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Global Electricity Meter Sales Will Accelerate in 2016
Global electricity meter sales (excluding China) will exceed 173 million units in 2015, accelerate in 2016 and hit a 22% increase by 2020, according to a report by UK-based research firm Statplan. According to the company, 99% of global electricity meter stocks were electromechanical in 1985, declining to 66% this year. By 2020, it is... Read More
Top 3 Standards for Lithium Battery Safety Testing
Top 3 Standards for Lithium Battery Safety Testing For small lithium batteries, there are three standards that our Battery Lab tests to most often: UN/DOT 38.3 5th Edition, Amendment 1 – Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods IEC 62133-2:2017 – Safety requirements for portable sealed secondary lithium cells, and for batteries made from them,... Read More
U.S. EPA Announces Criteria for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2016
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced final recognition criteria for ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2016. The ENERGY STAR Most Efficient designation is eligible in 12 product categories: Air Source Heat Pumps and Central Air Conditioners Boilers Ceiling Fans Clothes Washers Dishwashers Computer Monitors Furnaces Geothermal Heat Pumps Refrigerator Freezers Televisions Ventilation Fans Residential... Read More
ENERGY STAR Certification Program is Growing to Include LNE & Other Product Categories
MET Labs was fortunate to have the opportunity recently to host U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR Product Manager Verena Radulovic, who gave a talk on the ENERGY STAR Product Certification Scheme. Here are a few key points from her presentation: The ENERGY STAR program is a big success. 87% of households recognize the ENERGY... Read More
Most Popular Solar UV Tests Include MIL-STD-810G Method 505.5 and ASTM Standards
Call it what you want: solar radiation, UV exposure, accelerated weathering. When is this testing necessary or advisable and which test should be used? When is easy: You should perform solar testing if your product will be exposed to sunlight. Which test is more difficult to answer. There are several different types of solar tests.... Read More
Gulf Countries Introduce GCC Certification for Safety & EMC of Low Voltage Electrical Equipment
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Standardization Organization (GSO) has introduced a common Technical Regulation for low voltage electrical products, effective July 1, 2016. This Technical Regulation (BD-142004-01) covers safety and electromagnetic compatibility and will affect seven GCC member states: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Yemen. It follows a similar existing regulation for... Read More
Top 7 Questions about IEC 60601-1-2 4th Edition for EMC Testing of Medical Devices
This Compliance Today post is a follow up to last week’s post on IEC 60601-1 Edition 3.1. Are there safety benefits to the 3rd edition of IEC 60601-1-2 compared to the 2nd? The test levels required by both the 2nd and 3rd editions of IEC 60601-1-2 are the same. The main change was in clause... Read More
IEC 60601-1 Edition 3.1 Introduces New Product Safety Requirements for Medical Electrical Equipment
IEC 60601-1 Third Edition Amendment 1 (Ed. 3.1) What you need to know For manufacturers of medical electrical equipment and systems, IEC 60601-1 Edition 3.1 (or IEC 60601-1:2005+AMD1:2012) represents a significant departure from Edition 3.0 of the standard. While the application of risk management principles have been clarified, the amended standard includes new requirements regarding... Read More
External Power Supplies Must Meet Level VI Energy Efficiency Requirements for U.S. DoE by February 2016
By February 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy requires that external power supplies are compliant to Level VI energy efficiency requirements. The global regulatory environment for external power supply energy efficiency has rapidly evolved over the past decade since the California Energy Commission (CEC) implemented the first mandatory standard in 2004. Now, external power supplies... Read More
Korea Changes Electrical Appliances Safety Control Regulation for KC Mark
The Korean Electrical Appliances Safety Control Regulation for KC marking has recently been amended; the new regulation took effect August 1, 2015. Major changes to the Electrical Appliances Safety Control Act include: The validity period of self-regulatory safety confirmation registration has been changed from 5 years to as much as 10 years, depending on the... Read More
