Non CE lighting without earthing

[Cbuk2k2]

Good evening,

The wife decided we should have a row of Victorian style cast iron lamp posts up the side of our house.

As the dutiful husband I went off and did some searching and found a company selling fairly well reviewed products. Fast forward a few days and the item is delivered, a foundation poured and erected by a local landscaper.

At this point I get back after a few days away with work and find the cast iron lamp post is actually a cast iron base with a very light walled tube supporting a pressed tin light fitting.

My main concern with this is that only the base has an earthling boss and there is no continuity between the other metal components (which make up most of the product).

In addition to this the very poor quality of the manufacturing means the top of the moves by about 200mm in any direction even with quite modest force. The item is designed to be accessed by resting a ladder on the two arms at the top which obviously isn’t possible.

I contacted the manufacturer and requested CE certification etc for the product or some evidence it was safe to be used. They were unable to provide any paperwork to show it had undergone any sort of product testing.

They appear to be quite a big seller online, they are also refusing to acknowledge these concerns stating although it is sold as a lamp posts and delivered with a lamp holder fitted it is not electrical equipment as it doesn’t have a cable on it.

To me it appears to be an uncertified potentially unsafe product, am I missing something?

Has anyone had any success reporting things like this to reading standards or is it a complete waste of time?

 

[buzzlightyear]

considering its a class 1 light fitting and the base has a earth tag on it and you say thier is no continuity how did you test it .has it been wired up .

 

[Cbuk2k2]

considering its a class 1 light fitting and the base has a earth tag on it and you say thier is no continuity how did you test it .has it been wired up .

Using a Megger? I stuck one clamp on the B22 lamp holder and worked my way down various parts of exposed steel and got readings over 1M ohm. I did this from the earth boss in the base upwards too with the same result.

 

[buzzlightyear]

are the lamp post made abroad or uk.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

are the lamp post made abroad or uk.

I’m assuming it’s imported but the retailer is British - they are a bricks and mortar retailer. They would then be classed as the manufacturer and responsible for CE making/product safety etc as far as I can tell.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Then you could ring the trade and standards and tell them about it all items from abroad should have a ce mark on it .has the head any stickers .

 

[Cbuk2k2]

Got no markings at all, straight off the boat from India/China.

Then you could ring the trade and standards and tell them about it all items from abroad should have a ce mark on it .has the head any stickers .

I’ve contacted the retailer, sent them links to the relevant HSE pages on electrical equipment and CE marking as well as a few bits of legislation. Their answer is that it’s not electrical equipment as it’s not got a flex on it.

I’ve spoken to reading standards but not holding out much hope.

Going to email our local branch too.

 

[DPG]

You say there's no flex, but presumably there are lamp holders? If so how can they say it's not an electrical item?

 

[Cbuk2k2]

You say there's no flex, but presumably there are lamp holders? If so how can they say it's not an electrical item?

Yeah, that was my view of it. It’s got an earth boss in the base and a B22 lamp holder in the top. It’s also sold as a lamp post.

 

[DPG]

Yeah, that was my view of it. It’s got an earth boss in the base and a B22 lamp holder in the top. It’s also sold as a lamp post.

They have perhaps not been fully aware of their responsibilities, and are now trying to avoid them.

 

[Midwest]

Could you post some pics of the item, and the areas of your concerns.

 

[snowhead]

What matters is the wording in the description.

To be classed how they appear to want it to be, the description would have to be something like Non-functioning or decorative use only.

If the description is as above "Victorian style cast iron lamp posts"

It implies;
Victorian = A style recognisable for the era,, which is possibly does look like.
Cast iron = That the majority of the item IS cast iron,, which it isn't. They could have said cast iron effect.
Lamppost = Most people seeing that term would expect a working post especially if the picture has a lamp in the head visible.


I think from a trading standards point they are guilty of Misleading people into thinking they are getting a working lamppost more than being guilty for selling a non CE tested lamppost.

Looking at this one including in the instal instructions, there's no doubt it's designed to had power to it, however in the text is this (not highlighted in red of course). I looked a few and couldn't see any saying I.P tested;

Victorian Lamp Posts | Cast Iron | Free Delivery | Black Country Metalworks

Original Victorian Garden Lamp Posts available with matching outdoor lanterns and brackets in cast iron. Free Delivery & Installation Kit.

www.blackcountrymetalworks.co.uk

We strongly recommend general lamp post installation, wiring & certification is completed by a set of qualified tradespeople and electricians. A tradesperson is equipped with the relevant knowledge needed when it comes to assessing the suitability of an installation area, and will ensure any necessary modifications to the location and/or lamp post are made if required. Not all locations will be suitable and we cannot take any responsibility for inappropriate installation. Items are not IP tested unless specifically stated.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

What matters is the wording in the description.

