ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Electronic Ballasts in fire

Hello,

our german company wants to sale an industrial imaging System in the USA.
We use european electronic ballasts.
In the USA they must be UL listed if we use them.
Is it possible to use european ballasts without UL listing, if we put them into a fire proof metal cabinet(So that no fire could be arise)

Is there something written in the NEC about fire proof cabinets.

Thanks

Erich

Wouldn't you still have to get the whole system listed? On the other hand, in addition to UL other testing labs such as TÜV can give you the needed approval for the US market. It might even be possible to deal with the lab's local office in Germany.

OSHA lists all recongnized testing labs and which standards they test to: http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/

Our inspection system will be integrated into the machine of our customer. The whole machine (including our system) will be then inspect by an UL-inspector.

So our system must be in accordance with the UL /NEC rules.

Our aim is to build up a system that can be s in the USA and in th EU (with CE mark) without changing the components.


Erich

Erich,
I used to be a product engineer for a company importing medical devices (hydrotherapy tubs) from Sweden into the US. Part of my job was managing the UL listing on those products.

You may or may not have problems with your equipment as is, it is hard to predict. We had many products that we imported without change using all European electrical equipment....other equipment had special provisions for UL.

I suggest that you submit the product for approval without change. Just be ready to respond quickly to the changes requested by UL. If your company or your customer has no experience with this you may want to consider finding an expert to advise you.

It can get very expensive if you have to go through multiple test cycles to get approval.

Good Luck,
GJ

Hi GJ,

thanks.

We are going on to discuss this things.

Erich