Technical Guidance Note 12

TOPIC: Power Supplies

ISSUE: 2

REVISION DATE: 27.1.98

PREVIOUS REVISION DATE: 3.11.94

BACKGROUND: CE marking power supplies.

PROBLEM: Should power supplies be CE marked?

GUIDELINES: All power supplies have a direct function. As a result, any power supply, either open-frame or stand-alone, which is supplied directly to an End-User, should be CE marked. Where the power supply is only made available to OEM’s then this is not the case.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION: This decision if similar to that given in Guidance Note No. 10. A unit such as a switched-mode power supply which is supplied to other manufacturers to be fitted into finished products is not placed on the market and therefore does not need CE marking. The client can ask for EMC compliance information but cannot demand that it is CE marked.

If the manufacturer of the power supply decides to market the product as a stand-alone item, then it must be CE marked.

This example highlights a case where a manufacturer can choose whether or not to apply the CE mark. If the manufacturer chooses to market only to OEMs then he need not apply the CE mark. Conversely, he can choose to market the product as a stand-alone product, as well as to OEMs, and then apply the CE mark.

Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability can be accepted by the EMC Test Laboratories Association or any of its officers or members for the contents, specifications and/or advice referred to or contained in this Technical Memorandum and/or action taken as a result of information contained in this Technical Memorandum. Note that:
1. The Association is not by supplying this Technical Memorandum providing professional advice or guidance to any specific party on any specific matter and no legal relationship is created by the provision of this Technical Memorandum.
2. Parties should take specific advice when dealing with specific situations and consult their own professional advisors in this regard.
3. Members are free to deviate from the above guidelines where they think it appropriate, unworkable, or not commercially viable. Under these circumstances, the EMCTLA Secretariat should be informed of the reasons for the deviation so that the matter can be reviewed.