To be classed how they appear to want it to be, the description would have to be something like Non-functioning or decorative use only.

If the description is as above "Victorian style cast iron lamp posts"

It implies;
Victorian = A style recognisable for the era,, which is possibly does look like.
Cast iron = That the majority of the item IS cast iron,, which it isn't. They could have said cast iron effect.
Lamppost = Most people seeing that term would expect a working post especially if the picture has a lamp in the head visible.


I think from a trading standards point they are guilty of Misleading people into thinking they are getting a working lamppost more than being guilty for selling a non CE tested lamppost.

Looking at this one including in the instal instructions, there's no doubt it's designed to had power to it, however in the text is this (not highlighted in red of course). I looked a few and couldn't see any saying I.P tested;

Victorian Lamp Posts | Cast Iron | Free Delivery | Black Country Metalworks

Original Victorian Garden Lamp Posts available with matching outdoor lanterns and brackets in cast iron. Free Delivery & Installation Kit.

www.blackcountrymetalworks.co.uk

We strongly recommend general lamp post installation, wiring & certification is completed by a set of qualified tradespeople and electricians. A tradesperson is equipped with the relevant knowledge needed when it comes to assessing the suitability of an installation area, and will ensure any necessary modifications to the location and/or lamp post are made if required. Not all locations will be suitable and we cannot take any responsibility for inappropriate installation. Items are not IP tested unless specifically stated.

That’s really my interpretation of the issue, the

What matters is the wording in the description.

To be classed how they appear to want it to be, the description would have to be something like Non-functioning or decorative use only.

If the description is as above "Victorian style cast iron lamp posts"

It implies;
Victorian = A style recognisable for the era,, which is possibly does look like.
Cast iron = That the majority of the item IS cast iron,, which it isn't. They could have said cast iron effect.
Lamppost = Most people seeing that term would expect a working post especially if the picture has a lamp in the head visible.


I think from a trading standards point they are guilty of Misleading people into thinking they are getting a working lamppost more than being guilty for selling a non CE tested lamppost.

Looking at this one including in the instal instructions, there's no doubt it's designed to had power to it, however in the text is this (not highlighted in red of course). I looked a few and couldn't see any saying I.P tested;

Victorian Lamp Posts | Cast Iron | Free Delivery | Black Country Metalworks

Original Victorian Garden Lamp Posts available with matching outdoor lanterns and brackets in cast iron. Free Delivery & Installation Kit.

www.blackcountrymetalworks.co.uk

We strongly recommend general lamp post installation, wiring & certification is completed by a set of qualified tradespeople and electricians. A tradesperson is equipped with the relevant knowledge needed when it comes to assessing the suitability of an installation area, and will ensure any necessary modifications to the location and/or lamp post are made if required. Not all locations will be suitable and we cannot take any responsibility for inappropriate installation. Items are not IP tested unless specifically stated.

I agree completely that they are fairly naive to suggest the item is not electrical equipment.

The CE certification element is important because that is the current means of demonstrating a product it suitable/safe for its intended purpose.

It appears to be a class 1 fitting but only the base and not the lamp or post is earthed. I assume they are selling a reasonable volume of these fittings.

 

[Midwest]

Have you any pictures?

 

[Cbuk2k2]

Have you any pictures?

There is an earthing boss in the base bellow year red line. There is no earth continuity between the bottom section and the rest of the fitting. The rest of the fitting is un earthed, the middle section is a fairly thin gauge tube separate form both the base and the lamp.

 

[westward10]

The lamp holder looks brass, does that have an earth terminal.

 

[Midwest]

There is an earthing boss in the base bellow year red line. There is no earth continuity between the bottom section and the rest of the fitting. The rest of the fitting is un earthed, the middle section is a fairly thin gauge tube separate form both the base and the lamp.

Can you provide actual pictures of what you have, including the bits above the red line.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

The lamp holder looks brass, does that have an earth terminal.

The lamp holder does have an earth which is connected but there is no continuity between this and the rest of the exposed steel structure.

 

[westward10]

If you are running a cable up the column it probably doesn't require an earth to the column.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

If you are running a cable up the column it probably doesn't require an earth to the column.

If they could provide CE documentation that showed that had been assessed that would be fair enough but they can’t.