I bought a cheap USB hard drive enclosure off eBay. It turns out that the power supply has absolutely no electrical certifications for either the US or EU (no UL, CE marks). Is electrical certification required for these power adapters (that come with USB drive enclosures)? Is it safe to use a power supply that doesn't have the electrical certification?
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\$\begingroup\$ The adapter that came with it is marked as STM-12.0/5.0-2000 and should be like this one:e-techsiliconvalley.com/store/… \$\endgroup\$– AnonCommented Dec 18, 2010 at 3:44
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2\$\begingroup\$ Safe for what? I don't think a UL certification cares at all about the actual output (other than isolation), but is more concerned that the thing can't catch fire very easily. \$\endgroup\$– Nick TCommented Dec 18, 2010 at 7:12
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1\$\begingroup\$ What's required most likely entirely depends on where you live or who otherwise sets your requirements. \$\endgroup\$– XTLCommented Dec 18, 2010 at 11:30
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\$\begingroup\$ I live in the US. Not sure which rules apply though. I mentioned EU certification because that tends to be tougher, so I wouldn't care if it had EU certification but not US certification. \$\endgroup\$– AnonCommented Dec 19, 2010 at 17:36
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1\$\begingroup\$ In some regards EU certification is actually tougher than the US requirements, such as mandated RoHS compliance. \$\endgroup\$– MarkCommented May 13, 2011 at 3:11
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3 Answers
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Does the power supply plug into the mains?
I'm not sure if it's illegal to go without UL certification as UL aren't a federal requirement (although I believe it is a requirement to have some sort of certification, UL or otherwise) It does make the product look dodgy. It is certainly illegal to not have FCC/CE certification especially as switch mode adapters like those emit hideous amounts of EMI unless properly designed.
answered Dec 18, 2010 at 10:34
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1\$\begingroup\$ @Thomas:by UL I meant electrical certification... UL, ETL or some other company. \$\endgroup\$– AnonCommented Dec 19, 2010 at 17:38
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\$\begingroup\$ @Thomas: Yes, the adapter plugs into a 110V line. It converts 110 V AC to 12V and 5V DC. Some say electrical certification is necessary (thetestlab.com/pdf/pce1099.pdf): Electrical and electronic items sold within the United States must meet the US National Electrical Code (NEC) as well as various city, country and state electrical codes. In order to comply with these codes, electrical and electronic products must be "listed" as being compliant by an "authority having jurisdiction to identify a listed product". \$\endgroup\$– AnonCommented Dec 19, 2010 at 17:52
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\$\begingroup\$ others seem to indicate it is not: sensorcentral.com/worldsupport/standards03.php "Although adopting the UL certification system is basically on a voluntary basis, many U.S.-made electrical appliances have obtained the certification." \$\endgroup\$– AnonCommented Dec 19, 2010 at 17:53
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1\$\begingroup\$ and others seem to suggest that the US National Electrical Code (NEC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA Article 29 CFR 1910.xxx; CFR: Code of Federal Regulations) require that "all electrically controlled devices or systems in the USA must be approved" but at the same time " there is no law which makes UL certification mandatory" (festo.com/cms/nl-be_be/9836.htm) \$\endgroup\$– AnonCommented Dec 19, 2010 at 17:59
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1\$\begingroup\$ A UL certification (or similar), in general, is not required by law. It may be required by the nature of your market, such as a public school. It may result in the loss of an insurance pay out in the event of a fire, even in your home. etc. A UL certification "gets you in the door" in some markets and "covers your liability" in almost all instances, but it is not legally required in the general case. An FCC part 15 certification, if required by your device, is legally mandatory if the product is sold as an end user device. \$\endgroup\$– MarkCommented May 13, 2011 at 3:07
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Any power supply product sold in North America needs to be certified to certain standards to be safely used without special intervention: UL 60950 for non-medical stuff in the USA, CSA C22.2 for Canada - the standards are largely similar and certification usually happens for both markets simultaneously. There should be some agency marks - a UL mark or an NRTL-equivalent.
Safety agencies can be called on to do a field evaluation of a single piece of equipment, against a lower standard than a usual certification. You're on the hook to pay for it yourself, so judge accordingly - it's likely much cheaper to get an approved power supply than pay for an evaluation.
If you're using a product without marks or a field evaluation, you're using it at your own risk. Don't expect any payout from your insurance if your house burns down.
answered Jan 21, 2011 at 17:56
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4\$\begingroup\$ Fun fact - none of the standards are free, you have to pay money to find out what the rules are that you have to play by! \$\endgroup\$– IsaacCommented Jan 21, 2011 at 18:43
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2\$\begingroup\$ It is not illegal to sell such a power supply. Your local electrical inspector may not approve the installation which can lead to issues from your insurance company but those are separate issues from the legality of selling the product. It should also be noted that the NEC is not written in stone but rather is often enforced in various degrees and forms based on the locale. Ultimately the way the NEC code is written it is entirely up to the local authority to determine its application. That however, does not impact legality of sale of any product. \$\endgroup\$– MarkCommented May 13, 2011 at 3:00
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\$\begingroup\$ In Canada, the CEC is universally enforced, and special inspection only applies to "limited quantities" of equipment. It's important to note that the end user is responsible for getting the special inspection if the product isn't marked, which isn't cheap. I've revised my answer accordingly. \$\endgroup\$ Commented May 13, 2011 at 16:34
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Inherently unsafe? Not necessarily. It could be a conforming product that was not labeled because the OEM relied on the reseller to test and label the product for specific markets.
That said, it's also possible that the product is made with unsafe components, or will fail some hazard condition that a certified product would have been tested for.
In some jurisdictions, you cannot use a non-UL (or equivalent like CSA) product. If an inspector finds a non-certified equipment, he could order you immediately discontinue its use.
Lack of labeling on the immediate product does not necessarily mean that the product is not certified -- in rare instances (a product that is "too small" to carry the mark, for example), the there is a separate, valid documentation of its certificated status.
The collection of relevant standards make up a large binder... You have to buy (here, here, here, ...) the standards books (or, rather, gain access to the electronic versions of the same) - and it is definitely not cheap. If you are developing a product, talking to a test lab and "pre evaluating" the product will usually yield some of the relevant details; and when you fail a test, they'll usually give you a copy of the rule that you failed for...
answered May 13, 2011 at 17:30