What Standards to confirm to when designing/selling UK Electronics

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KevinSRussell

Joined Mar 11, 2019
40
Chaps,

I'm getting ahead of myself slightly but when designing electronic products, in my case a Floor Piano, what regulations would I have to conform to in order to sell to a UK market?

Kevin
 

DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,152
Yes, lots of people have, but for me its been to long to remember the particular specifications. You will have to meet EMI and RFI requirements and then there will be performance and safety regulations that depend upon your particular product and its market.

An English friend of mine is certain that the UK will be out of the EU on Halloween this year, and if that happens they should should be ok just planning to meet UK requirements. If somehow they manage to drag it our further or cancel the Brexit its back to square one, as far as I can tell.

Test labs in Hong Kong and in Shenzhen are good bets, but your first step is to find a consultant, local if possible, to put a compliance plan together for you.
 

Hymie

Joined Mar 30, 2018
1,277
Since the early 1970s, many, many UK laws are dictated/set by the EU – in order to effect an orderly transition following Brexit, the UK has done a copy & paste of these EU laws into UK law.

One effect of this is that CE marking will continue to be a legal requirement on products placed on the UK market following Brexit – until such time that the UK decides to change the law relating to CE marking.

Given that CE marking helps facilitate the free movement of goods between countries, the UK would be fool-hardy to unilaterally change these requirements, making it harder for the UK to export goods to EU member countries.
 

Hymie

Joined Mar 30, 2018
1,277
Specifically answering your questions, if the unit is powered by a voltage source greater than 50Vac, then it will fall under the Low Voltage Directive (LVD), otherwise the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) would apply.
You would need to apply the relevant product safety standard in order to meet the applicable above directive.

The same would apply in terms of meeting the EMC Directive – you need to identify the applicable standards. In reality you will need to have the product tested by an EMC test house, who will be able to advise of the required standards for your target markets.

You will also need to meet the RoHS Directive which covers the restriction of hazardous substances.

There are other applicable regulations which cover the product packaging (banned chemicals therein), and waste electrical equipment.
 

Thread Starter

KevinSRussell

Joined Mar 11, 2019
40
Thanks all for the advice. I contacted a consultant and the initial charge to get the paperwork done etc is £3,000!

I'm pretty sure that the CE mark will still be required after Brexit - I may look into Chinese Test houses.

Kevin
 

Dodgydave

Joined Jun 22, 2012
11,285
If your piano is electronic and uses a switchmode psu or other rf oscillators, it will come under Emc Directive, and the CE, as for the "Brexit" cockup probably several EU laws will change...
 
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