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ESF petition: 'dangerous electricals on online marketplaces'

Nathaniel
https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/stop-the-sale-of-dangerous-electrical-goods-on-online-marketplaces 

"Stop the sale of dangerous electricals on online marketplaces:  In the UK, online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Wish are not bound to the same laws as traditional retailers. ..."


I don't usually sign petitions, but this is a subject I've thought of many times when seeing equipment that's imported from far-off sellers with the help and profit of online marketplaces that claim to be UK ones. It may look good and do its main task adequately, but a little time or closer inspection often shows big problems for safety: lack of isolation clearance between the mains and output of chargers, solder joints that break and arc at the input socket, wires that split in weeks, hideous RF emissions, wires with a small proportion of the actual copper area that they state on the sheath, etc, etc.  I feel doubtful whether ESF will reach its 100 000 target anyway, but perhaps some others here can be interested to support them in this attempt. 

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    I use ebay a lot, but am selective as to what types of goods I purchase.


    Things I would buy and have purchased regularly.

    Bed sheets, bed blankets.

    Underwear, socks.

    Other basic clothing.

    Overalls.

    Non perishable foodstuffs.


    Things that I might consider buying on ebay.

    The more unusual types of wire, cable and flexible cord.

    The less common types of electric lamp.

    Obsolete spare parts.

    Rare or hard to find wiring accessories,


    Things for which ebay is to be avoided and only considered as a last resort.

    Modern and popular types of cable, too much risk of fakes.

    Modern and common types of wiring accessory.

    Safety critical items such as smoke detectors, fuses, RCDs and MCBs that cant be internally examined.


    I would for example avoid white plastic 13 amp sockets or similarly common items from ebay, millions are sold and they are well worth faking.

    I did buy a couple of RED 13 amp sockets though, these are produced in much smaller numbers and probably not worth faking. Also for use on a UPS circuit with the load unlikely to exceed one amp.

    I would avoid common types of flex or twin with earth cable, millions of meters are sold and fakery well worth while. I DID however purchase a roll of very non standard flex (3 red cores, 1 green core, and 1 white core, all 6mm) excellent value. Whom is going to fake something that obscure ?
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  • 0
    I use ebay a lot, but am selective as to what types of goods I purchase.


    Things I would buy and have purchased regularly.

    Bed sheets, bed blankets.

    Underwear, socks.

    Other basic clothing.

    Overalls.

    Non perishable foodstuffs.


    Things that I might consider buying on ebay.

    The more unusual types of wire, cable and flexible cord.

    The less common types of electric lamp.

    Obsolete spare parts.

    Rare or hard to find wiring accessories,


    Things for which ebay is to be avoided and only considered as a last resort.

    Modern and popular types of cable, too much risk of fakes.

    Modern and common types of wiring accessory.

    Safety critical items such as smoke detectors, fuses, RCDs and MCBs that cant be internally examined.


    I would for example avoid white plastic 13 amp sockets or similarly common items from ebay, millions are sold and they are well worth faking.

    I did buy a couple of RED 13 amp sockets though, these are produced in much smaller numbers and probably not worth faking. Also for use on a UPS circuit with the load unlikely to exceed one amp.

    I would avoid common types of flex or twin with earth cable, millions of meters are sold and fakery well worth while. I DID however purchase a roll of very non standard flex (3 red cores, 1 green core, and 1 white core, all 6mm) excellent value. Whom is going to fake something that obscure ?
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