Listed/ Certified LED Light Fixtures?

[AmericanMonsters]

Hello everyone,

First timer here, go easy on me.

I am currently buying equipment for an experience at a large well known Shopping Mall/ Entertainment center, and they have a requirement that all of the equipment must be certified by an approved organization... (lights, audio, video, and basically everything else) I haven't worked on a project that had this requirement before, it seems a bit strange, but understandable.

I am finding it extremely difficult to filter through products looking for images what clearly show the labels on the back, or going through company websites just to run in circles. I have only found a couple of products that are Listed by one of the organizations, as well as being (somewhat) affordable, without being cheap. (I know...)

Does anybody have any resources for LED PAR Cans that are approved? I will list the acceptable Labels below. I am also looking for a few ERS/ spots/ Gobo Projectors/ UV Lights... Honestly, anything you know of would be extremely helpful.

Thank you!!!

(Approved Organizations in attached images.)

 

[theatricalmatt]

Well, you've got UL (IUnderwriter's Laboratory) in your first image. They certify most of your consumer and industrial electronic devices, which would include LED PARs. Without getting into the finer details, they test products to make certain they don't pose a fire or shock hazard to the user. There's more to get into, if you're interested, about what tests are actually performed, the difference between a product being certified versus listed (versus recognized versus classified...), and so on.

More than likely you've already encountered this without realizing it! Most products you'll find in big hardware stores, etc. are UL-listed. (But! Not all of them! And that's why inspectors ask.)

If you have specific lighting fixtures in mind, it should be fairly easy to check a user manual or datasheet for that item and see that it's listed. If you have the product on hand, it should be on the device itself. If you're not sure how to find that information, contact the manufacturer and ask.

 

[cbrandt]

Between UL and ETL, almost anything from a reputable manufacturer should be certified. If you can't find that listing in the manual, don't hesitate to reach out to those manufacturers. I'm sure they (or your local dealer or rep) would be happy to help you find your best options.

 

[AmericanMonsters]

Thank you for the replies, I appreciate it.

I am familiar with UL CSA, ETL etc. and how and why they certify products. The issue here is, more manufacturers than you think don't actually have their products certified (and even more don't display it). I already went through this process with audio- the shocker was that after contacting companies like JBL, QSC and other higher-end speaker companies, many of their products, do not bare a UL (or similar) listing.

Even something like JBL's Control line of products (commercial and architectural line-up) the majority of the items they sell are not UL Listed. I am finding the same to be true with the Lighting equipment I have been looking in to.

I have looked in instructions manuals, scanned photos for the Marking (including user photos- I found that some companies will photoshop out their marking in sales photos to make the product look clean) ... trying to avoid having to email each individual company, but if it's what I have to do...

I guess I'm asking for a couple mid-level lighting companies I can look in to to start me off. Preferably where an LED PAR isn't more than a few hundred bucks, but I am aware that I'm asking a lot.

Thanks again

 

[almorton]

The markings in Europe (which until recently included the UK, but ...) is the CE mark. A lot of imported electronics had what appeared to be a CE mark but closer inspection showed them to be faked. The geometry of the CE mark is very precise, and a lot of the import's marks looked kind of similar but weren't, and on tear down couldn't possibly have met CE. So maybe something to be aware of is the possibility of faked conformance marks.

 

[cbrandt]

Blizzard Hotbox

Elation Sixpar 200

ETC Colorsource Par

Chauvet Colordash Par Quad 7

I could keep going, but every manufacturer I see frequently has listings marked. You have to dig sometimes a little, but they're all there. The specification sheet is usually the fastest place to go to find it in paperwork.

 

[Ben Dickmann]

I can't and won't try to speak for other manufacturers, but, I can talk about Chauvet Professional products. 99% of the products branded as Chauvet Professional are MET tested and listed and carry that mark, as well as some others (CE, UKCA, FCC). The logos of these marks are shown on the product data sticker on the fixture itself and also on the packaging. It is also listed in the specifications on each product's web page.

Do not let anyone tell you that it must be UL or ETL, there are other Nationally Recognized Testing Labs that test to the same standards and their marks (by law) must be accepted along side UL as long as they are tested to the same standard. Any reputable manufacturer can provide listing certificates to back up their marks if need be.

