Just wanted to find out what you all pay for PAT testing your equipment,
I phoned an electrical company yesterday to find out how much they charge and they quoted me for for any dj equipment under 100 items £68 incl VAT is this a reasonable price

....dont pay it frankie! Ask around for any DJs who have their own meter and borrow it, then ask yourself "am I a competent person" if you answer "Yes" then pat the stuff yourself. Record your results on a form - you can design this yourself, and voila! you are legally pat-ed.
The Law states that any competent person can carry out these tests so you dont need to pay an electricians prices - even I can wire a plug!! so guess that makes me competent.

That's what I do...cheap as chips.

I'm afraid I'm gonna be a 'Doom & Gloom' merchant on this one
Most of the checks required for PAT are straightforward eg
1. Check the cable for damage
2. Remove the plug top and check the cable clamp (not too tight or the wires will fracture over time), the fuse rating, the fuse holder, correct polarity and tightness of terminals.
I think most people will be 'competent' with this.

When it comes to a formal inspection you need to know is it a class 1, 2,3 etc appliance and you need equipment to check high voltage insulation and earth bonding. Also be aware that the test can damage some appliances

As well as 'competent' there is also mention of 'a suitably trained person' to carry out the checks.

So do you take the chance, 'do-it-yourself' & issue yourself with a certificate? This would show the venue that you are complying but what if something goes wrong? Worst case senarios:
1. A piece of your equipment catches fire & destroys the venues function room. They can't use it for several weeks & claim from you. Great you have PLI but insurance companies do not just pay out large sums of money at will. They will investigate & could well challenge your issue of a PAT cert.

2. A child sneaks in behind you, touches something and gets a fatal electric shock. This time its the Health & Safety that will look into it and again you could be challenged on your 'competence'.

What are the chances of this happening? Well fires have occurred and people have been killed at discos - it's a matter of personal choice - do you take the risk or not? But then life is all about choices only pick the wrong one here & it could be costly if something goes wrong.

Well that's my 2 penneth. I don't like being the bearer of negative vibes especially when Friday is here & we're all looking forward to a weekend of good craic & groovy tunes, but I think the more info you have on a subject the better chance you have of making the right choice.

Paul S

QUOTE

A child sneaks in behind you, touches something and gets a fatal electric shock

Yes, but you are using a plug in RCD or ELCB Arent you????

For £14.99 - it could make the difference between Life and Death, your life and Death and that of your guests, don't underestimate the the effectiveness of one of these!, they do work, and if the worst should happen the power will be cut, before you even know you've touched something live! . This doesn't negate for PAT testing or regular electrical inspections, or even common sense it just gives you another line of defence.

over 500 entertainers are killed or injured every year from electrocution - don't be a statistic and don't rely on the venue having one fitted, most older venues and halls still have the old fuseboxes.

STAY SAFE!