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MCG SURGE PROTECTION
An ISO 9001:2000 Listed Company
12 Burt Drive
Deer Park, NY 11729
(800)851-1508
Fax (631) 586-5120
sales@mcgsurge.com
July 24. 2007
UL Listed Versus
UL Compliant: What’s the Difference?
Important
Information About UL You Need to Know
MCG Surge
Protection, along with other manufacturers of TVSS equipment,
have long complied with UL standards in order to be able to
carry the UL mark – a universally recognized symbol of safety to
industry, users, specifiers and the insurance companies that
underwrite the protected facilities.
UL recently revised
its standard for TVSS safety by mandating much more stringent
testing. This revision is called: UL 1449 2nd Ed.
Listed including new requirements of Feb. 9, 2007. The new
tests, like the old ones, apply an abnormally high AC voltage to
the protector, but at lower AC current-limited levels. These
lower current levels are what differentiate the new tests from
the UL1449 2nd edition 1996 tests, and cause certain
protectors to fail in an unsafe manner. The purpose of the new
requirements is to ensure that a surge protector, should it
fail, will do so in a safe manner.
Now TVSS
manufacturers were faced with a dilemma – test to the new
standard, drop the products or lose UL 1449, 2nd. Ed.
Listing.
Sending an
extensive product line to be tested is a costly, time-intensive
project. As a result, several manufacturers pulled out of the
TVSS business entirely. And not just small companies – big
companies.
Some manufacturers
are relying on the customer not being aware of the new standard
and continue to promote the outdated standard - simply UL 1449,
2nd Ed. Listed. There is a limited life span on this
approach because UL will require the statement be pulled. Only products listed to the new standard can say “UL 1449 2nd
Ed. Listed”.
Other companies
elected to bypass UL altogether and test to the new requirements
using an independent, non-UL lab. Cost savings are substantial
and turnaround is significantly faster. Problem – testing to
the standard and being compliant to the standard does not confer
a UL listing. If there’s no UL listing, there’s no UL mark.
It cannot be displayed on any units tested outside of UL.
Manufacturers who
used other labs are taking great care to make it look like they
are UL-listed, or in the event a potential customer reads the
fine print, to assure that UL compliant is the same as UL
Listed. They use the words, “Products Listed or Compliant to new
UL Requirements”, and even wrap them in gold starbursts for
authenticity.
Big Question: If TVSS (or any
other electrical equipment) is not UL-listed, will your
insurance company pay on a claim should a calamity, such as a
fire or an explosion, occur?
Conclusion: Read the specs – UL
listed means a unit may bear the UL mark. UL compliant units
tested outside of UL will bear the mark of the independent
testing lab, not the UL label.
MCG has
invested the time and money in the UL Listing. We meet the specs
and can legitimately display the UL mark on our TVSS equipment.
Click here to see our listing:
http://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/template/LISEXT/1FRAME/index.htm.
Go to “Begin a Basic Search” and type: “MCG Electronics” into
company field.
MCG – Not
Just Compliant, UL Listed.
Christine Jelley
CEO
MCG Surge Protection
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