Good day everybody,

First of all, what a great forum full of great info! Thanks! :-)

Got a simple question which i'm just not able to find the answer from hours looking online... So hopefully, you guys can help!

I'm currently designing a product and just wondering the difference in cost and product certification between:

Option A: Design with an OEM CE certified AC to DC External power supply providing DC voltage to my product (less than 50VDC) (Wall wart type

Option B: Design with an OEM CE certified internal Powersupply (inside the product).

I'm seeing a lot of manufacturers using OEM external "wallwart" type PSU (AC to DC) and just wondering if that's a way for them to reduce cost of certification. Are they any advantages (cost reduction) in using external PSU?

Also, would my product not require to fulfill the Low Voltage Directive if it's using an external PSU and is operating at less than 75VDC? Would the OEM PSU manufacturer certification be enough and i wouldn't need any CE certification on my product?

We're just a small startup company, so although i understand the importance of product certification, i'm just trying to save cost.. :-)

Thanks a lot for your comments.

Tony

Good day everybody,

First of all, what a great forum full of great info! Thanks! :-)
Hi Tonytony,
Welcome to the Cove. We are glad that you find us useful :bigwave:

Got a simple question which i'm just not able to find the answer from hours looking online... So hopefully, you guys can help! If it were that simple you probably would have found an answer. But, anyway, you have come to a good place for help. We have participants who know about this issue, I am sure of that. Until they show up, I will give you my :2cents:


I'm currently designing a product and just wondering the difference in cost and product certification between:

Option A: Design with an OEM CE certified AC to DC External power supply providing DC voltage to my product (less than 50VDC) (Wall wart type

Option B: Design with an OEM CE certified internal Powersupply (inside the product).

I'm seeing a lot of manufacturers using OEM external "wallwart" type PSU (AC to DC) and just wondering if that's a way for them to reduce cost of certification. Are they any advantages (cost reduction) in using external PSU? Basically, I think that the issue is not so much a certification issue, but purely an economical one. I believe that external powerconverters are cheaper to use, simply because that it leaves a lot of designing out of the equation (Personally I hate external powerconverters, but I can't seem to avoid them). Usually when you put a product on the market the CE-responsibility lies with you, not your subsuppliers, however if you use an external powerconverter and it is CE-marked then you can use the suppliers documentation to ease your own burden.


Also, would my product not require to fulfill the Low Voltage Directive if it's using an external PSU and is operating at less than 75VDC? Would the OEM PSU manufacturer certification be enough and i wouldn't need any CE certification on my product? You will always need to CE-mark your product if it falls within one of the regulated areas of the EU where CE-marks apply. I have attached the:
DIRECTIVE 2006/95/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 12 December 2006
on the harmonisation of the laws of Member States relating to electrical equipment designed for use
within certain voltage limits
I think that is the one you need to comply to.


We're just a small startup company, so although i understand the importance of product certification, i'm just trying to save cost.. :-)

Thanks a lot for your comments.

Tony
What is they say? Save a nickel, waste a dime? Be careful not to save in the wrong places :)

Please let us know how this turns out for you

Gert,

Thanks for the info and attachment!
That's useful information even if i already had that document. :-)

I'm not entirely sure, but i still believe that i can save cost (as far as product testing is concerned) by using an already CE certified PSU. I'm just looking for somebody with product design experience that can confirm that statement.

I guess i'll have to contact a lab test to have this confirmed..


Thanks

Hi,
"For the purposes of this Directive, ‘electrical equipment’ means
any equipment designed for use with a voltage rating of between
50 and 1 000 V for alternating current and between 75 and
1 500 V for direct current,"
It means the input and output and anywhere inside of product voltage less than
defined value it shows that your product is out of LVD. Only the "wallwart" type PSU need to be tested.