Technical Guidance Note 27

TOPIC: Battery charger sold as computer accessory.

ISSUE: 2

REVISION DATE: 27.1.98

PREVIOUS REVISION DATE: 6.9.95

BACKGROUND: A Manufacturer makes a battery charger for sale with their computers. The sole and only purpose is to charge the special NiCad batteries used in their machines. It is sold either as an accessory to the computer or bundled as part of a total package.

PROBLEM: Is it ITE equipment (i.e. within EN55022) or non-ITE (i.e. within EN50081-1)? Alternatively, is this a decision the manufacturer can take and wait for someone to prove them wrong?

GUIDELINES: Where the battery charger is sold as part of a computer system, then the compliance of the battery charger would be encompassed by the compliance of the whole system.

When sold as an accessory, then its compliance must be proven in its own right. Section 2.1 or EN55022: 1987 defines Information Technology Equipment (ITE) as follows:

"Equipment designed for the purpose of:

a) receiving data from an external source

b) performing some processing functions on the received data

c) providing a data output"

A battery charger does not really meet this definition therefore EN55022: 1987 is not really an applicable standard. As a result, EN50081-1 should be applied.

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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.