UL as it applies to custom equipment 1

[mike4168]

My company is interested in doing work for a large federally owned power supplier. We have been told by someone that we must be UL certified to do contract work for them. I thought that an overall UL certification was for a particular piece of equipment that may be mass produced, and to have custom equipment certified would require that each electrical panel, etc. would have to be individually certified. Any help or guidance in this matter is appreciated.

 

[DRWeig]

Hi Mike,

My company builds custom industrial control panels under a UL certification that allows us to label and list individual panels without submitting them to UL for testing. The only interaction with UL, as I understand it, is to send them an as-wired drawing of each custom panel and submit to an annual inspection of procedures and rules. Essentially, we're guaranteeing UL that everything we label meets UL standards for industrial control panels, and they check up on us once or twice a year to make sure.

There may be other standards in addition to industrial control panels -- find your local UL rep and make a meeting to explain your business to him or her. I've found them to be extremely easy to work with as long as we pay attention to their rules.

Best wishes with your venture!

Old Dave

 

[REDDOG]

The NEC requires all equipment to Approved for the purpose by a third party testing lab such as UL.See NEC NFPA 70 Articles 90-6, 100, 110-1,110-2,110-3. Electrical control panels are generally an assembly of UL Listed material of the open type. This assembly must be third party Labeled to be acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
UL 508A is the Standard for Industrial Control Panels.
These requirements require the use of listed, labeled, and
recognized devices applied in the manner that they were listed and labeled. Unlisted equipment may be electrically removed from panel by the procedure set forth in the Standard. To become a UL 508A panel shop, contact your UL Field Office.

 

[icihouston]

Mike,
We are a U.L.508A certified shop and we build control panels for industry. As DRWeig stated, you can build up a panel and have it individually certified and Listed by U.L.. For a one shot deal that is the way to go. However, it sound to me like you will have the opportunity to bid on multiple panels of various types. You can, as we have done, become a Registered Firm, and after getting set up, you will be able to place your "U.L. Listed" label on and qualified panel without having to go through an inspection of that package by a U.L. representative. They will simply visit your plant once or twice a year and as long as the visit is acceptable by the representative, you are good to go. You can visit U.L.'s website at

http://www.ul.com.

For more info on getting a product Listed go the their link

http://www.ul.com/introtoul.html.

If you would like a bit more info, let me know and I will be happy to advise you.
Jim

 

[ccaserta]

Mike,
I work for an NRTL(Nationally Reconized Test Laboratory), UL is a NRTL and there are many out there, NFPA 70 requires you use a NRTL for certification. All NRTLs can certify your system on site at installation. If you are making just one machine that must be approved, you may have a field label provided that will satisfy the local electrical town requirements and your customers needs. Depending on the application of your system UL 508A may not be appropriate for you. I suggest you get more than one quote for your certifcation. I think you will find that there are many more options to being certified that are cost effective. Christopher Caserta
ccaserta@enorthhampton.com
Ph:904-225-0360