Wire Colors for shipping to the EU and the UK?

[richontheroad]

For instruments we ship into the UK and EU, whe have a converter box that currently has a step down circuit that goes from 230Vac to 110 Vac (single phase).
all the active components, power switch, temperature controller, relays are fed 230V, to provide ac to the step down transformer which provides 110vac to an outlet to control external 110vac device. 230vac wiring is Brown (L1), Blue(neutral), while 110 ac out of transformer is black (L1), white ( neutral) to outlet. Blue and Brown wiring conforms to European IEC-60446 and UK BS-7671:2001 standards.

Would like to put transformer at beginning of circuit so all components are standardized and run off 110Ac to match our instruments shipping into the US. However wiring conventions say we should use UL508A - Black (L1) and White (neutral)

Can we standardize on UL-508A to ship overseas or must we meet overseas wiring conventions?

Thanks in advance

Rich

 

[petersonra]

The EU has its own electrical standards. UL508a is not one of them.

I am not sure that whatever instrument you are talking about is properly listed under UL508a anyway. UL508a (Industrial Control Panels) appears to be a catchall for anything that needs listing by UL that has wires attached to it that does not fall under another specific listing. You can list all kinds of thing under UL508a that are not really control panels, but not if they should be listed under another standard.

I don't see anyway you can do what you want to do and meet both EU and UL508a standards. However, many UL standards allow for other color codes. It is pretty common for devices to be made in a way that they meet both the appropriate UL and EU requirements. I just don't see a way to do it with UL508a.

 

[Wingrider]

CE is the European standard

CE is the European standard

While I was working in the UK I discovered they do not recognize UL as a listing agency, but require everything to be CE listed. Trying to convert our standards to fit their requirements will cause you nothing but headache and heartache. Have your equipment CE listed and sell to your hearts content.

 

[LarryFine]

Would like to put transformer at beginning of circuit so all components are standardized and run off 110Ac to match our instruments shipping into the US. However wiring conventions say we should use UL508A - Black (L1) and White (neutral)

It seems to me that this would not be in conflict with your desires. The input and transformer primary wiring can be brown and blue, and everything on the secondary with black and white (etc.)

 

[Electric-Light]

Computer power supplies have blue/brown wires for poles, green for ground. They're legitimate power supplies used in the US market, but rated for 96-264v.

The blue wire is connected to N and brown to L on the main board and only brown is switched with a mechanical switch, although this might be considered a courtesy switch seeing that many power supplies don't even have a physical switch these days.