QPS Evaluation Services Inc

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Rex Hungerford

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Electrician
qpsamerica.com

[:en]Services[:fr]Prestations de service[:] - Applus+ QPS

QPS Evaluation Services offers a wide variety of services like products safety testing and certification, on-site field certification, limited production certification, and many more.
qpsamerica.com qpsamerica.com
www.qps.ca

QPS Evaluation Services - Field Evaluation, Certification & Testing

QPS is an internationally accredited independent third-party testing, certification, and field evaluation body. We provide rapid delivery and flexibility.
www.qps.ca www.qps.ca

I want to sell a product in the USA. Its a 10kva one phase 120 volt wall mount toroidal transformer. It is made by a small Canadian company. They told me:
every Power unit we build for the US or Canadian market is individually inspected for electrical safety by an inspector from QPS Evaluation Services Inc. Every unit carries a serialized inspection sticker stating that the equipment meets the SPE-1000 standard.

Does anyone see any reason why I might have issues with the Local AHJ with this sticker instead of a UL sticker.

They also said
In our experience over many years, this approval is almost always accepted by electrical inspectors. We have never had to do this, but as I understand it we can have our equipment inspected and labeled to meet all applicable NFPA and NEC standards – at an additional cost.

They say, almost always. That makes me ask, NEC says listed and labeled. UL is not the only listing agency. If QPS is a recognized certification agency, shouldn't I have a legitimate product to offer.

FWIW, I have a custom panel manufactured to distribute the load power from the transformer to branch circuits and that panel does have a UL label on it.
 
Here in the US, most jurisdictions that require a "listing" use the official list of NRTLs (nationally Recognized Testing L:abs) provided by OSHA. Here is a link to the list.

OSHA's Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) Program - Current List of NRTLs | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

www.osha.gov www.osha.gov

Although I had never heard of them before, QPS is on that list. But that does not mean 100% that EVERY jurisdiction will accept it, and you and your customers may end up in "discussions" with a local AHJ when they don't recognize it, to where you will have to point them to this list and show them that it is one of the acceptable labs. if it were me, I would have printouts of that list handy to send to your customers.
 
augie47 said:
Does anyone see any reason why I might have issues with the Local AHJ with this sticker instead of a UL sticker.

Many jurisdictions will only accept equipment bearing a NRTL label. Here is list of the OSHA approved NRTLs. (I don't see QPS)

OSHA's Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) Program - Current List of NRTLs | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

www.osha.gov www.osha.gov
Click to expand...
LOL, you beat me by a few seconds. But QPS is on that list, about half way down.
 
Rex Hungerford said:
every Power unit we build for the US or Canadian market is individually inspected for electrical safety by an inspector from QPS Evaluation Services Inc. Every unit carries a serialized inspection sticker stating that the equipment meets the SPE-1000 standard.
Click to expand...
I took a quick look at what SPE-1000 is. It appears to be a standard on how to inspect electrical equipment to Canadian Electrical Code standards.

So, as best I can tell from a quick look, all the inspection sticker means is it meets Canadian Electrical Code requirements.

IMHO. That is not the same thing as being listed. It would need to be listed to a specific US standard, most likely a UL standard. It would not need a UL listing, it could be another NRTL, but it is has to be listed or field evaluated to the appropriate US standard.
 
Jraef said:
LOL, you beat me by a few seconds. But QPS is on that list, about half way down.
Click to expand...
(I rechecked right after I posted and edited that out but you had posted by then.. sorry... I've gotten where I have to recheck everything I read/type :)
 
It does appear to be an SPE-1000. I was told these are the stickers. The one on the right is from the factory. The one on the left is for an additional fee. I guess the one on the left is where I pay a guy $2,000 to show up and shake the inspectors hand and stick the new sticker on the unit. And hopefully the AHJ accept it.


image002.pngimage001(2).png
 
This is a cut sheet of one product. At the end it says what UL file they are recognized under. Does this really matter. Or is it all about what is on the sticker.
 

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If you look at the OSHA Approved NRTLs, the approved QPS has the letters "US" on it (the same is true with some of the other agencies)
As Peterosnra poins out, the QPS without the "US" is different. It's possible that the units could bear the QPSUS stciker from the factory if requested.
It well mean more than just a sticker as the standard for a US sticker may actually have different requirements and that field evaluation trip might have included some modifications.
(I once had to obtain a "Field Evaluation" for "Suitable as Service" on some listed gear and there were quite a few modifications to get a little sticker)
 
Is the recognized transformer inside a listed panel? If so then I'd think you're good. What is this thing? A tap switcher power conditioner?
 
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