Anybody come across these dodgy items before?

[bhm1712]

Just had a machine delivered at work which was allegedly manufactured in the uk but it turns out it's come from China (oh dear here we go)

Opened it up when it failed pat test and found this:

"Chint" C5 mcb (hmm c5?)

Incorrect colour supply cables including solid green earth

What looks to be a knock off of an old style telemecanique contractor (also "Chint")

And a whole host of other things.

Thoughts?

 

[bernardgreen]

Replace the procurement officer ?

Earth tag on painted metal. and the incomplete weld next to it.

Any CE markings ? ( genuine or bogus )

 

[bhm1712]

Unfortunately there is no procurement officer. Each department is responsible for talking with suppliers and ordering, but all machinery comes through our department for mechanical and electrical inspection and testing before it's allowed into service. The firm supplying this piece of kit claims this is made in the UK but all they have done is slap a data plate on it with their own info on the panel door.

I've only listed a small amount of the faults we've found with it here as the list is huge. Forgot to say - it failed PAT testing due to IR being too low and its a got a transformer in it which supplies the sealing head (hand operated and made of steel) without an earth wire connected up.

As for CE markings - yes it's got one but only on the uk suppliers own data plate which they slapped on.

Another fault we found which is pretty bad is that the micro switches that operate the sealing wires each have an exposed terminal with 240 volts on it which could easily be touched by an operator.

The whole thing is a shambles to be honest.

 

[bernardgreen]

NAme and shame to Trading Standards Office

 

[stillp]

The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations require that the machine is accompanied by a Declaration of Conformity, signed by a responsible person within the EU. Was one supplied? If so, what standards is the machine claimed to comply with?
The Chint mcbs and contactors are utter carp, as you say they are poor copies of old Telemecanique and Merlin Gerin designs, but they will usually work for a while.

 

[Iggifer]

What's happened to that blue in the contactor in 6/T3? Looks like the end has melted a little bit after the crimp.

 

[bhm1712]

It's got some permanent marker scrawled on it

 

[Iggifer]

Oh, classy!

 

[bhm1712]

The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations require that the machine is accompanied by a Declaration of Conformity, signed by a responsible person within the EU. Was one supplied? If so, what standards is the machine claimed to comply with?
The Chint mcbs and contactors are utter carp, as you say they are poor copies of old Telemecanique and Merlin Gerin designs, but they will usually work for a while.

No it does not have one.

Currently we have established that's it does not conform to BS7671, Machinery directive 2006/42/EC, the supply of machinery regulations 1998 and 73/23/EEC

Needless to say it's being returned and the company being reported to TS

 

[securespark]

The breaker does not appear on Chint's UK website. The UK breakers are marked CE, not CCC.

Bearing in mind all the faults you have found, you are well within your rights to:

1. Reject the goods.
2. Strike the supplier from the list of companies you deal with.
3. Contact TS.

The fact it could have killed someone is unforgiveable.

 

[Iggifer]

Can you get much cheaper than knock-off Chint?

 

[SimonH2]

Is it TS or HSE they need reporting to ?

 

[securespark]

Possibly both.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/uk-law-design-supply-products.htm