Okay. Let me get more detailed. My product will have the following: FLASH-based PIC, off-the-shelf 2-line LCD, a bunch of pots, MIDI ports, and potentially USB. I would like to power with a 9-14V wall-wart that will supply under 1A -- this will be off-the-shelf as well. I will be distributing this myself online and would like to sell to the U.S. and beyond. I would also like to stay out of trouble if I were to attend a trade show. I have read people's comments online saying that ALL commercial products need to have certification. I'm assuming this isn't urban legend??? :-) Does any of the above info on the spec's help in whether or not I will have to get certification? Thanks... -- N ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Axtell" To: Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 5:48 PM Subject: Re: [EE]: Product certification rules? > Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt: > > Basically, there are two types of certification: > > UL (safety) and FCC (emissions). > > The FCC normally does NOT make equipment tests, but they license > well-qualified engineering companies to perform the tests. I use > > Timco Eng Inc 1-888-472-2424 > PO Box 370 > 849 SR 45 > Newberry, FL 32669 > 1-352-472-2030 fax > Sid Sanders > > Budget about $1800 for an FCC certification. > > The FCC wants to verify that your product will not interfere with other > products, nor interfere with public radio or telephone networks. The FCC > number needs to be prominently displayed in the product or on the PCB. Each > PCB revision technically requires another test, so make sure you are done > with the design before testing. > > Warning! Emission standards in the European Union are stricter than FCC's. > > If your product is powered by a certified wallwart (be careful here, there > are MANY bogus fakes being sold), and if the voltage is below 15V, and if > the current being used is kess than 8A, no UL testing is REQUIRED**. A UL > certification is like getting a smallpox vaccination against lawyers. If > you have one, you will have few (read, NO) frivolous lawsuits. **Products > sold in Los Angeles must have UL certification regardless. > > UL performs its own testing, but also licenses certain qualified people to > perform these safety tests. These tests are usually tests for flammability, > NOT function, which surprises newbies- UL cares not one whit whether the > widget actually works, they just want to make sure nobody is harmed by > buying and using it. One learns to expect that its beautiful product is > returned in a box, a heap of melted plastic and ashes. These safety tests > will vary in cost from $1500 TO $4000. > > Generally speaking, retail centers (WalMart, Sears) will not distribute > your products unless you can prove that your products are safe and don't > radiate emissions. Then they will perform their own tests for function and > merchandising ideas. > > > > At 04:55 PM 5/30/2003 -0400, you wrote: > >I was wondering if someone could explain the rules of getting a product > >certified so it can be sold commercially. > > > >If I'm making a PIC-based product that will use a simple wall-wart adapter, > >what do I need to do to sell it even in small quantities in the U.S. and > >outside the U.S.? > > > >Thanks... > > > >-- N > > > >-- > >http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! > >email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body > > -------------------------- > > -- > http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! > email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body > -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listserv@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body