Electrical health and safety laws

I think this might be a lot of use for people so it would be nice to have a thread for reference.

When you design an electrical product is there any laws you have to go through in order to sell it? For example if the bulk of the components were supplied from a third party but you had to make a small amount of the low voltage electronics is there any procedures you have to go through in order to varify its safety? Ie you have used the right type of cabeling, the right kind of switch etc.

Ie what is to stop me from making an amp and selling it? (not that I am capable of making an amp)

 

there are many laws/directives.
Covering everything from cable used to chasis insulation/grounding.
There are papers available from the relevant governing bodies, British Standards, CE etc..

 

I am aware about BS and CE standards, I have no idea how you go about getting them retified. In web development you just go of the W3C specification, and you're safe if anybody sues you. Obvisouly with electrical equipment it can be dangerous if you get it wrong.

I just have a business idea but regulations probably mean its impossible. I know who I can speak to though at university, I may be able to get free advice from a specialist in this area.

Once again another pipe dream ruined by laws and lack of budget. I do totaly understand the reason for this laws though. Having a kettle with door bell wire flex can't be good.

 

AT its a long time since i worked in that field, but if i can help i will.

PS: It depends if the kettle is electric or not

 

I can't say too much but its all low voltage stuff, there is a power supply but this is external and not produced by me. About the only stuff I will be making is the casing and wiring for the switches.

 

well, im not 100% but if the item is low voltage, you may circumvent some problems by supply a third party power supply (like a walwart) that has already been tested and stamped/certified.

 

I have a feeling low voltage stuff is exempt.
If not, everyone buying and selling things like the ebay NOS dacs are breaking the law, because I'd be very suprised if that was CE marked.

How does it work for things like valve amp kits, do they come under some sort of type approval?

 

CE marking requires testing by a test house such as KTM or UL to BS EN65065.

In order to do this, they will test EVERYTHING, from whether each bit can catch fire to what happens if you stick a screwdriver in here to what happens if you try to run it in an oven.

Various things can be done in order to side-step regulations, such as "kits" where you are not providing a built amplifier.

 

I think I've found my new career path...

 

I usually assume all products sold in the shop in UK/EC has meet the CE standard. Recently some one ask me to try out his power cord that he has made and sale for a few months via the net. I notice some branded interconnects don't have CE certification too. However, with power cord it would appear not a risk worth taking. The last thing I am worried about is what it would do to the hifi toys but more on potential fire hazard and long term durability like damage to the insulations. Standards are not full proof but better then none. I wonder what is other people view on this.

 

Well an interconnect is not going to cause any harm is it apart from to your HIFI, if there using stock phonto plgs then there is no issues of being able to plug them into plug sockets (the EU tried to ban banana plugs for this reason).

With power cords though I guess it depends if he has actually made the cable itself, i.e the insulation, conductor etc.

 

I don't have any Ross Andrews power cords. I wonder if any one could check whether a big player like RA get their products to be certified for safety like the CE or the older BIS in the past?