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Question:  

What's the Difference Between UL, CSA, ETL, & CE?

Answer:

If you look on the back panel of HARMAN products, you will see a silkscreen certification Mark or logo such as UL, CSA.  ETL, or CE.  The CE logo also appears on HARMAN product cartons.  What do the certification marks mean? Basically they are stamps of approval.​  HARMAN products with those logos meet rigorous standards for electrical safety and electromagnetic emissions.  The acronyms are spelled out below:

UL: Underwriters Laboratories Incorporated

CSA: Canadian standards Association

ETL:  originally the mark of

ETL: Testing Laboratories, now a mark of Intertek Testing Services.

CE: space conformance European (communaut Europ enne or Conformit Europ enne)

Let's look more closely at each organization.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.

In operations for more than a century, Underwriters Laboratories Inc.  is an independent nonprofit organization that writes and test products for safety and certifies them.  UL has developed more than 800 standards for safety, and millions of products and their components are tested to ULs safety standards.

Some examples of UL Standards are:

UL 1492:  Audio Video Products and Accessories

UL 1419:  Professional Video and Audio Equipment

UL 1581:  Reference Standard for Electrical Wires, Cables, and Flexible Cords  

UL 1411:  Transformer and Motor Transformers for use in audio-, radio-, and television-Type Appliances

UL 6500:  Standard for Audio/Video in Musical Instrument Apparatus for Household, Commercial, and Similar General Use

If a HARMAN product is UL tested, you know it has passed ULs stringent tests for electrical safety.  For example, the chassis is grounded to the round pin on the power-cord, say that if the hot lead of the power cord accidentally shorts to the chassis, the current will go to the building safety ground and not through someone touching the amplifier chassis.

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA)

A non-profit association serving business, industry, government and consumers in Canada and the global marketplace.  Among many other activities, CSA develop standards that enhance public safety.

Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, CSA is very familiar with U.S.  requirements.  According to OSHA regulations, the CSA-US Mark qualifies as an alternative to the UL Mark.

Here are some areas where CSA standards are applied:

Canadian Electrical Code, Part III-Outside Wiring

Electrical Engineering Standards

Electromagnetic Compatibility

Example: C108.8:  Limits and Methods of Measurement of Electromagnetic Emissions

ETL Listed Mark

An alternative to the CSA and UL marks.

ETL Testing Laboratories has been conducting electrical performance and reliability test since 1896.  Intertek Testing Services (ITS) acquired ETL from it in Inchcape in 1996.   ITS is recognized by OSHA as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), just as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian standards Association (CSA) and several other independent organizations are recognized.

ITS tests products accordingly to nearly 200 safety and performance standards.  The ETL Listed Mark and C-ETL Listed Mark are accepted throughout the United States and Canada when denoting compliance with nationally recognized standards such as ANSI, IEC, UL, and CSA.

This certification mark indicates that the product has been tested to and has met the minimum requirements of a widely-recognized (consensus) U.S.  Product safety standard, that the manufacturing site has been audited, and that the applicant has agreed to a program of periodic factory follow-up and inspections to verify continued conformance.

If the mark includes a small US and/or C, it follows product safety standards of United States and/or Canada, respectively.

CE Mark

What is it, and what is its purpose?

European commission describes the CE Mark as a "passport" that allows manufacturers to circulate industrial products freely within the internal market of the EU.  The CE Mark certifies that the products have met EU health, safety and environmental requirements that ensure consumer and workplace safety.  All manufacturers in the EU and abroad must affix the CE Mark to those products covered by the "New Approach" directives in order to market their products in Europe.   Once a product receives the CE Mark, it can be marketed throughout the EU without undergoing further product modification.

An important document related to CE is the Declaration of Conformity (D.O.C.).  Basically it's a piece of paper which a company authority must sign to say that a device meets the requirement of the Directive.  The D.O.C.  must include a list of any standards used to justify the claim of compliance with the Directive.  You'll see the Declaration of Conformity packed with certain HARMAN products, either separately or as part of the operation manual.

If a HARMAN product is stamped CE, the product does not emit excessive radiation (microwave or RF), and it's not overly sensitive to picking up radiation.

Here are some examples of tests that electronic devices must pass to earn the CE Mark:

EN 55103-1:1995 Electromagnetic Compatibility Product Family Standard for Audio, Video, Audio-Visual and Entertainment Lighting Control Apparatus for Professional Use, Part 1: Emissions

EN 61000-3-2: 1995+A14:2000 Limits for Harmonic Current Emissions (equipment input current <=16A per phase)

EN 6100-3-3:1995 Limitation of Voltage Fluctuations and Flicker  in Low-Voltage Supply Systems Rated Current  <=16A

EN 55103-2:1996 Electromagnetic Compatibility Product Family Standard for Audio, Video, Audio-Visual and Entertainment Lighting Control Apparatus for Professional Use, Part 2: Immunity

EN 61000-4-2:1995 Electrostatic Discharge Immunity (Environment E2-Criteria B, 4k V Contact, 8k V Air Discharge)

EN 60065: 1998 Safety Requirements Audio Video and Similar Electronic Apparatus

In summary, the certification marks on HARMAN products are your assurance that the product meets rigorous standards for electrical safety and electromagnetic emissions.  It poses no shock hazard (except as noted on the product or in the manual), and it will not cause electromagnetic interference with other devices beyond a certain distance.  You can use the product with confidence.