ProTag Printer

Q: I have just changed the roll of tags on my printer and now the printer keeps going into error mode when I turn it on?
A: The tags have been fed through the ribbon slot which means the green sensor has been covered. Make sure the tags are fed flush against the floor of the printer and that they pass through the two green guides. You should be able to see the green sensor by looking directly into the front of the printer when the print head has been released.

Q: Tags are printing off centre and they are not realigning after each new tag is printed?
A: The Gap Sensor on your printer is out of calibration. Refer to Printer User Guide or follow this procedure. Turn your printer off and hold your finger down on the "feed" button while turning it back on again, wait for the tags to stop feeding before taking your finger off the feed button. It is now calibrated again. The first tag you print will not be aligned, but the next tag printed will be correctly re-aligned. Under no circumstances turn the printer on when holding both buttons down. This will clear the printer's memory and the printer will require re-programming at an Emona office.

Q: My Tester brings up a message telling me there is no Printer connected when I go to print a tag?
A: Make sure the printer cable is connected to both the tester and the printer and that the printer is powered on. The next thing to do is check your settings on your tester, in the "Main Menu" select "Settings" then scroll down to "System Configuration", on this screen you will see a field that says "After Test" - make sure it reads this way: "Download, New Test, Configure". Select "Configure" and make sure it reads:
Destination: PROTAG PRINTER
Output Connection: Parallel (For Supernova) or RS232 (for Europa)
Download Format: Pass/Fail Labels

If you just want to print off a Tag from the main menu, select "Download Results" and make sure the settings are the same as above, you will then be able to input the appliance number you want to print.

Q. I leaned on or pressed the 2 printer buttons while turning the printer on and now the printer doesn't work.
A. You have cleared the printer's memory. Under no circumstances turn the printer on when holding both buttons down. The printer will require re-programming at your local Emona office. The printer can quickly and easily be re-programmed while you wait and will be re-programmed by Emona free of charge.

Q. I can't install my new test tag logo from my computer using the ProTag Logo Utility software.
A. Make sure logo is in the format mentioned in the instructions (pcx). Ensure the printer is connected via the parallel connection to the PC. Try again ensuring that the green lights stop flickering before turning printer off and on.

Uploading

Q. I can't get the uploads to work, i.e. include the sites, locations and test codes.
A. For Uploads to work, you must Right click on the Site you want to Upload in the PATGUARD software and choose "Upload Assets", put your tester in remote mode and start the upload. This will upload the site, location and the test codes that describe the previous test carried out. Also, note that uploads will not work if PATGuard V 4.4 or lower is used on upgraded or "Plus" version testers. Your configured test instrument should be a "Seaward Supernova XE plus", "Europa Plus" or "Europa XE Plus".

Tester

Q. I was testing an appliance using a leakage test when the tester lost mains power and now will not power up again.
A. The appliance under test drew a current of 10A or greater which blew the tester's fuse. You need to replace the fuse of the Supernova (Located in the 2 black ports that can have a screwdriver inserted to pop the fuse holder out). Change the fuse with a 10A fuse and be careful in the future when powering up. You will notice that most appliances have a current value specification stating how much they draw. This should not exceed 10A. For a quick solution you can source a 250V, 10A fuse at a petrol station, however you should insert a 500V, 10A from an electrical wholesaler as soon as possible.

Q. A "Help" screen comes up before each test and slows me down.
A. Go to Setup, User List and alter the user from novice to advanced user.

Q. When I connect the tester to the mains outlet, a message appears on the tester's screen regarding the earth connection.
A. There may be something wrong with the mains you have connected to or there may be a problem with the extension lead you are using. Get an electrician to check the main socket or check the electrical safety of your extension lead.

Q. Why do I have less assets appearing in the "View Results" screen than the number of tests I have carried out.
A. You may be using an asset description in the Asset ID field, such as television or kettle. When assigning an Asset ID in the tester you must select unique asset numbers like TEL001, TEL002, TEL003 and not generic, usually descriptive entries.

Bar Code Scanner

Q. My Bar Code Scanner doesn't work.
A. Ensure that it is firmly plugged into the RS232 port of the tester. A high pitch beep will sound when it is intially plugged in. Check to see if there is physical damage to the scanner. If it appears to be fine, the laser is working and focusing onto a point, try working out the best angle for you to scan at. Sometimes you just need to familiarise yourself with an optimum scanning angle. It can be different for different users.

Q. My bar code scanner is only picking up occasionally.
A. In extreme light areas, with bright fluorescent lighting, shield the barcode from the light using your hand.

PATGuard Software

Q: I am using short codes on my tester for Asset Description but when I download to PATGUARD the full Asset Description does not appear on the Reports?
A: Firstly Make sure you are running PATGUARD 4.5. Check this by going to "Help" in PATGUARD and then go to "About PATGUARD".

To check that your Short Code settings are correct in PATGUARD, select "Tools" from the toolbar and then select "Options". This screen will display what you have got selected for your four text lines. Note both the tester and software must have these four text lines formatted in the same way. Make sure that your "Comments Line.1" = Asset Description, and the other three lines customized the way you require.

You will see a small box that says "Use code abbreviations on Tester". Make sure this box is ticked and that "Show codes for Asset Description" is selected on the right hand side. When adding the code abbreviations, it is preferable to have them in upper case (e.g. C = Computer).

To check that the four Comments lines are formatted correctly on the tester – go to main menu and select "Setup" then "System Configuration", here you can see what is selected for your four comment lines, make sure they are in the same order as displayed in the software.

Remember to make sure that you input a "9" in front of the short codes for Asset Description after completing a test on the tester, while the "9" must not be included in the short code list in software. Also remember that changes in short codes do not work retrospectively on previously downloaded asset descriptions. You should delete the assets, correct the short codes and download the results again.

Q. I want to change the logo at the top of reports from Seaward to my own graphic.
A. The Seaward logo on printed reports from PATGuard can be changed easily. One way to do this would be to use Report Designer and change the logo for each report. A better way to do this would be to change the logo globally for all reports.

To change the logo globally for all reports; use Windows Explorer or another file control application to display the PATGuard reports directory. For a default Standalone installation of PATGuard this will be located at c:\program files\seaward\patguardplus\reports.

The seaward file in the reports directory contains a jpeg image of the Seaward logo. Simply replace the seaward file with a file containing your logo as a jpeg image whose file name is also seaward. All printed reports will now have the new logo.

Q. I need to change a Patguard Report Layout
A. Firstly make a copy of the report to change (Via a right click of the mouse, copy). On your copy of the report Right mouse click and select edit. Experiment - you can delete variables, change structure and settings and add text.

Q. I don't want to lose my customised reports when I upgrade my PATGuard to a later version.
A. If you wish to save your edited PATGuard Plus reports when upgrading to a newer version of the software you must first copy the required reports into another folder. Uninstall the old copy of PATGuard Plus and install the new version; registering it by inserting the Serial Number and Unlock Code. Make copies of the required reports in the new version naming them exactly the same as the saved edited reports in the save folder. Copy the saved edited reports from the save folder into the PATGuard Plus Reports folder overwriting the new copies. You can now access your edited versions of the PATGuard Plus reports.

Testing Procedures

Q. What do I do if I am testing something not marked double insulated and it fails and earth test?
A. Either fail the appliance or if concerned double check with the company that manufactured the article.

Q. I am testing an EPOD (powerboard) and the Earth Bond test keeps flashing at me. What do I do?
A. Once you have tested all sockets, hit the red button, abort test and it will save the earth tests and will continue with the remaining test sequence, typically insulation and polarity.