Recording Appliance Testers

Overview

Recording appliance testers have all the features you'd expect to see in an appliance tester such as:

• Earth continuity testing
• Insulation testing
• Current leakage testing
• Polarity

However, in addition to providing the user with a PASS/FAIL result, they can store the test information to memory for download to a PC at a later stage.

Recording appliance testers are more expensive than general appliance testers for this reason. Because recording testers generally cost from around $2000.00 + GST, this option is usually only suitable for businesses that need to record a large amount of data about their appliances - perhaps in excess of 200 appliances.

Recording appliances often feature not only the ability to record test data, but often have added functionality. These benefits might include:

• Functionality to record user, site, location and asset description details
• A wider range of tests or programmable test sequences
• The ability to output information to a label printer for test tags

The actual cost of the appliance tester isn't nessacarily a good reflection of how much a recording appliance tester will actually cost as a system. Some appliance testers can download directly to an Excel compatible file format meaning no additional software is required - like the Trio SmartCal SafeTcheck Pro Logger.

However, most recording appliance testers require download and data management software. This software can be very costly (upwards of $1000.00 + GST) which needs to be considered in the overall budgeting.

Recorded details

The main benefit of a recording tester is that data regarding the appliance and test are recorded at the test. Therefore, handwritten records do not need to be recorded or managed later. With a recording tester, the actual test results are recorded against each appliance. Every appliance is recorded with an appliance reference number. For this reason recording by this method adds to the accountability of the process.

Testers such as the Trio SmartCal SafeTcheck Pro Logger record data in a 'list' format, recording details such as the user, company, site, location, description, asset number and test results. These results can then be downloaded to a PC via USB and formated for output.

Other appliance testers such as the Seaward PT300, record data in a 'database' format which also record user, company, site, location, description, asset number and test results, but store the infomration in a hierachy which can be used to produce a number of varied reports on the PC automatically.

Help -> Contact us if you'd like more information about how appliance testers record data.

Retesting

Appliance testers which record data, download the information to a PC. Typically once a download has taken place, the appliance testers memory is cleared for new test results.

Some appliance testers (such as the Seaward PT300) can also upload information from a PC. The uploaded information usually includes test data, so that the appliance tester will 'recognise' the appliance reference number entered, and automatically determine which test to carry out on that appliance.

Generally, on retesting a previously tested item, an appliance tester will not 'magically' know what the appliance is, and how it should be tested. Even if the appliance tester has a scanner and the appliance has a barcode. This is a common misconception.

Neither will teh appliance tester automatically know at what site or location the appliance is in. This might still be the case, even if uploded information has been sent to the tester before the retest takes place.

It's actually the database on the desktop PC which will automatically relate new test data downloaded to previously entered appliance information. The important thing to remember here is that so long as the appliances have a unique numbers, it does not matter whether the appliance tester 'recognises' the item or not. The database will do the hard work for you.

In this way, retesting using a recording appliance tester can be much quicker than non recording appliance testers.

Help -> Contact us for examples as to how testing appliances can be quicker with a recording tester

Programmable test settings

Some recording testers also have the ability to be programed. This allows users to configure their own test settings, and pre-program test sequences.

Some manufacturers beleive that this is unnessasary (as the appliance testers are already configured to operate in accordance with the AS/NZS3760:2003). This prevents individuals from accidentally testing appliances to the wrong tolorences.

However, other manufaturers leave provision for individuals to customise their own test settings which in some circumstances can be a useful and versatile tool.

Help -> Contact if you'd like help deciding if you require programmable test settings

Ouput and test tag printing

Everybody that performs testing and tagging would like to have an appliance tester which automatically outputs a test tag following a test. However, not all appliance testers - even some recording appliance testers have this capability.

Appliance testers which can output to a test tag printer such as the Seaward Europa, start at around $2195.00 + GST. Thermal transfer or direct thermal printers that are compatible with these units (with the requried firmware) start at around $1500.00 + GST. Therefore, although a fantastic ideal, the reality is that such as system will be relatively costly.

Test tag printing directly following test test probably becomes cost effective if there is a requirement to test at least 1000 appliances a year.

Help -> See our appliance tester packages for printing systems

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