subject: Electricians Concern About Counterfeit Products [print this page] A common concern for electricians is counterfeit electrical products. This has been a growing problem in the electrical industry for many years. It is also something that consumers need to be aware of when shopping for electrical products. Circuit breakers, outlets, power strips and extension cords are some common products that have known to be counterfeited. Buying counterfeit products are harmful to electricians, the industry and consumers.
All electrical products used and sold by electricians have met the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards. Underwriters Laboratories is a well-known, independent agency with rigorous testing standards for products. Counterfeit products consistently fail UL testing because of their substandard quality. The mediocre quality comes from the use of inferior materials, poor construction and missing safety features.
Many consumers are tempted to buy counterfeit electrical products because of the low prices. However, if consumers happen to buy a counterfeit electrical product, they are leaving themselves open to several hazards. Many of these products do not work very well. They also break very quickly. This cost consumers a lot of time and money. The counterfeit products can cause fires because of their poor quality. They also do not protect consumers from dangerous electrical shocks and electrocution.
There are easy ways for consumers to spot counterfeit electrical products. First is the price. If the price is much lower than what the product usually sells for, then that should be a red flag. Products that cheap are usually defective or counterfeit. Second, there is no warning label. Alternatively, the warning label is wrong. There should be no spelling or grammatical errors on any of the labels. Third, there is no UL certification mark on the packaging or the certification mark is incorrect. There are other telltale signs, such as bad packaging or the logos look wrong. A good way for consumers to avoid buying counterfeit electrical products is to avoid buying electrical products from the internet or dollar discount stores.
Consumers can buy quality electrical products from electricians. They buy their products from reputable distributors, who have various safety procedures to weed out counterfeit products. Big chain stores are also another option as they similarly have their own safety and inspection procedures. Consumers should inspect products thoroughly for any damage before buying them.
While counterfeit products such as handbags, clothes or jewelry cannot kill, electricians know fake electrical products can. Consumers can avoid unnecessary danger and liability by researching and using quality electrical products in a home or business.
