trip the
miniature circuit breaker or blow a fuse within the stated time.
Fault-loop impedance test
The test helps to check if an electrical system will disconnect from the supply at the specified time when a fault occurs.
GFCI or RCD testing
The GFCI or residual current device (RCD) is a fast-acting
circuit breaker that shuts off power once it senses current leakage.
This outlet trips OFF the current whenever it detects even small currents that cannot trip circuit breakers. Testing the receptacle involves checking the tripping time by passing a faulty current (overcurrent) through it.
Electrical Installation Condition Report
This is a report issued by a testing officer at the end of the test. The report shows the details of the test. Include any observed defects, deteriorations, dangerous conditions, and any non-compliance with the National Electrical Code.
If there is any danger or potential danger, the overall state of the electrical installation will be declared unsatisfactory, and will require immediate action to remove the risk.
Below is how they classify the fault
- C1 – Danger present, instant correction required.
- C2 – Potentially dangerous – urgent corrective action required.
- C3 – Need improvements.
- FI – further investigation required.
Frequently Asked Questions
1 What does an electrical inspector look for?
Electrical inspectors check the whole installation, the wiring system, and the equipment to make sure they are standard. They also check for protective devices like circuit breakers, fuse, GFCI, and other equipment to make sure they are present.
How often should electronics be inspected?
Electrical devices and appliances should be inspected once every ten years for owners occupied homes, and five years for a rented home.
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