Electrical equipment safety requirements and marking – revised Standards published

Two revised Standards for safety requirements for electrical equipment and marking of electrical products to indicate compliance with regulations have been published.

AS/NZS 3820 Essential safety requirements for electrical equipment

Essential safety requirements for electrical equipment AS/NZS 3820:2009 provides electrical regulators with criteria for the safety of electrical equipment for products where regulatory approval before sale is not required (non-declared articles). AS/NZS 3820:2009 updates the 1998 edition, which included Amendment 1 (2004) to make it more compatible with the current safety regulatory requirements in New Zealand and Australia.

Electrical installations Standard for transportable structures (caravans) – amendment published

Standards New Zealand has published New Zealand-only Amendment A to AS/NZS 3001:2008 Electrical installations – Transportable structures and vehicles including their site supplies.

AS/NZS 3001 sets out the requirements for electrical installations associated with transportable structures and vehicles that are intended for connection to low-voltage a.c. supply systems (that is, exceeding 50 V a.c. but not exceeding 1000 V a.c.). The term 'transportable structure' includes both vehicles and structures with or without wheels that can readily be moved from one site to another either under their own motive power or by some other means.

Protecting populations from non-conforming electrical appliances and installations

'Better protect the citizens of the Gulf region from the many accidents caused by low-quality electrical appliances and components' was one of the clear objectives of the first international conference for standardisation and conformity assessment in electrotechnology, held in Bahrain in December 2009.

With the rapid growth of the consumption of non-conforming electrical appliances in the Gulf region has come an increase in accidents and electrical fires.

Why every country has a different plug

Summarised, with permission, from an article that was written by John Herman, Gizmodo, on 29 October 2009. It appeared in IEC e-tech, December 2009.

OK, maybe not every country, but with at least 12 different sockets in widespread use it sure feels like it to anyone who's ever travelled. So why in the world, literally, are there so many? Funny story!

The more you look at all the plugs in the world, the sillier it seems. If you buy a phone charger at the airport in Florida, you won't be able to use it when your flight lands in France. If you buy a 3-pronged adapter for le portable in Paris, you might not be able to plug it in when your train drops you off in Germany. And when your flight finally bounces to a stop on the runway in London, get ready to buy a comically large adapter to tap into the grid there. But that's cool! You can take the same adapter to Singapore with you! And parts of Nigeria! Oh yeah, and if said charger doesn't support 240 V power natively, make sure you buy a converter, or else it might explode.

Here comes the sun – the future of photovoltaics

From 28 September to 2 October 2009 150 delegates of IEC Technical Committee (TC) 82 'Solar photovoltaic energy systems' held plenary and group meetings in Aix-les-Bains, France. The agenda was impressive with five individual Working Group (WG) meetings, a joint WG assembly, breakout sessions with particular tasks allotted to each WG, and a technical visit to the impressive National Institute of Solar Energy (INES), France.

IEC TC 82 Chairman Heinz Ossenbrink reminded the participants of some major statistics.

Travel plug adaptor banned

Energy Safety, part of the Ministry of Economic Development, has banned the importation, sale, distribution, and use of a particular type of travel plug adaptor, known as a 'Universal Adaptor' or 'all-in-one adaptor'.

These adaptors are unsafe as they do not offer adequate protection from contact with live parts, to the point where live 230 Volt parts can be accessed and touched easily.

'Energy Safety is concerned about this style and type of adaptor, particularly as they may be used at skirting board level and could be easily accessible to small children and infants,' says Richard Lamb, Energy Safety Compliance Officer.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

AS/NZS 1299:2009 Electrical equipment for mines and quarries – Explosion-protected three-phase restrained plugs and receptacles for working voltages up to and including 3.3 kV

Provides requirements and guidance for explosion protected three-phase restrained plugs and receptacles to manufacturers, users, regulatory authorities, and associated interests, and for use with other related Australian/New Zealand Standards and relevant mining regulations.

→ Buy this Standard

AS/NZS 1300:2009 Electrical equipment for mines and quarries – Bolted explosion-protected three-phase cable coupling devices

NEW AMENDMENTS

Free to download from our website: www.standards.co.nz
Or hard copy available at $29.95+GST (Members), $37.44+GST (Retail)

AS/NZS 2040 Performance of household electrical appliances – Clothes washing machines

Amendment 2:2009 to AS/NZS 2040.1:2005 Methods for measuring performance, energy and water consumption

Applies to the Preface, Foreword, Clauses 1.4.22, 1.4.23, 1.4.24 and 4.4, and Appendices A, B, C, D, G, I, L, M and N.

→ Buy AS/NZS 2040.1:2005 Methods for measuring performance, energy and water consumption with all Amendments incorporated

Amendment 1 to AS/NZS 3105:2007 Approval and test specification – Electrical portable outlet devices

Applies to Clauses 1.1, 1.2, 2.9 (new), 4.4, 4.5.1, 4.5.1.2, 4.5.1.3, 4.5.3, 4.5.4, 6.4, 8.1, 8.2, and 8.5.1.

→ Buy AS/NZS 3105:2007 Approval and test specification – Electrical portable outlet devices with Amendment 1 incorporated

DRAFT STANDARDS FOR COMMENT

Free to download from our website: www.standards.co.nz

DR5761 In-service safety inspection and testing – Second-hand electrical equipment prior to sale

This draft Standard specifies procedures which shall be applied to electrical equipment prior to it being offered for sale. These include not only the safety inspection and testing of low voltage single phase and polyphase second-hand electrical equipment electrical equipment but also confirmation that safety measures such as mechanical guards are fitted and working correctly. It includes equipment intended for both domestic and workplace environments.
Public comment on this draft closes on 26 February 2010

→ View or download draft Standard for comment

DR5762 In-service safety inspection and testing – Repaired electrical equipment

STANDARDS WITHDRAWN

• AS/NZS 3820:1998 Essential safety requirements for low voltage electrical equipment
  Superseded by AS/NZS 3820:2009
• AS/NZS 4417 Marking of electrical and electronic products to indicate compliance with regulations
  • AS/NZS 4417.1:2000 General rules for use of the mark
    Superseded by AS/NZS 4417.1:2009
  • AS/NZS 4417.2:2001 Specific requirements for electrical safety regulatory applications
    Superseded by AS/NZS 4417.2:2009
  • AS/NZS 4417.3:1996 Specific requirements for electromagnetic compatibility regulatory applications
    Superseded by AS/NZS 4417.3:2009
  • AS/NZS 4417.4:1999 Specific requirements for radio apparatus regulatory requirements
    Superseded by AS/NZS 4417.4:2009

STANDARD IN DEVELOPMENT

In-service safety inspection and testing

Committee: EL/036
Project Manager: John Kelly
Estimated Publication Date: April 2010
Comments: Revision of AS/NZS 3760, AS/NZS 5761, and AS/NZS 5762. The public comment draft for AS/NZS 3760 has been released and the comment period closes on 12 February 2010.