Question re "Double Insulated", 240v cable in water etc.

My wife bought a water pump for a small outdoor fountain, and I was
surprised to see that there is no external LV transformer. That is,
the 240v cable is immersed in the water and goes straight to the small
pump, which the seller said is double insulated.

240v cable in water doesn't sound OK to me - would this have passed
electrical standard testing??

 

[Phil Allison]

<no-one@home.com>

My wife bought a water pump for a small outdoor fountain, and I was
surprised to see that there is no external LV transformer. That is,
the 240v cable is immersed in the water and goes straight to the small
pump, which the seller said is double insulated.

240v cable in water doesn't sound OK to me - would this have passed
electrical standard testing??

** A maker can simply label a product as being "double insulated" or apply
the double square symbol if they believe it complies with all the
requirements of "Class 2" insulation.

The exceptions are those devices on the "prescribed items " list which must
be submitted to a registered lab for standards approval. AFAIK submergible
pool pumps are not on the list.

If the pump is fitted into a sturdy, all plastic, watertight enclosure -
compliance with class 2 rules is simple.

240 volt submergible pumps for indoor and outdoor fountains are widely sold
and seem to have ordinary AC power leads. Maybe the outer plastic is UV
proof and tougher than usual.

The 24 volt ones have an advantage when the pump is sited well away from an
AC outlet - since a 24 volt cable can be run across ground or shallow
buried without the special protection needed for a 240 volt one.



........... Phil

 

Thanks Phil - I appreciate the information you've provided.

On Sat, 2 Jul 2005 16:18:25 +1000, "Phil Allison"
<philallison@tpg.com.au> wrote:

no-one@home.com

My wife bought a water pump for a small outdoor fountain, and I was
surprised to see that there is no external LV transformer. That is,
the 240v cable is immersed in the water and goes straight to the small
pump, which the seller said is double insulated.

240v cable in water doesn't sound OK to me - would this have passed
electrical standard testing??


** A maker can simply label a product as being "double insulated" or apply
the double square symbol if they believe it complies with all the
requirements of "Class 2" insulation.

The exceptions are those devices on the "prescribed items " list which must
be submitted to a registered lab for standards approval. AFAIK submergible
pool pumps are not on the list.

If the pump is fitted into a sturdy, all plastic, watertight enclosure -
compliance with class 2 rules is simple.

240 volt submergible pumps for indoor and outdoor fountains are widely sold
and seem to have ordinary AC power leads. Maybe the outer plastic is UV
proof and tougher than usual.

The 24 volt ones have an advantage when the pump is sited well away from an
AC outlet - since a 24 volt cable can be run across ground or shallow
buried without the special protection needed for a 240 volt one.



.......... Phil