Electrical cable recall

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old3eyes

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#1133992 22-Sep-2014 18:51

gzt:
joker97:
Zeon: Anyone surprised about Chinese manufacturers trying to cut corners/costs?

umm not at all BUT ... what isn't made in china? it's not like a phone/car where you go ah Toyota tick, Samsung tick - I don't know ANY brands of electrical wires mate!

Yes. This is more a problem with falsification of documents by a particular manufacturer I expect.

You mean like Kiwi Rail's el cheapo Chinese made DL class locos with were asbestos certified free when they weren't??

Regards,

Old3eyes

richms

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#1134009 22-Sep-2014 19:08

Cable is also made in AU and in NZ. The stuff that mitre10 and bunnings sold here was aussie made stuff, not seen any chinese cables show up here yet as far as in wall TPS stuff.

Plenty of people taking the micky with the SDOC requirements. Specs are quite clear that you need 0.75mm minimum area on a supply cable for anything that plugs into the wall, loads of things sold by second tier importers that have cables labeled 0.5mm, and that is often not even what is in the jacket.

Many importers of LED lighting have all the "test results" they need to complete the SDOC but those are just something you buy off the supplier. So yeah, they really have tested their drivers for all those tests that a low voltage power supply needs to have. Sure.

Richard rich.ms

Fred99

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#1134311 23-Sep-2014 09:26

gzt:
Fred99: So the manufacturer does what's asked of them - not their problem, unless they are selling on a delivered duty paid basis where they could get tripped up by customs in NZ. Normally they'd be selling ex-works or FOB at some Chinese port, NZ regulations aren't their problem.

Excellent point. Adding to that - in this case (in Australia) the importer is in liquidation, so it is obvious the importer does not have the assets to resolve the issue.

The local importers are the problem. Too many kiwis in China chasing an easy buck - and treating the process of getting stuff in to the NZ market as a game where evasion and deception are okay.

Do you know of industries in which this is occurring?

Probably everywhere.
I suspect the problem will be with small importers/traders who won't be dealing directly with the manufacturers, but buying from a guy who knows a guy etc. and happening at the small end of business. That electrical cable issue is interesting, in that presumably a trader with no history walks in to a major retailer - and walks out with large orders. Most wannabe traders wouldn't (or shouldn't) get a look in the door. "Half price" should have rung alarm bells - not the chimes of the cash register.
The Chinese don't want that kind of thing going on either - it's bad for business.

Niel

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#1134876 23-Sep-2014 19:34

From a recall notice I've read it was solely imported (to AU) by Masters Home Improvement which is owned by Bunnings. They are also registered in NZ with address in Mt Wellington, exactly where the Bunnings office is.

A local electrician's news letter also reports of fake cables imported and sold typically in Auckland.

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Niel

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#1134881 23-Sep-2014 19:39

We frequently deal with sourcing power adapters that need to be compliant world-wide, and you have to disassemble them and do your own compliance checks. That is what (the few) good quality companies do, but unfortunately far too many companies just pay to get the certificates (which are not even worth the paper they're written on). Interestingly with a 5V 3A power adapter we had to source recently it was the more expensive one that had the worst assembly and failed emissions testing and the 400V bulk capacitor failed when soak tested at 50 degC causing a mains short circuit and vaporising about 2cm of PCB track.

You can never have enough Volvos!

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