I had read thru the FCC regs (ch 15) many many months ago, and the way I=20 interpreted it is as follows... every commercial product needs to comply = with=20 the FCC regulations. Compliance means being tested/certified as not=20 producing more than some amount of emissions, etc. However, some classes= of=20 products are exempt from the testing requirements (but not tested from=20 meeting the minimum emmissions, etc). If an exempt product is later foun= d to=20 be producing emissions, it needs to be stopped (sales) until it can be=20 corrected and tested to prove so. The exemptions are for products that a= re=20 "unintentional radiators", such as digital ckts, which run under 1.708Mhz= ,=20 and are battery powered. Also for products in any vehicle, kits, and one= -off=20 products built for home use. I do remember a specific part about product= s=20 that are designed for AC-outlet charging, that can also be powered in tha= t=20 fashion, are not exempt. If you meet the exemption criteria, you can put= a=20 sticker on it stating that the product complies with FCC part 15 B, etc, = etc. There is a lot more detail that I'm leaving out, and I urge you to read i= t=20 straight off the FCC's site (don't take my word for it :-), as it's reall= y=20 not convoluted as would be expected from one of these docs. Somewhere in= =20 http://www.fcc.gov . Cheers, -Neil. On Friday 30 May 2003 17:08, Natalia scribbled: > 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 wil= l > 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 product= s > 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 oth= er > > products, nor interfere with public radio or telephone networks. The = FCC > > number needs to be prominently displayed in the product or on the PCB= =2E > > 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 1= 5V, > > 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) frivol= ous > > lawsuits. **Products sold in Los Angeles must have UL certification > > regardless. > > > > UL performs its own testing, but also licenses certain qualified peop= le > > 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 b= y > > 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 t= ests > > will vary in cost from $1500 TO $4000. > > > > Generally speaking, retail centers (WalMart, Sears) will not distribu= te > > your products unless you can prove that your products are safe and do= n't > > radiate emissions. Then they will perform their own tests for functio= n > > 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 prod= uct > > >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