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Series "PSE" Part 2: "About Electrical Appliances"
What is "PSE" in AC adapters and switch-mode power supplies? This is the second installment in a series that explains it clearly once again.
Explanation of the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act and PSE
About the Electrical Products Subject to PSE
Last time, we explained "What is PSE?".
In summary, "PSE" refers to the product safety standards based on the "Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act", which imposes obligations on manufacturers or importers to "prevent dangers and accidents caused by electrical appliances".
Please refer to the link below for the previous newsletter.
This time, we will explain the "electrical appliances" to which PSE is applied.
The "electrical appliances" defined by the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act include "specified electrical appliances", such as DC power supplies like the AC adapters handled by our company, and "non-specified electrical appliances" such as TVs and air conditioners. A total of 457 items are designated: 116 specified and 341 non-specified.
Specified electrical appliances are those considered highly likely to pose risks based on their structure or usage conditions, and include: (1) items used for long periods unattended, (2) items used by socially vulnerable individuals, (3) items that come in direct contact with the human body.
Note that devices such as personal computers and printers are not considered electrical appliances and thus fall outside the scope of the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act regulations.
Concept of Electrical Appliances, excerpt from "Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act Legal Procedures Guide" issued by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Note that the "appliance name" under the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act may not always match the commonly used product name. Below is a comparison using AC adapters as an example.
| Examples of Common Names | AC Adapter Charger Battery Charger, etc. | Plug Adapter Conversion Adapter Socket Converter |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Appliance Name | DC Power Supply | Adapter |
| Appearance |
|  |
The differences between specified and non-specified electrical appliances are summarized in the table below.
Except for "Conformity Inspection" and "Validity Confirmation of Certificate and Copy of Equivalent Certificate", both are subject to evaluation for product safety.
| Procedures under the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act (For Importers) | Specified Electrical Appliances | Non-specified Electrical Appliances |
|---|---|---|
| Verification of Appliance Name and Model Type | Required | Required |
| Business Notification | Required | Required |
| Compliance with Technical Standards | Required | Required |
| Conformity Inspection | Required | < Not Required > |
| Validity Confirmation of Certificate Validity Confirmation of Copy of Equivalent Certificate | Required | < Not Required > |
| Voluntary Inspection | Required | Required |
| Labeling | Required | Required |
| Sales Restrictions | Required | Required |
If you would like to learn more about the differences between "specified electrical appliances" and "non-specified electrical appliances", or about the technical standards, please refer to the "Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act Legal Procedures Guide" published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry at the link below.
https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/consumer/seian/denan/file/06_guide/denan_guide_ver41.pdf
Next time, we will explain "about the technical standards".