If it looks like an MCB .....

Wonder how barren many home workshops would look on the removal of all Chinese/Taiwanese manufactured goods?

Regards Ian.

You can't judge a standards system by a single article. I think you are being somewhat partisan.

UL is not the be all and end all. Interestingly many fuse holders rated at 15 or 16A by UL are only rated at 10A by other standards e.g.
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/2343262.pdf

Even Littlefuse (an amrican company recommend de rating from UL " Even small variations from the controlled test conditions can greatly affect the ratings of the fuse holder. For this reason, it is recommended that fuse holders be de-rated by 40% (operated at no more than 60% of the nominal current rating established using the Underwriter Laboratories test conditions). "

http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1480080.pdf

Robert G8RPI.

It seems like UL and some other standards and Codes get watered down over time.

Code is the "mimimum standard" which is suppose to give a safe design, but "mimimum standard" is not sufficient in the industrial work I do.

I had a Code guy a few years ago ask me "Which Code are you going by these days?".

I told him "Pat's Code".

He said "What is that?".

I said "Its my code, which is don't let it burn up or blow up for any reason".

I wasn't trying to be arrogant, but just stating the reality of what I face in industrial design.

Typically the least expensive initial cost electrical equipment is the most expensive in the long term.

I try not to use electrical devices at their rating (code says 80% of rating for continuous service), because as I said connections and contacts get loose and then you don't have the rating you think you do.

And in industrial settings, you often see extreme temperatures, which also can cause you to derate devices.

But again bottom line, be aware of what you are using.

This is a great heads-up for things to watch for.

.

Not quite Steve, but I am wary of the spec in many cases.
I bought a thermostatically controlled mains switch which was rated at 16amps (3.8kW). The appearance suggests not but...
I ran it with a load of 2kW and the functionality was fine for a while, then the photo says all - not to be left unattended!
I find much of the Chinese stuff works fine unless you start to get over, say, 50% of its rating the switched dc so-called PWM modules are a case in point. Thus, I often only get a bargain if I use Chinese stuff and beef up the output i.e. I could only use the thermostatic switch at 3kw if I use the output to operate a properly rated switch, either solid state or contactor/relay.

When I was working in China there was an incident in the factory when 3 electricians were electrocuted. They had been working on installing a production line and someone had managed to drop a live 11kV cable which touched a part of the track. It didn't really bother anyone, although the smell of burnt flesh lingered in the area for a few days. Seems to me that H&S is way down their priority list, probably as one cynic commented "they have 1.4 billion chances of getting it wrong"

If they don't care for their own people what makes you think they will care about some old guy in his shed!

"Seems to me that H&S is way down their priority list, probably as one cynic commented "they have 1.4 billion chances of getting it wrong""

Don't forget O/R when Britain was the workshop of the world, long time before HSE were originated and little boys were stuffed up chimneys.

Profit far exceeded the necessity of safety, only the country of origin has changed.

Regards Ian.

SOD,

That junk is being made i China for export. The Chinese would not us the junk.

A great deal of truth in that.
You are unlikely to buy one of the MCBs in question from RS or Farnell. You will pay more but, at my age, I should realise by now, you get what you pay for (mostly!).
This applies to my thermostat really.

I have a bigger problem with buying software driven stuff - you only find out what it really does, after you get it, and it's no good asking - I think I am just an old git asking awkward questions, talking to a pimply-faced youth with shallow knowledge - but that's another story.

Edited By Anthony Kendall on 07/02/2021 11:12:05

Circlip -

You've overlooked that the failings and wrongs you mention - including child labour - are undeniable but triggered campaigns in the 19C that laid the foundations for the employment and equipment safety standards and regulations we have now.

Concern for safety and welfare are not new though. Georgius Agricola's De Re Metallica treatise on ore prospecting, mining and processing has a comprehensive chapter to health and safety. And he wrote that in the 16C. The problem of course was that not enough mine-owners and overseers read his book and acted on his advice; and too many owners whether rich venture-capitalists or one-man / family concerns, were more worried about sales than safety.

However, we can't put all the blame on the business owners. The awful accident rate in building the Forth Bridge led to Questions in Parliament, and investigation revealed the contractors' safety instructions were all too frequently ignored or infringed by the steel-erectors themselves.

'

The incident in China that Oily Rag describes seems far more a result of poor practice than faulty equipment. Live 11kV cables installed correctly in the first place and left undisturbed, don't fall of their own accord.

'

BTW... China or Taiwan? There is the People's Republic of China, and there is Taiwan. Although the PCR insists the island is its own property, Taiwan is an independent country; a very sensitive matter in both nations. I think most of our equipment is Taiwanese-, not PCR-, made.

What makes you think RS or Farnell check what they buy, other than whats written on the box or spec sheet?

I worked for a telecoms company that would not allow RS components because they did not buy from the same source each time.

If you watched the video the MCB's came as part of a generator so indirectly bought.

As part of a prodject I was involved with a large plumbing manufacturer in a new push fit plastic water fitting which would replace copper fittings. We worked on the tooling for the moulds and press tooling for the stainless steel grab washer and it took about two years to get it to approval for B.S. and was a great idea. The company who makes the parts decided to have them moulded in China and they were sent with a team ( not me ) over there after a few months and before the company had any products from them a Chinese company were selling copies almost identical just small engraving differences. The manufacturer who owned the tooling had quite a time getting them back and no longer has parts made there.

David

Because I know they do!

I have been watching a bit of China news lately. Not being political in any way but the people are having a bad time. Just glad i am here. Holed up in the Shed.

Steve.