Have a look at these pics showing an "LED driver", bought recently from
a UK supplier.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160147.jpg, note
the "screw heads" in the recesses in the dark grey cable clamps.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160214.jpg, note
that the screw heads are not parts of screws but have been carefully
molded into the cable clamp and therefore do f*** all to restrain the
cables.
Now note the CE mark, which indicates that all the essential
requirements -including electrical safety- have been met so the item can
be shipped into and around the EU market without concern. It would be
interesting to see the Declaration of Conformity.

WTH did they go to the bother of molding dummy screw heads? The cost and
time to insert 4 screws, or to do a sensible restraint design would have
been tiny. Grrr!

In message , writes
Have a look at these pics showing an "LED driver", bought recently from
a UK supplier.

Who? This sort of thing normally comes from random Ebay or Amazon
Marketplace sellers.

In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160147.jpg, note
the "screw heads" in the recesses in the dark grey cable clamps.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160214.jpg, note
that the screw heads are not parts of screws but have been carefully
molded into the cable clamp and therefore do f*** all to restrain the
cables.
Now note the CE mark, which indicates that all the essential
requirements -including electrical safety- have been met so the item
can be shipped into and around the EU market without concern.

Well, it means someone stamped a CE mark on it :-)

WTH did they go to the bother of molding dummy screw heads? The cost
and time to insert 4 screws, or to do a sensible restraint design would
have been tiny. Grrr!

So that it looks like there are screws in a photo.

When you are operating in the counterfeit market, with the margins they
probably have, and probably hundreds of small manufacturers churning
things out, every little fraction of a Yaun counts
--
Chris French

In article ,
Chris French wrote:
In message , writes
Have a look at these pics showing an "LED driver", bought recently from
a UK supplier.

Who? This sort of thing normally comes from random Ebay or Amazon
Marketplace sellers.

In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160147.jpg, note
the "screw heads" in the recesses in the dark grey cable clamps.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160214.jpg, note
that the screw heads are not parts of screws but have been carefully
molded into the cable clamp and therefore do f*** all to restrain the
cables.
Now note the CE mark, which indicates that all the essential
requirements -including electrical safety- have been met so the item
can be shipped into and around the EU market without concern.

Well, it means someone stamped a CE mark on it :-)

which might well stand for "Chinese Export"

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England

Yes, the worst things I've seen are in these cheap usb power supplies. The
real thing has proper moulded clamps and protection so when the two halves
of the plug are fixed together all is solid and safe, but I've had several
which have looked the part but only have two tiny self tapping screws
holding them to gather and nothing inside is accurately moulded enough to
hold the wires to the pins out of the way, and when one comes apart the
inside is all live, ie its not welded at all.
As you say many of these things carry ce marks but to me they are an
accident waiting to happen. If the electronics are to the same standard as
the casing then goodness knows what they might to do to some expensive
equipment if they fail. They also chuck out rf birdies like crazy.

Why is it that we seem unable to control fake items that could bead danger
to the public, while we are making loads of health and safety rules that
preclude people from doing their own wiring. Seems crazy.
Brian

"Chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , writes
Have a look at these pics showing an "LED driver", bought recently from a
UK supplier.

Who? This sort of thing normally comes from random Ebay or Amazon
Marketplace sellers.

In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160147.jpg, note the
"screw heads" in the recesses in the dark grey cable clamps.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160214.jpg, note
that the screw heads are not parts of screws but have been carefully
molded into the cable clamp and therefore do f*** all to restrain the
cables.
Now note the CE mark, which indicates that all the essential
requirements -including electrical safety- have been met so the item can
be shipped into and around the EU market without concern.

Well, it means someone stamped a CE mark on it :-)

WTH did they go to the bother of molding dummy screw heads? The cost and
time to insert 4 screws, or to do a sensible restraint design would have
been tiny. Grrr!

So that it looks like there are screws in a photo.

When you are operating in the counterfeit market, with the margins they
probably have, and probably hundreds of small manufacturers churning
things out, every little fraction of a Yaun counts
--
Chris French


--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!

On Thursday, 18 February 2016 09:28:54 UTC, Brian Gaff wrote:
"Chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , writes

Have a look at these pics showing an "LED driver", bought recently from a
UK supplier.

Who? This sort of thing normally comes from random Ebay or Amazon
Marketplace sellers.

In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160147.jpg, note the
"screw heads" in the recesses in the dark grey cable clamps.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160214.jpg, note
that the screw heads are not parts of screws but have been carefully
molded into the cable clamp and therefore do f*** all to restrain the
cables.
Now note the CE mark, which indicates that all the essential
requirements -including electrical safety- have been met so the item can
be shipped into and around the EU market without concern.

