I know some of you sell the amps you make, but most of you are not doing it for a living, am I right?
Are there any regulations in the US. about making electric equipment for sale? Do they need to be approved by someone? Or do you sell so few amps, that it's not needed?
Just wondered..
Tommy
For all of you who makes and sell amps?
Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal
Re: For all of you who makes and sell amps?
In the US, electrical safety approval is a "customer requirement", not a legal requirement.
The National Electric Code prescribes that you only connect "Listed" equipment or devices to the power outlet. Most local electric authorities (your city or county inspector etc.) have a localized version of the NEC that has the same requirement. Now of course you can plug anything into the wall that you want. However if you burn your house down and it turns out a piece of non-Listed equipment was at fault, then I wouldn't expect your insurance to pay for the damage since you violated the NEC and local regulations.
To get a device "Listed" you have to submit it to an NRTL (Nationally-Recognized Test Laboratory) and have them test it according to the standard appropriate to the class of equipment (in this case, a "Musical Instrument Amplifier"). The most common NRTLs are Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) and CSA, their Canadian counterpart. They will usually perform destructive testing and require 2-3 sample units, complete prototypes indicative of final production units. It will cost about $1500-3000 for the testing (or more) and then you have to establish a Follow-Up Service which also has an annual fee where by quarterly an inspector will come by your facility and make sure you are still building them the way you said you would, verify the source of so-called "critical components" (power transformer, output transformer, fuse, anything connected to the mains etc.). The annual FUS is like $700 last time I was doing it and that's per product, plus "expenses" (the inspector may incur travel expenses to come and check your place out if you are not in a major metro area).
To have success building a product that will pass these tests, you should select UL-Recognized components for the critical bits such as the fuse, fuse holder, power tranny, output transformer, switches, etc. Then you need to know the spacing and accessibility rules and ensure that they are met in your design and with respect to your enclosure. There are some hoops to jump through for grounding as well. You will have to supply a manual or at least a set of standardized warnings and guidelines with each unit you sell.
In all it's relatively costly and makes sense only if you are a rather high profile production builder. If you are making an amp or two a month for customers, then you should employ safety design guidelines (build it in such a way that it WOULD pass) but it probably doesn't make sense to endure the cost of Listing service. I would think as you approach the double-digits-per-month number you need to consider getting a legitimate approval, especially considering the cost will be amortized accross a number of units, and it helps to have someone else holding the bag in the event that one of your amps is to blame for a safety incident such as electric shock or fire.
Now if you are going to sell in the EU then you need a CB report and you HAVE to apply the CE mark, and you HAVE to have a recognized safety mark in order to import the product into countries participating in the CB scheme, it's the law!
The National Electric Code prescribes that you only connect "Listed" equipment or devices to the power outlet. Most local electric authorities (your city or county inspector etc.) have a localized version of the NEC that has the same requirement. Now of course you can plug anything into the wall that you want. However if you burn your house down and it turns out a piece of non-Listed equipment was at fault, then I wouldn't expect your insurance to pay for the damage since you violated the NEC and local regulations.
To get a device "Listed" you have to submit it to an NRTL (Nationally-Recognized Test Laboratory) and have them test it according to the standard appropriate to the class of equipment (in this case, a "Musical Instrument Amplifier"). The most common NRTLs are Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) and CSA, their Canadian counterpart. They will usually perform destructive testing and require 2-3 sample units, complete prototypes indicative of final production units. It will cost about $1500-3000 for the testing (or more) and then you have to establish a Follow-Up Service which also has an annual fee where by quarterly an inspector will come by your facility and make sure you are still building them the way you said you would, verify the source of so-called "critical components" (power transformer, output transformer, fuse, anything connected to the mains etc.). The annual FUS is like $700 last time I was doing it and that's per product, plus "expenses" (the inspector may incur travel expenses to come and check your place out if you are not in a major metro area).
To have success building a product that will pass these tests, you should select UL-Recognized components for the critical bits such as the fuse, fuse holder, power tranny, output transformer, switches, etc. Then you need to know the spacing and accessibility rules and ensure that they are met in your design and with respect to your enclosure. There are some hoops to jump through for grounding as well. You will have to supply a manual or at least a set of standardized warnings and guidelines with each unit you sell.
In all it's relatively costly and makes sense only if you are a rather high profile production builder. If you are making an amp or two a month for customers, then you should employ safety design guidelines (build it in such a way that it WOULD pass) but it probably doesn't make sense to endure the cost of Listing service. I would think as you approach the double-digits-per-month number you need to consider getting a legitimate approval, especially considering the cost will be amortized accross a number of units, and it helps to have someone else holding the bag in the event that one of your amps is to blame for a safety incident such as electric shock or fire.
Now if you are going to sell in the EU then you need a CB report and you HAVE to apply the CE mark, and you HAVE to have a recognized safety mark in order to import the product into countries participating in the CB scheme, it's the law!
Re: For all of you who makes and sell amps?
This is why a lot of rack stuff comes with wall-warts. You can buy approved ones and skip the issue for the part you make.
Re: For all of you who makes and sell amps?
That's not entirely true. You still have to get an approval for the whole system. However the most critical part is the power transformer and if you by that from another vendor (external, internal doesn't matter) then it is incumbent for them to test it and you do not have to.
However, there are still requirements for internal spacings, clearance to the chassis, accessibility, heating, etc. All kinds of stuff. Depending on te specific piece of equipment, there certainly will be at least SOMETHING to test.
However, there are still requirements for internal spacings, clearance to the chassis, accessibility, heating, etc. All kinds of stuff. Depending on te specific piece of equipment, there certainly will be at least SOMETHING to test.