Regulation 643.1 sets the order: the tests of Regulations 643.2 to 643.6 are carried out in that order before the installation is energised, and the earth electrode test of Regulation 643.7.2 is also carried out before energising. Everything from 643.7 onwards is a live test.
| Test | Reg | What the MFT does |
|---|
| Continuity of conductors | 643.2 | Low-resistance measurement of protective and bonding conductors, and of live conductors on ring final circuits (R1, Rn, R2). Null the leads first. GN3 4.8 recommends a source able to deliver at least 200 mA short-circuit current, so the reading reflects the conductor rather than an oxide layer on a connection. |
| Insulation resistance | 643.3 | DC test between live conductors, and between live conductors and the protective conductor, on an isolated circuit. Test voltage and minimum value come from Table 64. New at A4:2026, Regulation 643.3.3 adds a 250 V DC test of at least 1 MΩ after connecting equipment that could be damaged by the full test. |
| Polarity | 643.6 | Verified before energising, and confirmed again on the live tests. Single-pole devices must be in the line conductor only. |
| Earth electrode resistance | 643.7.2 | Where the earthing system includes an electrode, its resistance to Earth is measured. Where that is not practicable, the measured external loop impedance may be used instead. |
| Earth fault loop impedance | 643.7.3.1 | Ze at the origin, Zs at each point. A live test: the MFT injects a current and measures the resulting voltage change. The continuity test of 643.2 must be done first. Measured Zs must comply with Chapter 41 — Table 41.2 (fuses, 0.4 s), 41.3 (circuit-breakers, 0.4 s and 5 s), 41.4 (fuses, 5 s) and 41.5 (RCDs). |
| Prospective fault current | 643.7.3.201 | Prospective short-circuit current and prospective earth fault current, measured or determined at the origin and other relevant points. Devices must be able to break the prospective fault current at their point of installation (Reg 432.1), unless back-up protection to Regulation 434.5.1 applies. |
| RCD operation | 643.8 | Verified using test equipment to BS EN 61557-6. Regardless of RCD Type, effectiveness is deemed verified where the device disconnects within the stated time under an alternating current test at IΔn. |
RCD testing changed at A4:2026 — check what the instrument prompts for
Appendix 3 Table 3A, which gave time/current performance criteria for RCDs, was deleted at A4:2026. There is no longer a ½× non-operating test or a 5× trip test in BS 7671. A single alternating current test at the rated residual operating current is what verifies the device:
| RCD type | Test | Disconnection time |
|---|
| General, non-delay | AC test at IΔn | 300 ms maximum |
| Delay "S" type | AC test at IΔn | Between 130 ms minimum and 500 ms maximum |
The 5×IΔn test still exists in GN3 as an optional test for fault-finding on RCDs rated 30 mA or less, and 40 ms remains a product-standard figure — but it is not an installation verification requirement, and GN3 notes that where a manufacturer declares a different test current, a failure to trip within 40 ms at 5×IΔn does not by itself make the device faulty. An instrument that still walks you through a mandatory ½× / 1× / 5× sequence is working to the superseded criteria; make sure you can select and record the 1×IΔn AC result on its own.