The Rigel 288+ electrical safety analyser

Rigel 288+ Medical Electrical Safety Analyser

The Rigel 288+ is the handheld medical electrical safety tester used by biomedical engineers, hospital EBME teams, medical device manufacturers, and service contractors in Ireland to verify the electrical safety of mains-powered medical equipment. It is the smallest handheld medical electrical safety analyser in its class, designed around the IEC 62353 / EN 62353 in-service test standard, with the measurement accuracy and data logging needed to make pass/fail decisions on patient-connected equipment defensible.

Medical electrical safety testing is not the same as PAT testing on a computer or a kettle. Patient-connected equipment can deliver leakage current directly into a patient through an applied part, and the test routines, leakage thresholds, and reporting requirements are all tighter as a result. The Rigel 288+ is built specifically for that work.

What the Rigel 288+ tests

• Earth bond and protective earth resistance at high test current to verify the protective earth path.
• Insulation resistance on supply leads and the equipment under test.
• Earth leakage current in normal and single fault conditions.
• Touch or point-to-point leakage current on accessible enclosure parts.
• Patient leakage and patient auxiliary current through applied parts of B, BF, and CF type equipment.
• Functional checks: load current, mains voltage, and equivalent device under test power.

Test routines run automatically against the relevant IEC 62353 procedure for the device type, and results are saved against the asset record. That is what turns a single test into a defensible compliance audit trail across an estate of medical equipment.

Why measurement accuracy matters in medical electrical safety

The leakage current limits in IEC 62353 are small. Patient leakage thresholds in normal condition are in the hundreds of microamps; single-fault thresholds are tighter still. A general-purpose tester does not measure those values reliably. The Rigel 288+ is designed for the resolution and stability needed to distinguish a borderline pass from a clear fail, with measurement accuracy that biomedical engineers worldwide trust on patient-critical equipment.

Specifications: what to confirm before you order

Target users and applications

• Hospital EBME and biomedical engineering teams running ward-based and workshop-based safety testing
• Medical device service providers carrying out periodic and post-repair safety verification
• Medical device manufacturers running production-line and final-test safety routines
• Veterinary, dental, and outpatient service teams testing applied-part equipment
• Electrical contractors providing test and inspection support to healthcare estates

Typical applications include periodic in-service safety testing of patient monitors, infusion pumps, defibrillators, ECG equipment, ultrasound systems, and any mains-powered medical device with applied parts. The handheld form factor and battery-powered operation make it ideal for ward-by-ward testing where a workshop bench tester is impractical.

As authorised Seaward and Rigel Medical distributor in Ireland, Powerpoint Engineering supplies the Rigel 288+ alongside accessories, leads, and the data-logging asset management software, and provides in-house calibration and repair for Rigel and Seaward instruments.

FAQs

Is the Rigel 288+ a PAT tester?

It can perform PAT-style tests, but its primary purpose is medical electrical safety testing to IEC 62353. A standard PAT tester does not measure patient leakage current or distinguish between B, BF, and CF applied parts, which is the core of medical electrical safety testing.

Does it support hospital asset management systems?

Yes. The Rigel 288+ supports data logging and asset management through the Rigel Med-eBase software (or equivalent), allowing test results to be exported to hospital asset management and compliance reporting platforms.

Does the Rigel 288+ need calibration?

Yes. As a precision instrument used for compliance and safety pass/fail decisions, the Rigel 288+ should be recalibrated periodically. Powerpoint Engineering's calibration laboratory recalibrates Rigel medical electrical safety analysers and supplies a traceable certificate.

To match the right Rigel 288+ configuration to your medical equipment estate and test workflow, request a quote or speak to our team for compatibility advice.