PAT Testing CRT Monitors

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Hi

Does anyone here have any PAT testing experience? Me and another tech have had a days training, along with various other departments staff, and have been told to just get everything tested.

My tech and I have to test approx. 1000 machines, various switches, servers, projectors, printers and power cables (As in all IT equipment) by early December.

Trouble is, we are a bit lost when it comes to CRT monitors. We have been told on the training that unless a device is labelled as a class two device, it should be tested as a class one. The monitors don't seem to have a class two symbol on them. When testing them as class one, there seems to be nowhere to attach the lead to, IE a metal part of the monitor. There is the VGA connector, but I wouldn't expect that to be earthed, and a couple of metal screws on the outside, but they only hold the plastic casing together. Connecting to these both result in fails, as I'd expect.

Someone else who was on the same training as us, but not responsible for PAT testing IT equipment says to push a screwdriver through the air vents at the top, and then clip the PAT test cable to that, but as far as I understand it this is dangerous as CRT monitors hold a charge even when powered off.

Also, the trainer said that the PAT testing units the school has purchased cannot be used for PC's as they don't have a lower voltage setting suitable for anything with an integrated circuit, and may cause damage to the operation of the device. He said the best we can do is to carry out a visual inspection. Does this sound right?

There seems to be a lack of good quality info on the Internet, but that may be because I'm not looking in the right places.

Thanks for any help


Maria

 

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There's no way in the world I'd do that. Couldn't pay me enough.

 

I know. I suggested that they show me first, preferably from the other side of the room, but they weren't keen.

 

Sticking screwdrivers into holes in eletrical equipment has never been a very big hobby of mine seeing as its usually quite dangerous.

I wonder why ^_^

 

Can't you ask the people who trained you?
Surely a course on PAT testing that left out CRT monitors is a bit iffy...

 

Pay a sparky

 

I did ask the trainer, who is also a part time teacher at my place, and he said they are Class 2, which seems odd to me. However, I'll ask him again, and see if I get any different answers. I might see how the site staff have got on with testing TV's, and see if they have any ideas.

Would love to pay someone else to do the whole lot, unfortunately the business manager thought by getting us this day of training, he could save some money, so won't pay for a PAT test company to come in.

I think I'll end up just doing visual inspections, and hand in the records with a letter stating why we were unable to carry out the other tests. I'm not risking mine or any other member of staff's safety, just to save a few quid.

It's such a boring, never-ending job. Its so tempting at times just to stick fail stickers over everything, and get them to replace the kit, but this probably isn't a good idea.

 

Don't you need a qualification (I think it might be C&G) to do PAT testing?
I wasn't aware it was something you could self certify.

I recently had the office PAT tested.
The sparky charged 80p per item.

OK, 70 users, PC, Monitor, Phone each plus printers, faxes, extension cords etc the bill was about £350.
You couldn't send someone on a PAT testing course for that.

 

I thought it had to be externally tested to, how else could they prove you didn't just pass everything without testing at all.

 

C&g 2377?

 

Absolutely. We've only got a Server 2003 to 2008 migration, a sharepoint web portal to our MIS system to roll out, Windows 7 to test, plan and deploy, a possibility of introducing Exchange or similar, a physical site move, approx. 400 new systems to install, and a new Tech to train up in the next 9 months, so we've got loads of time for PAT testing

I think the business managers thinking was that by paying this bloke to train about 12 of us, at a rumoured cost of about a grand, he could save some money this year and in coming years. Still, in the long run, people leave and get replaced, costing more for training. Also, their time could be better used actually doing their jobs.

I know, it seems sensible to me, but apparently not.

According to the trainer, and also this site, a 'competent person' can carry out PAT testing. It seems common sense to me that there should be a requirement for a more formal qualification, however, we seem to be stuck with this airy-fairy term 'competent person'.

Thanks for your help everyone. I think I'll go see the big boss man on Monday, and tell him we either need additional, IT specific PAT training, or we can only carry out visual inspections.

 

I like yourself have the unenviable job of PAT testing my companies equipment, Best way to test the monitor is to test the end of the VGA lead, although this can sometimes give incorrect results (normaly a fail when it is a pass), make sure the connection is a tight as possible before testing, maybe test it a few times if it fails.

An alternative is to just do a visual check and note that there was no exposed metal to test the earth. At the end of the day, if you cant test a class1 equipment because there is no exposed metal to test, then a end user can't get hurt, due to there being no exposed metal for them to touch.

Also if your unsure of what class something is, sometimes its best to check the plug, if there is no earth attached to plug, you can assume its a class 2 device.

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg236.pdf

You might find that link useful.

 

GodDAMN this thread is brutal. I feel for you Maria - what you've been asked to do bears as much relevance to IT as chocolate does to sh**. My manager asked me to do that I would either (depending on my mood at the time) ignore him, laugh at him or leave.

Maybe its time for you to move on - sounds like you're having the p*** taken out of you tbh.

 

Thanks. Thats a good point and I might just write that on the PAT test forms.

Cheers. Saved to print off at work.

Yep starting to feel that way. The plan is to grin and bear it long enough to get my MCSA, MCITP:SA and finish off the degree, and keep on paying the bills, if I ever have any energy left after work. My direct manager is great, and appreciates all that we do, however his boss and in turn our boss, the business manager, just doesn't understand what we do and how much time things take. We are just happy little worker ants to him.

 

Well scary suggestion to poke anything into a CRT monitor, what the heck

I was once a TV technician and every TV or CRT monitor i have seen has been *live chassis*, i.e like a car the chassis acts as a return path. In a CRT that's been wired correctly, that's the neutral path back to the mains. it is not generally *earthed*.

So i guess that makes it class 2.

 

CRTs can be as dangerous as PSUs they hold leathal blast of dirty power.

I would not do this.

Good luck Maria

 

CRT monitors are *much* more dangerous than PC PSUs, for they not only have mains HT voltages, they also have EHT (Extra High Tension) voltages, for supplying the necessary anode potential to the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube).

The CRT also acts as a capacitor, and stores that EHT (think 10s of thousands of volts) even when the unit is powered off and unplugged.