BUYER'S SHORT ANSWER

An E-House FAT should prove that the as-built package matches approved drawings, that the installed assemblies have completed their required routine checks, and that integrated protection, control, alarms, interlocks, auxiliaries and interfaces operate as agreed. The procedure and acceptance criteria should be approved before the test.

Use this note alongside the governing standards, applicable certificates and the responsible engineer's approval.

Freeze the FAT procedure before inviting witnesses

The buyer should receive the FAT procedure early enough to comment on test sequence, instruments, acceptance criteria, hold points, simulations and required records. A calendar invitation is not an FAT plan.

Link each test step to an approved drawing or specification clause. Identify which tests are witnessed, reviewed from records or repeated after any transport split. Unresolved design comments should appear in an open-item register before the FAT begins.

Start with configuration and document identity

Record nameplates, equipment serial numbers, firmware versions where relevant, drawing revisions and the final bill of materials. Confirm that the lineup, cable entries, access routes and service clearances match the approved arrangement.

Component type-test certificates are supporting records. The FAT should also confirm that each completed MV and LV assembly has its applicable routine-verification documentation and that the offered configuration is traceable to the design evidence.

Test the E-House as an integrated operating system

Exercise normal, abnormal and loss-of-supply scenarios agreed in the cause-and-effect matrix. Typical checks include interlocks, protection trip paths, local and remote control, emergency stops, alarm annunciation, UPS and DC autonomy logic, HVAC duty and standby changeover, fire alarm interfaces and SCADA point mapping.

A simulation should state what was simulated and what was physically operated. Screenshots alone are weak evidence unless they are tied to an input, expected result and recorded outcome.

Do not ignore the building and human interface

Inspect doors, locks, escape routes, labels, illumination, maintenance access, cable penetrations, earthing bonds, sealing, ventilation paths and the handling of condensation. Confirm that maintainable equipment can be withdrawn or replaced without discovering a blocked route after delivery.

Where internal arc pressure relief or fire separation is project-critical, verify the as-built geometry and interface assumptions against the referenced evidence. Small field changes can invalidate an otherwise tidy document package.

Close the FAT with a signed record

Every observation should have an owner, due date, disposition and evidence of closure. Separate shipment blockers from documentation actions and site activities. Photographs should be indexed to equipment location and punch-list item.

The release note should state the accepted transport condition, dismantled items, preservation requirements, packing list and tests that must be repeated after reassembly. The buyer then has a clear link between factory release, shipment and site checks.

QUESTIONS BUYERS ASK

Frequently asked questions

Is an E-House FAT the same as a type test?

No. Type and design evidence supports the equipment design. FAT verifies the manufactured project package and its agreed integrated functions; it does not recreate every type test.

Should the buyer witness every FAT step?

Not necessarily. The inspection plan can divide steps into witness, hold and record-review points, provided the evidence and acceptance criteria are defined in advance.

Reference publications

Always confirm the edition named in the contract and obtain authorised copies of the applicable standards.

IEC Webstore — IEC 62271-202:2022 ↗IEC Webstore — IEC 62271-200:2021 ↗IEC Webstore — IEC 61439-1:2020 ↗