Importing pendant/chandelier light from china?

Jax

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Geek

Topic # 104990 24-Jun-2012 21:06
I have found a light I like: http://www.lightinthebox.com/12-light-artistic-ceiling-light_p296011.html#have_reviews It can be bought with correct volatage for NZ Is there anything to look out for? Will sparkies not want to install something self-supplied like this? Does it need to meet some NZ certification? Or - will it be fine Cheers

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Ultimate Geek

Reply # 645608 24-Jun-2012 23:52
If it is provided with NZ voltage it might be safe to run with our voltage through it but you should really budget for getting it rewired. Electricians shouldn't have any problem with installing it but to avoid hassles (and potential fires) get the same sparkies to do the rewiring.

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Ultimate Geek

Reply # 645626 25-Jun-2012 05:19
If your importing for your own personal use then then there are no compliance rules, as soon as you are importing to on sell then you must supply a "suppliers document of confirminity" which means that it is built to standard xxx, and meets the NZ regs etc.

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Reply # 645627 25-Jun-2012 06:05
As Elpie said, plan on rewiring. It is likely wired with single insulation wire (e.g. figure 8 wire is used in NZ only for low voltage and speakers, but allowed in some countries). If the wire is exposed (or can be if e.g. glass breaks) then it certainly needs to have 2 layers of insulation. The risk is that you might not be able to get the correct wire threaded through the fitting. That said, looking at the specific lamp you are interested in it has copper tubing so single insulation wires will be fine as long as you earth the fitting (which is a requirement, but older houses do not have earth at light fittings) and you run it off an RCD (not necessarily a code requirement to add it to an old house, but I would for a large metal light fitting with single insulation wire). The wire fire rating will likely be fine, it is the layers of insulation you have to worry about. Just to complete the picture, appliances need to have C-Tick or you can run into trouble with your insurance if things go wrong. But as gregmcc said, there are no compliance marks on light fittings, you are covered when installed by an electrician (and it was not a cash job with no receipt/evidence). You can never have enough Volvos!

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Reply # 645671 25-Jun-2012 08:49
Also bear in mind there is a difference between what you can legally install and what you insurer will accept. If there is a fault caused by the fitting, even if it is rewired, you in all likelihood not be insured. In the case of a fire caused by a product defect insurers will often try to recover their costs from the manufacturer/importer.

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Reply # 645918 25-Jun-2012 15:06
To rephrase, I meant get the sparky to rewire the fitting or at least sign off the install (not cash job). That way he is accountable not you. You can never have enough Volvos!

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Reply # 645940 25-Jun-2012 15:56
Niel: To rephrase, I meant get the sparky to rewire the fitting or at least sign off the install (not cash job). That way he is accountable not you. The sparky isn't responsible in the case of a product defect which causes overheating etc. It's a slim possibility but IMO it's not impossible. It really comes down to what level of risk you can live with and whether you feel competent to assess the fitting. Insurance companies don't tend to care about the law, they're looking for just enough grey area to deny a claim and tell you to sue them.

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Geek

Reply # 646761 27-Jun-2012 06:53
well, after reading this thread as speaking to people in the industry, its still a little unclear... In my situation I am building a new house and an independant sparky said I would struggle to get sign off, so I'm not taking the risk.

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Master Geek

Reply # 647139 27-Jun-2012 17:50
Don't do it! But only because that light fitting is really ugly. :P

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Reply # 649412 2-Jul-2012 10:36
Any sparky that writes out a code compliance cert with gear like that is an idiot. Not going to happen unless you get a sparky that doesn't value their ability to keep working in their chosen field without getting a massive fine when caught. Get the sparky to install a batten holder where the light will go, get the cert and then change the fitting later on. There are some disgustingly unsafe fittings sold in NZ with a SDOC so clearly the standards are very very low. Plenty of fittings with single insulated wire in them, one I saw even had the 3 mains conductors broken out into 3 separate wires going down to the hanging part - all single insulated transparent stuff. Also have seen some stuff that is defiantly not 0.75mm^2 cable on light fittings, but I am guessing that the requirement for that doesnt apply to fixed lighting like it does for stuff that plugs into a wall, despite having the same amount of current available to it. The issue most likly is not the light being safe or not, its lacking the proper documentation to say its not your fault if it does blow up. Richard rich.ms