Quote:
Originally Posted by hobnail
What are kitemarks? Anything specific or is that the CE thing?
I was looking at the various wall warts that I have and all of the ones that came with devices have the UL Listed logo as well as many others.
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Kitemark is purely UK.
The problems with UL, CE, CSA, VDE and CE are:
1) Almost no regulator does in market testing, unless there are complaints.
2) Some tests can be self certified.
3) Makers cheat and leave out filters to reduce RFI after certification. See 1, 2.
4) You don't know what they got approval for unless you access regulator records. Was it simply it's self extinguishing or generally safe. Was it tested in a realistic manner for generation of RFI (i.e. with a load and normal length of cable. Some lighting PSUs fail if tested with realistic cables to the lamps. Ethernet over mains usually only pass because they test singly or without data, in reality they are mains powered transmitters).
I've seen an Amazon charger with US power pins and a CE mark. That's illegal in the UK (must have a UK plug, though a Europlug captive in an adaptor that looks like a UK plug passes) and selling something with US power pins to consumers is illegal in most of the EU and many other countries. The UK plug has a fuse, so lightweight mains flex can be used without fire risk by a 2A, 3A, 5A fuse in the plug. The socket is wired to the fuse box with 20A or 2 x 20A rated cables and several sockets share a 20A fuse. Other countries have a fixed rating minimum cable and socket with no fuse in the plug.
A plug top (wall wart) charger/PSU for the UK system (uses in HK, some places in Africa and Ireland) is also meant to have a safety fuse internally as the socket can supply nearly 20A without any problems. It doesn't have to be replaceable. Some clock-radios and other small appliances have a thermal fuse in the transformer.
UK & Ireland shaver sockets for bathrooms must have 115 and 230V, limited by design to under 20W power and typically have a thermal limiter too. They are isolated enough so you can stand in salt water and grasp the live wire. I forget if 2,000V or 4000V isolation tested. There is no earth unless there is a metal plate.