CLASS WHAT?

The standard states that each electrical appliance that is in the work place has to be tested. As the tester, it is your responsibility to decide what class or type of item the appliance is that you are testing and the frequency that the testing shall occur. Frequency is dependant on Table 4 in AS3760 and the environment that the appliance is used. This will be covered in a later topic. The following information will concentrate on the type or class of item the appliance is and from this decide what tests are required. Class I Class I items usually have a metal outer. The metal outer is connected to the earth within the lead and provides a path for the fault current to take if a fault occurs. As shown discussed previously, electricity is a form of energy that we are conforming or using in such a way to benefit us. Electricity inherently wants to take the path of least resistance back to Earth and at any time if not insulated or trapped will do so through any conductive path which can be electrocution if this path happens to be a human or animal. The earth wire should have a very low resistance and as per AS3760: The plug must always have the provision of an earth pin, that is the plug must have three pins. A Class I item, although having a protective earth, will still have a layer of insulation surrounding the electrical component of the appliance. This insulation must still be checked and is a mandatory check for a Class I item. CLAUSE 2.3.3.1 EARTH CONTINUITY To ensure that the resistance of the protective conductor is sufficiently low to ensure operation of the circuit protecting the equipment, all Class I equipment, tested in accordance with Appendix A: (a) With accessible earthed parts: shall have the continuity of the protective earthing conductor from the plug earth pin to the accessible earthed parts checked; (b) Without accessible earthed parts: such as cord extension sets, outlet devices and portable residual current devices, (PRCDs) shall have checked the continuity of the protective earth conductor from the earth pin of the connector plug to the earth socket/contact of the outlet(s). Such equipment shall have a measured resistance of the protective earth circuit, or the earthing conductor of an extension cord or appliance cord set, which does not exceed 1 .

Testing required for Class I appliance: Visual Inspection Earth Continuity Test Insulation Test

Class II Class II appliances do not have the provision of a protective earth. Protection from electrocution is by having two layers of insulation. By providing two layers of insulation and the appliance working in its normal environment and capacity will not require a protective earth as the electricity cannot get out.

CLAUSE 2.3.3.2 - TESTING OF INSULATION Equipment shall be tested: (a) with a leakage current test performed at rated voltage with values not exceeding those specified in Table 1; or
WARNING - When performing leakage current tests with the equipment energized, the protective earth conductor may be live and present a shock hazard.

(b) alternatively, measure insulation resistance in accordance with Appendix B at 500 V d.c. or alternatively, to avoid the equipment apparently failing the test because the metal oxide varistors (MOVs), or electro-magnetic interference (EMI) suppression has triggered, for equipment containing voltage limiting devices such as MOVs, or EMI suppression, at 250 V d.c. The insulation resistance between components of the equipment shall be as specified in Table 2. NOTE: Insulation resistance tests shall be performed with the switch in the on position. If the equipment must be energized to close or operate a switching device, then a leakage current test shall be performed. 2.3.3.2.1 Where equipment contains, by design, resistors installed between live conductors and earth, values of insulation resistance not less than the effective value of the resistors are acceptable provided the manufacturer can prove that the resistors are part of the design. 2.3.3.2.2 The insulation resistance of RCDs with functional earth (FE) connections shall be not less than 0.1 MO. Alternatively, portable RCDs which require the supply to be closed, and units with an FE connection may be tested for leakage current with a maximum value allowed being 2.5 mA. (A functional earth is a connection with earth to ensure the correct normal operation of the RCD).

Not requiring an earth, leads to the plug does not require an earth pin and this can lead to identification of a Class II appliance. Another visual indication of a Class II item is the symbol for Class II item, the square within a square. Testing required for Class II appliance: Visual Inspection Insulation Test

Extension Leads and EPODs Extension leads or Electrical Portable Outlet Devices (EPOD) are another class of appliance. Extension cords have two layers of insulation, one around the individual wire and then the other that encase the wires that constructs the cable. The earth wire has to have a total resistance of less than 1 regardless of the length. The longer the earth wire, the higher the resistance would be. EPODs require all earthing sockets to be required, not just the first or last ones. This ensures low earth resistivity to all earthing sockets. The both layers of insulation surrounding the wires must keep their integrity providing complete separation. To check this, a voltage of 500V DC is applied to the earth wire and the combination of the active and neutral wire in an effort to make the insulation leak. To give total insulation a result of infinity (), but AS3760 requires a minimum of 1 million ohms of resistance or 1M The last test required is to check polarity. Polarity test consists of using a low resistance ohms meter to ensure that the active is top left pin when viewing the plug from the front and the neutral is top right pin. The earthing ping is always the lower vertical pin. The socket outlet, due to its reciprocal nature will have the active and neutral in reverse positions, but the earth still remains vertical in the bottom position.

CLAUSE 2.3.3.5 POLARITY OF RE-WIREABLE PLUGS AND CORD EXTENSION SOCKETS The correct polarity of the individual wires in re-wireable plugs and cord extension sockets is shown below and additional details of older and overseas schemes are provided in Appendix F The frequency of tests is provided in column (h) of Table 4. (a) Plugs: The order (polarity) of the pins of a three pin flat pin plug, to their connections, shall be Earthed (radial pin green/yellow wire, Neutral (light blue wire) and then Active (brown wire), in a clockwise direction, when viewed from the front of the plug looking at the pins. (b)Cord extension sockets: The order (polarity) of the socket apertures of a three pin flat pin socket , to their connections, shall be Earth (radial pin green/yellow wire), Active (brown wire) and then Neutral (light blue wire), in a clockwise direction, when viewed from the front of the socket looking at the apertures. NOTE: Wire insulation colour options are provided in AS/NZS 3191.

Testing required for an Extension cord or EPOD: Visual Inspection Earth Continuity Test Insulation Test Polarity Test

Fixed or Portable Residual Current Device (RCD) Fixed RCDs are located at the switchboard. The switchboard may be located outside with the Energy Suppliers meters or if not, a Sub board may be located internally. The Fixed RCDs look very similar to Circuit breakers and how to distinguish between the two is covered in another topic called Residual Current Device RCDs.

CLAUSE 2.3.3.4 TEST FOR OPERATION OF RCDS RCDs shall be tested in accordance with Appendix D. NOTE 1 The test for operating time using a.c. for Type A RCDs (a.c. and d.c. pulse sensitive) is acceptable as d.c. calibration is linked to a.c. calibration and verified by type test. NOTE 2 Portable RCDs which are permanently wired to terminals in equipment may be tested by push button only, observing the operating time, which should be "without undue delay". In case of doubt, use an external timer circuit, capable of detecting the test current start and finish, to measure disconnect time of not more than 150 ms for a 30 mA unit, and 40 ms for a 10 mA unit. (The test button current is assumed to be 200% x rated residual current).

Portable RCDs are designed to be connected in circuit between the power outlet (GPO-General Purpose Outlet) and the electrical appliance. This connection configuration is required so that the electrical appliance is protected by the RCD. Portable RCDs may be similar to an EPOD, ie. plugs into a power point with multiple outlets that are protected by the RCD or an in-line extension lead type that may be part of the extension lead, fitted at the plug end of the lead, again protecting the rest of the lead. Testing required for a Portable Residual Current Device (RCD): Visual Inspection Earth Continuity Test Insulation Test Polarity Test Manual operation Test (Push the trip button) Trip Time Test Testing required for a Fixed Residual Current Device (RCD): Visual Inspection Manual operation Test (Push the trip button) Trip Time Test