James and other transformers - CE status

[ashok]

I was asked by a friend if the audio transformers like James are CE certified. If not how can they be used in equipment being sold in the US ?

Where can one find info on CE certification requirements ? Particularly for hi-fi equipment . While we need local certification , I think CE is also accepted.

How much of the imported hi-fi equipment goes through the CE certification process in the US ?

Thanks,
Ashok.

[richie00boy]

Usually the end product to be sold to general consumers is certified, not the parts inside it. You just need to check that the transformer meets the required parts of the Standards. This will be things like creepage distance and insulation resistance.

[Jennice]

First place to contact in the US would be Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Find them at www.ul.com
Regarding european certification criterias, you will want to refer to the IEC series of standards. Visit www.iec.ch for more information, and search for the 60065 standsrd. It'll give you some of your answers, although it's not about transformers in particular.
For selling a procuct in the US, a UL listing of the final product (or UL recognition of a component) isn't required by law, but a lot of sales points (outlets) will not represent your stuff, unless it's certified by a third body like UL for safety. Mind you... UL isn't the only place, but it's by far the largest, and has cooperation with the authorities, etc. Thus, they dominate the certification market in the states.

In the recent years, more and more standards are harmonised between UL and IEC, which will make life easier. IT equiment is one such example with the UL950 (was that UL1950?) and the IEC60950 standards, respectively.

Hope this helps...
Jennice

[ashok]

Thanks Jennice and RichieOOBoy .
That does shed some light on the matter. I think the local standards are just copies of the European ones.
I thought Sy may also have something to say . Maybe he didn't see this post.
Thanks again.
Cheers.
Ashok.