What are the hazards?
If the HP Chromebook 11 Charger overheats or melts, the risk is potential dermal injury and damage to materials from contact with an overheated charger. There may also be a potential fire risk, although no fire has been reported.
via Google Inc—Power Charger for the HP Chromebook 11 Computer.
The “firefighting trap” is a term often used by business managers to describe a shortsighted cycle of problem-solving: dealing with “fires,” or problems, as they arise, but failing to address the underlying cause, thereby increasing the chance that the same problem will crop up in the future.
via Study: More spending on fire suppression may lead to bigger fires.
As you know, safety at home is equally as important as safety in the workplace. Here’s a good example of poor home safety practices… no hearing protection, no gloves, no safety glasses. I sure hope this guy doesn’t get hurt!
Dell offers to fix laptops that smell like cat pee.
Everyone knows the internet is all about cats, but Dell may have taken that too literally with one of its new computers. The company this week issued one of the funniest customer service notes in the world of tech when it offered to replace a part in laptops that smell like cat urine.
See Dell’s post here
William Lowe pushed IBM to create its first PC in a single year. The man who pushed IBM to create its first PC has died at the age of 72.
via Vale William Lowe: the man behind the IBM PC – PC & Tech Authority.
Link to IEC_Counterfeiting_brochure_LR.pdf
YouTube videos featuring some of Australia’s best-known disability advocates talking about the technologies and apps that have changed their lives as well as their daily frustrations of dealing with websites and apps that haven’t been made accessible to people with disability
via Australian Communications Consumer Action Network – Why access matters.
Note: this Q&A contains personal opinions only, that are of a general nature. They have not been reviewed or endorsed by any organisation or regulatory agency, but are provided as a friendly informational perspective only. In all cases, readers should rely on their own research and professional & legal advice.
Q: Are UPS or PDU covered by L2/L3 categories in the EESS (for example as battery chargers)?
A1a: I’m going to assume the enquirer meant a 230 V ac input-output UPS was intended. The short answer is: although a UPS does charge a battery, it appears to be L1 equipment only. This is because the regulatory definitions are in AS/NZS 4417.2, and B.2.36 there specifies that for the device to be covered by L3 for Australia or L2 for NZ, it has to have an output voltage not exceeding 50 V a.c. or 120 V d.c only, which is the ELV range. In case of doubt, the referenced battery charger standard is AS/NZS 60335.2.29, and the latest version of that says it only applies to equipment with ELV outputs, so that can’t be applied to an LV (230 V range) output device either.
A1b: If the UPS has a detachable power cord set, the mains plug, flexible cord and the appliance coupler all need individual certification at L3. It’s a good idea to use already-certified standard cord sets, so if you’re using already approved parts in the cord set for the UPS, you don’t have to certify them again to use with the UPS. If the cord set is non-detachable, only the mains plug is an L3 part.
A2: PDU (I assume the enquirer meant power distribution unit) is a little trickier. The short answer is they’re generally L1, but it depends, so please read on: The closest regulatory category to that is B.2.34 “Outlet device” in AS/NZS 4417.2.
A2a: A PDU consisting of appliance outlets such as IEC 60320 types in a strip would be exempt from L2/L3 as a whole, because the definition for outlet device covers socket-outlet devices (as per definition B.2.45) only.
A2b: Further, if the PDU was built into a machine, such as a rack, it’s not portable, and that would exempt it from B.2.34 as well even if it used AS/NZS 3112 socket-outlets.
A2c: The socket-outlet (if used instead of AS/NZS 60320 (IEC 60320) appliance outlets) itself would be L3, because of definition B.2.45.
A2d: The supply flexible cord (B.2.47) would also be exempt from L2/L3 if it is directly connected to the equipment (non-detachable) – because of part (f) of the definition.
A2e: The power attachment mains plug also needs to be considered L3 per B.2.35. Again, it’s a good idea to use certified parts if the part used is within the definition.
Hope the above observations will be of use to somebody. Again, the answers depend on your own product circumstances, and there might be other arrangements I haven’t discussed above, so its important to seek your own professional advice.
PWR.
This short video (2m 46s) shows the different fire performance of two flat-screen TV sets which both comply with the safety standard IEC 60065, and have the external ignition test of IEC TS 62441 applied to them. Safety requirements to protect against external ignition sources (like domestic candles) were implemented in Europe in 2010 to reduce the risk of house fires from TVs like the one on the right in the video. For more information on fire testing, see www.fire-testing.eu
I highly recommend everyone to watch both videos attached to the following Australian Safety regulator’s web page. It’s essential safety information for *anyone* who might have children under five years old in their house.
The Battery Controlled – Button battery safety.
If a child swallows a button battery, the battery can get stuck in the child’s throat and burn through the oesophagus in as little as two hours. Repair can require feeding and breathing tubes and multiple surgeries.
Children under five years old are at the greatest risk.
Modeling The Lithium-Ion Battery.
“Lithium-ion batteries have become the most common
rechargeable batteries for consumer electronics,
due to their high energy densities, relatively high cell
voltages and low weight to volume ratios. They are
also predicted to become commonplace for industrial,
transportation and power-storage applications, even if
they tend to be more expensive than equivalent battery
technologies with aqueous electrolytes.
Modeling and simulations are necessary tools for accelerated
understanding, design optimization, and design
of automatic control of batteries and battery systems. “
(reposting a circular/public e-mail)
The Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) Committee has released for public comment the Product Profile for Video Recorders and Set Top Boxes (the link opens a PDF file)
You are invited to submit comments and submissions on the profile and readers are asked to comment on a number of particular aspects in this document, relating to market data and modelling assumptions, to assist with the formulation of a preferred policy option in future. While we welcome comments on all aspects of the Product Profile, comments on the Product Profile: Video Recorders and Set Top Boxes – Key Questions would be of particular assistance. The closing day for this initial round of comments is COB Friday 16 August 2013.
I also remind you that the Product Profile for Battery Chargers was posted on the energyrating website in April. The closing date for comment on this profile is COB 12 July 2013 and this profile also asks for comments on key questions.
Both profiles can be found on http://www.energyrating.gov.au/
Some things never change!
paulspiece.com 
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