Well, it means someone stamped a CE mark on it :-)

WTH did they go to the bother of molding dummy screw heads? The cost and
time to insert 4 screws, or to do a sensible restraint design would have
been tiny. Grrr!

So that it looks like there are screws in a photo.

plenty of end users know no better

When you are operating in the counterfeit market, with the margins they
probably have, and probably hundreds of small manufacturers churning
things out, every little fraction of a Yaun counts

Yes, the worst things I've seen are in these cheap usb power supplies. The
real thing has proper moulded clamps and protection so when the two halves
of the plug are fixed together all is solid and safe, but I've had several
which have looked the part but only have two tiny self tapping screws
holding them to gather and nothing inside is accurately moulded enough to
hold the wires to the pins out of the way, and when one comes apart the
inside is all live, ie its not welded at all.
As you say many of these things carry ce marks but to me they are an
accident waiting to happen. If the electronics are to the same standard as
the casing then goodness knows what they might to do to some expensive
equipment if they fail. They also chuck out rf birdies like crazy.

they fry the connected equipment

Why is it that we seem unable to control fake items that could bead danger
to the public,

volume. How do you police over 100 million goods coming through the ports annually?

while we are making loads of health and safety rules that
preclude people from doing their own wiring. Seems crazy.

Safety rules should be about safety, not criminalising people acting safely.


NT

On 17/02/2016 16:17, wrote:
Have a look at these pics showing an "LED driver", bought recently from
a UK supplier.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160147.jpg, note
the "screw heads" in the recesses in the dark grey cable clamps.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160214.jpg, note
that the screw heads are not parts of screws but have been carefully
molded into the cable clamp and therefore do f*** all to restrain the
cables.
Now note the CE mark, which indicates that all the essential
requirements -including electrical safety- have been met so the item can
be shipped into and around the EU market without concern. It would be
interesting to see the Declaration of Conformity.

WTH did they go to the bother of molding dummy screw heads? The cost and
time to insert 4 screws, or to do a sensible restraint design would have
been tiny. Grrr!

Is the second one a later model from the same stable - it looks very
similar?

If so, could they have moved to some sort of internal constraint, but
kept the original main moulding to avoid re-tooling?

What happens if you tug the wires - do they *feel* constrained?
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

On 17/02/2016 20:55, Roger Mills wrote:
On 17/02/2016 16:17, wrote:
Have a look at these pics showing an "LED driver", bought recently from
a UK supplier.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160147.jpg, note
the "screw heads" in the recesses in the dark grey cable clamps.
In this one
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...217_160214.jpg, note
that the screw heads are not parts of screws but have been carefully
molded into the cable clamp and therefore do f*** all to restrain the
cables.
Now note the CE mark, which indicates that all the essential
requirements -including electrical safety- have been met so the item can
be shipped into and around the EU market without concern. It would be
interesting to see the Declaration of Conformity.

WTH did they go to the bother of molding dummy screw heads? The cost and
time to insert 4 screws, or to do a sensible restraint design would have
been tiny. Grrr!

Is the second one a later model from the same stable - it looks very
similar?
They are photos of the same "driver" In the second one I've removed an
end cap - it only took a very gentle nudge.

If so, could they have moved to some sort of internal constraint, but
kept the original main moulding to avoid re-tooling?

The wires are soldered straight into a PCB.

What happens if you tug the wires - do they *feel* constrained?

They move the PCB that's inside the box!

I forgot to say that the box top pings off too:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...218_014547.jpg

On 18/02/2016 01:48, wrote:

I forgot to say that the box top pings off too:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...218_014547.jpg


Yeah, that PCB really looks the part. I don't think I'd even trust it
enough to test, let alone install!

On 18/02/2016 14:00, Lee wrote:
On 18/02/2016 01:48, wrote:

I forgot to say that the box top pings off too:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...218_014547.jpg


Yeah, that PCB really looks the part. I don't think I'd even trust it
enough to test, let alone install!

Surprisingly, the PCB track creepage and clearance distances probably
comply with the ENs, but we don't know how the transformer is designed.
It's the ineffective dummy cable clamps that really bothered me.

On 18/02/2016 14:37, wrote:
On 18/02/2016 14:00, Lee wrote:
On 18/02/2016 01:48, wrote:

I forgot to say that the box top pings off too:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...218_014547.jpg


Yeah, that PCB really looks the part. I don't think I'd even trust it
enough to test, let alone install!

Surprisingly, the PCB track creepage and clearance distances probably
comply with the ENs, but we don't know how the transformer is designed.
It's the ineffective dummy cable clamps that really bothered me.

Well, obviously I can't see the other side,(or under the cap) but the
apparent lack of a fuse (or safety resistor) or even the use of thinned
out track, bothers me more