Dodgy IEC cables again

A mate of mine just bought a new battery charger - a Swallow AC/DC unit. It came with an IEC lead that had a 2-pin plug going to a 2-core lead marked as

0.75mm to an IEC plug that had a hole in the earth position but no contacts.

While I'm guessing 0.75mm is probably OK for a standard ~1.8m lead (?), I can't see how having an unconnected earth can be kosher - surely they should have filled in the earth position so it couldn't be plugged into a device that had an earth pin?

The Swallow is a very good charger, BTW.

Reply to
Poxy
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"Poxy"

** Sounds quite illegal and potentially dangerous.

The two pin ( double insulated ) version of the IEC plug is not compatible with 3 pin sockets.

Where was it purchased ?

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

"Poxy"

See:

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I see it but I doan believe it ........

........ Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

It

marked

I

device

He bought it in Perth, but pretty much every hobby shop in Oz sells the unit. I'm guessing it'd be the same IEC lead in every box, but I haven't checked.

This is the item on the distributor's site:

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Reply to
Poxy

At least it's got the plastic insulation on the pins... :->

Dave :)

Reply to
David L. Jones

Reported to Ebay as illegal/dangerous. Unfortunately the reporting scheme didn't allow me to include the descriptive text I wrote, sigh:

The power cord for the battery charger shown here is dangerous and illegal for sale in Australia, as it does not have the mandatory earth pin on the 3-pin socket. Although the device may be double insulated, this lead, because it's a standard geometry, will eventually find its way to another device that *must* have a proper earth connection. The seller risks a criminal conviction if any such units are sold in Australia, and possible murder or manslaughter charges if anyone dies as a result.

Clifford Heath.

Reply to
Clifford Heath

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I recognise the company that is responsible for AU conformity of that product (and its not the ebay seller). I will call them tomorrow morning and see whether they know this is happening. They should know better, but it is possible they don't know its being imported like this (direct import, grey market import or even counterfeit labelling). I'll post their comments.

Well spotted Phil.

Reply to
Dave

"Dave"

** The importer / wholesaler is " Model Engines " in Melbourne.

See page 4 of this pdf :

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The charger unit appears to have been type approved as required by law - but is not labelled as class 2 or " double insulated" - hence it requires a 3 core power lead.

That 2 core lead with 3 pin IEC plug has NOT been approved as is REQUIRED not safe anywhere on earth.

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

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Interesting tale behind it all... but the summary is MEA received the units from the Chinese factory with these dud cords, but they replaced them (here in Australia) before they sold any. The ebay seller is not known to them, and their policy is not to supply to on-line sellers. I have also spoken with the company acting as the compliance agent for MEA for this product and they don't know anything about the ebay seller either. So, my guess is the ebay seller may have either got some that escaped the cord replacement process, or is importing directly and passing them off (through mis-labelling) as units imported by MEA. The Chinese factory making the charger doesn't make the cordset and simply would have bought an "Australian cord" from a Chinese cordset maker. This cord would be cheaper than an ordinary duty three core lead and was probably created by the cord maker as a cost-down option.

I don't want to revisit the previous discussion, but this graphically illustrates what I trying to say before. There are a great many factories in China making products for which they have little understanding of the final use - they just know how to make it, and that it will work/fit/operate if it is the same as xxxx. The greater understanding of how and why comes along as the industry matures.

The NSW DFT has been informed and reviewed the pictures on the ebay website, but won't do anything till a written complaint is made (which I have done). Even then they can't act decisively since its a NSW approval for the charger only (excluding the cord), the charger approval is held by a Victorian company (so they have to refer it to the OCEI), the cord is being sold by persons unknown, operating from location unknown and if it is being delivered directly from overseas then there is little any regulator can do anyway (the seller states it is AU delivery so they must have a location here somewhere).

Wherever the seller is located is where the offence is being committed and that State's regulator is the one who has to take action - so don't anyone hold their breath waiting for anything to happen soon from that side of things. If anyone has purchased one of these chargers with a crook cord please pass the sellers details to the regulator in the State where the seller is located. This will get the fastest response. You will most likely need to send the cord to them too, so don't throw it away yet.

Reply to
Dave

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REQUIRED

units

(here

That's interesting - I raised this issue with the Swallow AC/DC charger after seeing the cord that was supplied with one a friend had bought last week while in Perth from a local hobby shop there. Perhaps that particular shop is selling grey imports? I'll check with my friend which shop it was. I'm also going to drop by a few local shops (who I know for a fact buy from Model Engines) and have a look at what cables come with the units they're stocking.

Reply to
Poxy

"Poxy"

** Yep - have damn good look.

Never * believe * heresay info from someone who REFUSES to say anything about who he is.

...... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

units

(here

I just checked a local shop who took a new delivery of Swallow AC/DC chargers from Model Engines just this week - they contain the dodgy leads - I now know of people who have bought the charger from various local shops across Australia, they were all almost certainly supplied by Model Engines and they all have dodgy leads.

It sounds like Model Engines were telling you porkies, and it's particularly galling that if they were indeed aware of the problem, and have been told again by you, but are still supplying the potentially dangerous leads.

I've started talking to one local regulator, but what I want to see is a recall - whoever is responsible for putting these leads in people's homes should be responsible for removing them before they seriously injure or kill someone.

Reply to
Poxy

"Poxy" "Dave"

** Nice work - Poxy.

Told you the anonymous, mysterious Dave was absolutely " full of it ".

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Please make it a written complain and give them the details of where and when you bought it. Also send a copy of the complaint to Model Engines Australia. If they are still supplying these, and from what you say they are, then any failure to act on their part is quite serious.

Reply to
Dave

I've emailed and spoken to the local regulator a few times - he's planning in the first instance to visit a couple of hobby shops who are selling the unit and tell them not to sell the unit with the dodgy lead. That will hopefully get the shop owners on the phone to Model Engines to do something about the problem.

However, getting a recall done seems like it may take a long time, unless Model Engines decides to do the right thing off their own bat.

What might help is if someone in Victoria informed the state regulator, as they'd be in a better position to take it up with Model Engines, as I understand they're based in Vic.

Reply to
Poxy

Finding a shop selling them in Vic would be even better as the State of the complainant and the importer are then co-located.

Reply to
Dave

"Dave"

** Approval for the "Swallow 2" charger was registered (and done ? ) in NSW.

It should not matter what state the importer is located as any problem found by one state authority can be referred to the state authority of the importer.

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

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