Reading Before It Fails: A Training Course in Electrical Equipment Examination and Testing (Online / Remote)
1Summary
An electrical fault rarely gives a warning before it causes a fire, a blackout, or an injury. What usually determines whether a fault gets caught in time is not luck — it is whether the equipment was tested against the right standard, with the right instrument, at the right interval.
This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy gives engineers and technicians a practical grounding in inspecting and testing electrical equipment, from the legal obligations behind maintenance to the specific tests run on transformers, cables, and switchgear at medium and high voltage. Participants leave able to read test results, classify equipment correctly, and know exactly which test applies to which piece of equipment.
2Objectives and target group
Who Should Attend?
- Electrical engineers and newly-graduated technicians.
- Personnel in electrical equipment testing departments.
- Maintenance and power-station supervisors and operators.
- Anyone developing their skills in this field.
By the End of the Course, You Will Be Able To:
- Understand the legal and Code of Practice requirements for in-service inspection and testing.
- Classify equipment construction and identify the tests that apply to each class.
- Carry out visual inspection, continuity, insulation resistance, and functional testing correctly.
- Understand specialized tests for transformers, cables, and medium/high-voltage switchgear.
- Interpret test results and decide what action damaged or faulty equipment requires.
3Course Content
Module 1: Why Electrical Equipment Testing Is a Legal Obligation
- Statutory and non-statutory standards relating to equipment maintenance.
- Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive on electrical equipment.
- The scope of the Code of Practice (CoP) for in-service inspection and testing.
Module 2: Understanding Electric Shock and Equipment Classification
- How electric shock occurs, and how equipment construction protects against it.
- Classifying equipment construction and identifying construction and identification marks.
- SI units used in inspection and testing, and their multiples and sub-multiples.
Module 3: Planning Inspection — Frequency and Risk Assessment
- Factors that determine how often equipment should be inspected and tested.
- Carrying out a risk assessment based on those factors.
- What a formal visual inspection needs to cover, and spotting fake or unsuitable equipment.
Module 4: Core In-Service Tests
- Protective conductor continuity testing.
- Insulation resistance testing and the protective conductor/touch current test.
- Polarity checks, functional checks, and RCD testing requirements.
Module 5: Test Instruments and Safe Isolation
- The range of test instruments used for electrical equipment testing.
- Why accuracy and proper maintenance of instruments and accessories matters.
- Safely isolating a supply, and the difference between switching and isolation.
Module 6: Routine, Type, and Factory/Site Acceptance Testing
- The difference between routine tests, type tests, and special tests.
- Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT).
- Insulation and visual testing fundamentals, including Megger and Delta-tan tests.
Module 7: High-Voltage and Switchgear Testing
- High-voltage testing, and the difference between DC and AC high-voltage tests.
- Testing switchgear (AIS and GIS types) and power cables at high voltage.
- Partial discharge testing.
Module 8: Transformer Testing in Detail
- Open-circuit and short-circuit (load-loss) tests.
- Turns-ratio (TTR) testing and winding resistance testing.
- Insulating oil tests, impulse tests, temperature-rise, and noise-level testing.
Module 9: Testing Current and Voltage Transformers, and Circuit Breakers
- CT and VT (current and voltage transformer) testing.
- Medium-voltage circuit breaker testing.
- Power cable testing at medium voltage.
Module 10: Interpreting Results and Keeping Records
- Interpreting test results and deciding the appropriate response.
- Actions required for damaged or faulty equipment.
- The purpose and benefits of in-service inspection and testing documentation.