Unsafe / potentially hazardous PSUs on the market: Tagan 330

halcyon · Post by **halcyon** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 11:23 pm

The Finnish Safety Technology Authority monitors the market for unsafe and possibly hazardous equipment/materials in Finland.

It has recently issued the following statement about
Tagan TG330-U01 (Topower Electronics Co Ltd, China):

http://www.tukes.fi/cgi-bin/myyntikiell ... fm?id=3753

Summarizing the important points here (from Finnish):

- Not immediately dangerous, but safety level is very low.
- insulation gap between primary and secondary coils too narrow
- insulation pipe from primary coil too short
- does not pass voltage strength test at 3000Vac/1 minute (between primary output and secondary). Fails at 1800V.

Conclusion: The importer has been notified to remove the product from market. The product may be returned [for refund I assume] as defective to the place of purchase [in Finland].

This is just FYI.

I don't see any immediate super-alarm, but some of you like to know these things anyway.

TTG-480U01 has not been listed as 'unsafe' nor do I know for sure if it's been fully tested by the same authority.

The full list of "unsafe" or "potentially hazardous, but not immediately dangerous" PSUs as deemed by the Finnish Safety Tehnology Authority is as follows:

- Deer DR-A300ATX (Deet Computer Co. Ltd)
- CP4 CTX350WCE
- Macron MPT-350 (Macron Power)
- Q-Tec ST-400P4-DTCF (Q-Tec, China)
- Mentor AM608B1-300WS (Achme Electronics Corp.)
- Q-Tec ST-400ATX P4 (Q-Tec, China)
- Codegen 300X ATX 2.03 P4 (Codegen)
- Task TK-930TX (Task International Inc.)
- ADT ADT-300 (ADT, China)
- ADT ADT-250 (ADT, China)
- Tagan TG330-U01 (ToPower Electronics Co Ltd, China)

If you have a similar list from your home country's testing authority, please post it here!

I'm sorry this is not directly silence related, but I though the PSU forum was still the best place to put this.

Mods, please feel free to move this, if this is in the wrong place.

regards,
halcyon

davidstone28 · Post by **davidstone28** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:10 am

That's pretty useful - thanks.

Always thought these 'el cheapo PSUs were a load of crap.

gitto · Post by **gitto** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:24 am

i shall remember this next time my local computer shops trys to sell me a codegen power supply.

burcakb · Post by **burcakb** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:25 am

Very interesting. I thought Tagan had NEMCO, DEMCO and SEMCO approvals. Those are among the most demanding of standards....... Or are they also declaration-based?

dukla2000 · Post by **dukla2000** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:25 am

That is a brilliant list. Clearly highlights which manufacturers are prime candidates for 'cheapo' label, although as you point out other models may be different (or not tested).

But I would imagine they have tested plenty of FSP (Enermax, Antec and other popular brands) and haven't (yet) had cause to mention them.

Also didn't realise Tagan was made by ToPower, who I used to think were a notch above cheapo.

larrymoencurly · Post by **larrymoencurly** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:59 am

Do companies submit regular production models to the safety agencies, or do they submit superior units that are especially prepared by their engineers and then mass produce inferior ones? I once read that the latter was done by some generic PC makers in order to pass FCC emissions tests.

halcyon · Post by **halcyon** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 4:40 am

The Finnish Safety Technology Authority (and similar other national authorities) go and buy the stuff they test from retail stores, just like average joe.

They test stuff that is 'out there in the market'.

Only when getting certifications do companies ship out pre-certification version of their products to 3rd party certification authorities with testing.

The safety authorities are there to make sure that manufacturers aren't shipping crud to the market after they've been certified safe.

Of course, safety authorities can only afford to test a miniscule number of products on the market, but it's better than nothing.

Also, if you are in doubt, whether some product in retail really meets the requirements of safety, you can give a tip to the local safety authority and if they are not up to knee-deep in work, they will usually follow through.

burcakb · Post by **burcakb** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 10:01 am

Most European certification (and primarily the CE mark) is self-decleratory. That is, you send one/two samples to get your approval then you can stamp it on your products without having each shipment tested. For the CE mark you don't even have to have any testing done. The CE mark is actually a "Declaration of Conformity".

HOWEVER, you'd better make damn sure that your later products do match the one you sent as sample or your "declarations are truthful. If it's not, the local authorities, or even the whole European Union can make Hell look like a warm day at the beach for you.

Because of the above mentioned hell scenario, responsible importers usually request producers they don't trust that they have their production-run samples tested by certification authorities every now and then.