Extension Lead Test

** Was never my intention to insult or make an enemy of you, David.

But rather to get your ATTENTION and make you realise that you have NOT done your homework re what has long been the LAW relating to importing electrical / electronic items into Australia for resale.

A few minutes on Google turned up the page listed below from Australian state bodies that regulate the sale of electrical goods.

They all say the same thing - the sale of imported appliances appearing on the " Prescribed Items " ( aka Declared Items) list is * ILLEGAL * without the importer first obtaining the required approval certificate from the relevant state body.

Detachable AC power leads that come with practically every item of mains powered electronics these days ARE prescribed items - the whole lot of them. In the regulations, they are generally called " Supply Flexible Cords".

Here is some reading for you and others:

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Standard practice to avoid the absurd hassle of getting each and every AC cord approved yourself - is to DITCH and destroy any non-Australian approved AC supply cord that arrives packed with imported items and replace it with one from a * known supplier* that has the required approvals and markings applied already.

Eg; the Q1803 single channel CRO I bought from DSE a while back came packed with an approved 1.8M long IEC lead - made in China but approved by the Queensland authority.

The IEC female carries no: Q03584 The 3-core cable carries no: Q03403 The Aussie plug carries no: Q03586

The cable is further labelled as " 3 x 0.75 sq mm " and checks out OK on that with 45 milliohms resistance per conductor.

A similar IEC that cord came packed with my Rigol CRO (direct from China) has no such markings and it not legal to sell here despite it checking out OK.

..... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison
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Today I was working with a colleague doing a network cable installation in a local club. While there, I noticed an black coloured extension cable of approximately 15 metre, with moulded ends (ie: not home made) that was clearly marked 0.75 mm sq on the cable.

If not for recent discussions on this forum, I wouldn't have even paid attention to it.

It stood out because the writing on the black cable was in white. It was connected to an urn. I would guess this would easily be a 10a load. The urn wasn't on so I don't know how hot it would get. I informed the person in charge that the cord was illegal and should be destroyed and replaced. He claims that they bought a quantity of extension cords of various lengths along with "disco" type lighting (spotlights, lasers, chasers etc) from a "reputable (and PA) equipment supplier on the Gold Coast and there was nothing wrong with the cord, it worked fine". There were heaps of them used in their "nightclub" area for all the disco lights, and also for plasma screens etc.

They couldn't get them anywhere else in black colour and "other colours glow under the UV disco lights". Told him that by all means keep them, if you want to risk a fire, and to be responsible for the consequences.

Reply to
kreed

"kreed"

While there, I noticed an black coloured extension cable of approximately 15 metre, with moulded ends (ie: not home made) that was clearly marked 0.75 mm sq on the cable.

It stood out because the writing on the black cable was in white. It was connected to an urn. I would guess this would easily be a 10a load.

The urn wasn't on so I don't know how hot it would get. I informed the person in charge that the cord was illegal and should be destroyed and replaced.

** Where did you get that idea from ???

The 1 sq mm conductor, 10 amp rated extension cable I tested reached its max safe operating temp of 75C with 24 amps passing through it.

A simple calculation shows that a 0.75 sq mm version would dissipate the same heat per metre if the current were 21 amps. ( 21 squared / 24 squared = 0.76 )

So there is a big safety margin above nominal for both cables and the difference in current handling is fairly small.

Most IEC leads use 0.75 sq mm and so do many extension leads.

..... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

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