 

[TimMc]

It should start with a list of which "certifications" are acceptable to the end client. If "XYZ" is not on their list, any product bearing that mark, to the exclusion of others, will not be acceptable.

 

[gafftaper]

I guess I'm asking for a couple mid-level lighting companies I can look in to to start me off. Preferably where an LED PAR isn't more than a few hundred bucks, but I am aware that I'm asking a lot.

True certification by companies like UL is a slow expensive process to go through. In my experience you won't find any certification from any of the random manufacturer Chinese import gear. The next step us is DJ level gear like American DJ and Chauvet DJ and those aren't going to be tested beyond maybe CE and maybe not even that. You are going to have to step up to the more expensive product lines to find actual product testing and even then it's going to be spotty. I would only look at products from: ETC, Chauvet Professional (not Chuavet DJ), Elation Professional, and Altman.

You'll probably save a lot of time by just calling each of those four companies and asking which products they make that meet the specific certifications you are required to have.

 

[Ford]

Sidebar... just for the sake of clarity... or maybe to try to explain just how confusing this all can be...
UL writes the electrical safety standards. So, for instance, you'll see most professional theatrical lighting gear certified to the UL 1573 standard, or the UL 8750 standard (or both).

UL is also a testing lab. So products tested there will have the UL mark.
But, any NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Lab) can test a product to the UL standard, and it will be considered certified.
The popular NRTLs in the US include Intertek (ETL mark), and METLabs (MET mark, now owned by Eurofins). But there are others.
So, products may be marked UL, ETL, MET, TUV, SGS, ..... and on, and on.

However, the CSA mark that you show in the top-right corner of the third image is NOT acceptable in the US. CSA Group are the folks who write the standards for Canada. The standards are virtually the same as UL standards, but not necessarily identical... and they also have their own numbering scheme. So, rather than UL1573, you'll see CSA 22.2 No. 166.

on Chauvet Professional Fixtures, you'll typically see the MET Logo, with a C and a US in the two bottom corners, followed by the UL and CSA standards that they are tested to.

The relationship between UL and CSA is similar to the CE mark, which is good for European countries, and the UKCA mark that is now required in the UK (CE used to be accepted in the UK, but... Brexit). Basically the same standards, but each country can have it's own regulatory body to enforce them (the EU standardizes CE for all member states). Many (but not all) smaller countries will accept the CE certification.

You may also hear people refer to a CB certification. A CB certification is generally allowed almost everywhere in the world... But you need to read the fine print. CB reports contain a list of the countries addressed. So, if your country is not listed there, you're not covered.

In the USA, all LED lights also need an FCC certification, and all Lasers need to be classified under FDA regulations (yes, the same people who inspect meat packing facilities).

OH YEAH, and each governing body may have different rules for what needs to be marked on the fixture... And what languages these need to be in...

So... Yeah. This is all as clear as mud.

Here's an example of one of our recent Spec Stickers:

 

[almorton]

I would only look at products from: ETC, Chauvet Professional (not Chuavet DJ), Elation Professional, and Altman.

I might add Vari-Lite, Clay Paky, Robe, Ayrton, GLP, Chroma-Q and Martin to that list, amongst others. HES probably falls under ETC now, too. All not for PAR cans, but for all properly certified lanterns.

 

[gafftaper]

I might add Vari-Lite, Clay Paky, Robe, Ayrton, GLP, Chroma-Q and Martin to that list, amongst others. HES probably falls under ETC now, too. All not for PAR cans, but for all properly certified lanterns.

True those are all quality manufacturers who are likely to certify gear. However, I don't think any of them make an LED PAR and if they do it would be higher priced.

 

[almorton]

I did say not for PAR cans, but in general ...

Besides, not everyone wants PAR cans and this might be useful for someone finding it in 6 months time.

 

[almorton]

the UKCA mark that is now required in the UK (CE used to be accepted in the UK, but... Brexit).

UK gov't have done a reverse ferret on this, it appears, and CE will stay, UKCA no longer really on the menu Guardian article and BBC article.