Cheap display stand lights

[timhoward]

I got dragged into a PAT testing argument....I don't miss this kind of thing!

Cheap and horrible display stand lights. IEC plug. Class 2 symbol. Earthing connected to innards at the lamp end.
On front of unit (not pictured) two knurled bolts hold a piece of glass to the metal innards of the unit, so user can touch the earthed part.
To compound matters the plastic has cracked on all four screws holding the innards to the case.






The argument was mainly about the class II symbol and the earthing arrangements. Comments on that welcome, as the replacements will unfortunately likely be the same units again.
My response was irrespective of that I'd fail it on visual check and structural integrity alone , and for being a cheap piece of rubbish. Someone's repair has provided a further means user can could touch conductive parts of a supposedly class II unit. Signs of corrosion on the earthing link too. Feel I need a shower after touching them...

 

[littlespark]

So is the earth connected to all those accessible screws? Means the double insulated symbol is a load of tosh.

unless. If any connections can come loose, would they touch the metal, or are they within a plastic enclosure, and cord fixed so that can’t pull out?

 

[timhoward]

So is the earth connected to all those accessible screws? Means the double insulated symbol is a load of tosh.

Exactly my thoughts.

unless. If any connections can come loose, would they touch the metal, or are they within a plastic enclosure, and cord fixed so that can’t pull out?

The live conductors are double insulated and soldered to the lamp holder. If that connection failed (ok, more unlikely) it would touch metal.
I just consider these as horribly designed cheap rubbish! The knurled bolts on the front are directly connected to the metal innards. I can't see how by any stretch these are class II.

 

[westward10]

That certainly is not Class II. No exposed metalwork on a Class II appliance should be connected to earth. Some appliances which are Class II have an earth for functional purposes and is not normally subjected to an earth bond test, these are now referred to as Class II FE and the double square sign contains an earth symbol.

 

[Mikegh]

I've seen a lot of 2-wire equipment that would make you wonder about safety

 

[pirate]

Sadly, it always seem to come down to cost rather than safety. The real problem is that the average consumer is not aware of the risks so buys on price, and the labels on some goods are clearly erroneous. This is NOT the fault of the consumer, he/she can't be expected to inspect an item with an expert eye, and often doesn't see the actual item until it arrives at his/her door.
Really, any electrical item ought to capable of withstanding a bit of abuse, for example being knocked over or dropped (not far!) and still retain its Class safely so as to prevent injury to the user.
A friend is a forensic investigator for insurers and other bodies, and I mean SERIOUS stuff beyond the imagination of most people, yet he tells me it is cheap chargers that are the main hazard in the home, which I think is well recognised these days. His advice to the layman is plug it in, leave it for a few hours and if it is very warm to the touch, bin it. Many such devices will happily perform fine, but how safely? and for how long?
AS I type this I have 3 chargers/power supplies plugged in and to hand...one is the PSU/charger for my laptop, has been on for nearly 6 weeks and is just discernibly warm, no more. Another is the PSU for my TV streaming system, plugged in for 2 weeks now and no heat at all, and the third is one of those chargers with 4 USB outlets to charge phones and other stuff. This has also been plugged in for 6 weeks and is actually cool to the touch, is 5 years old, bought in an airport, cost about €30...yet some folks plug their £1k phones into a £3.99 charger from the usual suspects. It's just a pity that folks don't see what's going on here.
Sorry, just a bugbear of mine...

 

[Mikegh]

People don't see the danger with cheap stuff

I had a cheap dvd player giving me small shocks
I think it's the electronics that causes it , I stuck an earth onto the back of it