Lighting - CE Marking

[Avon Fred]

Hi all, hope you dont mind but am new here and i have a quick (ish) question already!

We have a concern about the safety of an off the shelf lighting product that we would like to use in a shop fit out and I would welcome your view (and approval of the steps we are taking to make it safe).

The Light is a Droog multi pendant lamp fitting, a designer fitting used in various interiors in the UK and elsewhere.

The concern is that this fitting does not have a CE mark and has exposed live terminal blocks as part of its design.

We have used this fitting in another shop in a shopping centre and took the following steps to make it safe.

Infill all live exposed parts with Silicon sealant to prevent accidental access to the live terminals.

Put the fitting on its own protected circuit.

This included a method statement for future maintenance of the fitting.

The issue is the Client thinks the fitting is an inherant part of our store concept and would like to continue to use the fitting but only if we are all satisfied that all risks to the Clients brand have been avoided.

We think there is an alternative way to protect the terminal blocks by using clear heat shrink tube and the electrical designer is pulling together a description of what they intend to do to enable them to sign off the installation.

Any views would be appreciated.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Hi all, hope you dont mind but am new here and i have a quick (ish) question already!We have a concern about the safety of an off the shelf lighting product that we would like to use in a shop fit out and I would welcome your view (and approval of the steps we are taking to make it safe).

The Light is a Droog multi pendant lamp fitting, a designer fitting used in various interiors in the UK and elsewhere.

The concern is that this fitting does not have a CE mark and has exposed live terminal blocks as part of its design.

We have used this fitting in another shop in a shopping centre and took the following steps to make it safe.

Infill all live exposed parts with Silicon sealant to prevent accidental access to the live terminals.

Put the fitting on its own protected circuit.

This included a method statement for future maintenance of the fitting.

The issue is the Client thinks the fitting is an inherant part of our store concept and would like to continue to use the fitting but only if we are all satisfied that all risks to the Clients brand have been avoided.

We think there is an alternative way to protect the terminal blocks by using clear heat shrink tube and the electrical designer is pulling together a description of what they intend to do to enable them to sign off the installation.

Any views would be appreciated.

Welcome to the forum, As your link was to a general webshop page with various lights on it I have removed it. Perhaps photographs or a direct link to your particular fitting would be more helpful. I suspect you may have answered your own questions by the fact you already have concerns. Have you checked through section 559 Luminaries of BS7671 to check if your fitting complies with all relevant regulations in there. Does your insurance provide sufficient cover for installing non-CE marked electrical equipment?

Doc H.

 

[Andy™]

if you have to question the safety over something, probably a good indication that its not sat and should not be used. maybe even taken to trading standards

 

[Technician]

I would agree with previous posts. If there is no CE mark then

it has no approval to be distributed or sold within the European

Union. This means that if a CE mark is present a technical file

exists on that product.

If not...no such file exists.

I looked recently at some double sockets that resembled a well

known make...no BS number. The shutters and internals fell

apart in a short period of time.

I would also submit that "modifying" such a product could be

viewed as a further transgression.

 

[Avon Fred]

Hi all, this is all really helpful, thank you for your advice.

Any further thoughts will be appreciated.

 

[Evans Electric]

I think, as Technician said, the fact that you are having to modify them answers the question TBH. Specially having to shroud exposed terminals.

 

[Sidewinder]

Another option is to CE mark it yourselves.

Reverse engineer the fitting, undertake your mods and submit the fittings for type approval at your cost.

You will however, need a copy of the original design data and preferably the technical file from the original manufacturer to do this.

It is doubtful that you will get it.

The mods you are doing whilst well meant could be considered "dubious".

I would submit a sample to Trading Standards &/or a test house, foot the bill and sue the supplier, you would have better luck!

 

[Technician]

Reverse engineering...good point...that should have been tried on the

Titanic before it left the yard in Northern Ireland. That way, a lot of

trouble in the North Atlantic might have been avoided as well as a couple

of bad films.

 

[Hefferl]

A customer of mine has purchased 6 light fittings from ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chandelier-Vintage-Industrial-Retro-Pendant-Edison-Light-Ceiling-Lamp-lights-/201354222884?hash=item2ee1a59d24

These have been sent in from china. 

No CE mark. No manufacturers instructions. Plain brown cardboard cartons.

I have so far refused to install these due to the absence of the CE mark on the product or any literature, but customer is pushing because seller says they comply.

I've looked on ebay and there are loads of similar products.

Am I on solid ground here please?

 

[Sidewinder]

Yes you are.

 

[Andy™]

ask the seller to provide proof, other than 'they comply'

 

[Hefferl]

Yes you are.

thanks

ask the seller to provide proof, other than 'they comply'

thanks

Seller is willing to provide what they call a CQC certificate which I've said is not acceptable.

I've Googled this and found a few unconvincing references to 'China Quality Certificate! 

 

[Sidewinder]

You are perfectly legally entitled to demand a DoC with the LVD, no DoC, no compliance, thus illegal for sale in the UK, end of story.

 

[kerching]

Chinese Quality Certificate.....BRILLIANT

If it is printed on Chinese paper it will be difficult to establish which is worth more...the ink or the paper