Lights for craft fair ?

Started by FrannyW, September 21, 2011, 11:00:22 AM

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Lucas

Those bendy ones from ikea are great - two of my little people have them, Seren's is pink and is clipped to the shelf above her desk (where she has hundreds of 'projects' on the go at a time, lots of sellotape and stickers and paperclips and little bits of paper - can't think where she gets it from...), and Quinn has a silver one attached to the side of his bed (he has a high up bed with play space underneath!) so he can read - both have been going strong for a couple of years now, with children pulling them about, changing the angles, yanking the cords etc.

Hamilton Taylor

PAT testing checks a number of things, the 'integrity' of the earth connection is one of them. Polarity is also checked (making sure the live and neutral are the right way around!). A less obvious one is the condition of the insulation, tested by putting a very large voltage between the conductors, and measuring how much electricity crosses between the them. A visual check is also made, for loose wires, exposed copper etc. For double insulated appliances (ie ones without an earth), there is not much to be done: visual check, check polarity, fuse is appropriate, run test, insulation test. In short, for small double insulated items, PAT testing is a swizz. But, a legal requirement, to be carried out by a qualified person. So the way around it is to get qualified; it cost me £75 via a distance course, and I am a certificated (certified?) PAT tester. I can stick my own stickers - on anything I want!  :)

Sean

FrannyW

Thanks everyone. Looks like another trip to Ikea.....
www.runnyglass.com
Handmade glass beads, jewellery & gifts

JewelsK

Quote from: Blue Box Studio on September 21, 2011, 06:48:40 PM
I usually use whatever Homebase has with a long bendy neck so I can get it angled to where I want.  Then I discovered these http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00169635 - and now I've discovered they are in a sale, DH will be going to Ikea again very soon.  The freestanding version isn't bad either.
Those look great, cheers! :-D

sea-thistle

Sean I agree with all that you have said. I was told by an Electrician some years ago that it was a swizz this PAT testing! Me thinks it's worth Colin doing one of these distance courses on PAT testing! ::)  Karin

elburnzo

Sean i never thought of tht! tht is brilliant!

Lucas

...And then you can charge other people to check their lights (etc) out too!!!

You made me giggle Sean, saying you can put the stickers on anything you want - I had images of little white and green stickers stuck all over everything in your house...!

Lush!

Tons of battery powered lights here - I've just ordered some for my sister's party as we've been let down by an eBay seller, next day delivery is reasonable too!

http://www.xmasdirect.co.uk/battery-lights?utm_nooverride=1&gclid=CK3mqc_rsKsCFcMOfAodKFPIfQ


www.lushlampwork.etsy.com

Blue Box Studio

In fairness, the electricians over the road from me 'forgot' to charge me last year, so I dropped off some wine for Christmas as I don't want to appear mean spirited.  I'm hoping they forget this year as well!
Sue
Website ~ Etsy ~ Blog ~ Flickr

ARBeads

Ok, I'm an electrician I served a 4 year apprenticeship, I've seen the mess some of these cables get in to! yearly inspections by a qualified electrician is not a con it could save both yours and your customers life. The DIYErs are the worse - wrong cables used, incorrect connections, nails for fuses I've seen it all.

PAT testing is not a legal requirement, it's a requirement made by the organisers to cover there own insurance needs. Watch out going on a distance course as the £75 does not cover your insurance for doing the tests for either yourself or others and the test equipment you need is not cheap! If an accident happens and you've put the sticker on it will come back to bite you  - you need the insurance as well as the PAT cert. There it's all down to insurance in this world we live in. In my dim distance past I ran a department where all the guys did was PAT test equipment day in day out, the only one that could carry out repairs was good old me, I was the only time served insured electrician amongst them -  god that was a boring (though well paid) existence.

Ruth x



Ruth & Andy


www.etsy.com/shop/arjewellery for beads!