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Certain types of electrical appliances and fittings require approval before being offered for sale in New Zealand. These are set out in a Gazette notice and are listed below.

Gazette notice - 17 March 2016(external link)

Declared article: Blanket

Definition:

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for application of heat to a bed;
  2. is flexible;
  3. has a fabric enclosure; and
  4. has a projected surface area exceeding 0.6 m2;

and includes—

  1. any associated power supply or controller.

Declared article: Bread toaster

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. is for toasting bread or similar foods.

Declared article: Clothes dryer

(includes tumble dryers, cabinet clothes dryers, heated clothes rack dryers)

Definition

An electrical appliance that —

  1. is a household type; and
  2. is for drying textile material;

but does not include—

  1. a heated towel rail.

Declared article: Cooking appliance - portable type

(includes mini ovens, infrared contact grills, electric frying pans, electric deep fat fryers, toasters, toasted sandwich makers, popcorn machines, waffle irons)

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type;
  2. is for cooking or warming food by electrical energy; and
  3. is portable.

Declared article: Dishwashing machine

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. is for washing of eating and cooking utensils.

Declared article: Fan

(includes wall fans, portable fans, duct fans, extractor fans)

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type;
  2. has a primary function of moving air in its vicinity for comfort or extraction purposes; and
  3. is self-contained

and includes—

  1. any associated ancillary equipment.

Declared article: Fence Energiser

(includes fence control energizer units for: animal, security, pet)

Definition

An electrical appliance that regulates and controls the supply of electrical energy to an electrical fence.

Declared article: Flexible heating pad

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for application of heat to parts of the human body;
  2. is in the form of a flexible pad; and
  3. has a projected area not exceeding 0.6 m².

Declared article: Hair care appliance

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type or a commercial hand-held type; and
  2. is for drying, styling or the caring of human hair.

but does not include—

  1. a razor or hair clippers

Declared article: Immersion heater

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type;
  2. is for heating liquid in that it may be immersed; and
  3. is self-contained;

and includes—

  1. aquarium type immersion heaters.

Declared article: Insect electrocutor

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. kills insects by the application of electrical energy.

Declared article: Kitchen machine

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. is for the preparation of food by mechanical means; or
  3. is for opening cans; or
  4. is for sharpening of knives.

Declared article: Lawn care appliance

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. is for cutting grass or lawn.

Declared article: Liquid heating appliance

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type;
  2. is portable;
  3. has a capacity not exceeding 10L; and
  4. heats liquid for—
    1. humidifying room air; or
    2. use in, or as, a hot beverage; or
    3. cooking.

Declared article: Massage appliance

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type;
  2. is for massaging the human body;
  3. is portable; and
  4. is self-contained.

Declared article: Microwave oven

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. applies heat to food, liquid or other substances in a chamber by means of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

Declared article: Room heater

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. is for heating, by electrical energy, for comfort purposes;

and includes—

  1. an appliance that accommodates one or more heat lamps;

but does not include—

  1. an air-conditioning appliance;
  2. a heating system that is intended to heat the atmosphere of a room primarily by raising the temperature of any floor, wall, or ceiling area; or
  3. an under-carpet heating system.

Declared article: Soldering iron

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for the application or removal of solder; and
  2. is hand held;

and includes—

  1. any integral or associated power supply or controller;

but does not include—

  1. a soldering iron promoted exclusively to industry.

Declared article: Swimming pool or spa equipment

Definition

An electrical appliance or device that—

  1. is a transportable spa pool or transportable spa bath; or
  2. is for circulating air or water in a conventional bath; or
  3. is for use in the operation or cleaning of a swimming pool, non-transportable spa-pool or non-transportable spa-bath.

but does not include—

  1. an appliance or device exclusively promoted for commercial use; or
  2. a heat pump.

Declared article: Washing machine

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type; and
  2. is used for washing clothes and other textile materials.

Declared article: Water heater

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for heating and storage of water for bathing, washing, or similar purposes;
  2. incorporates a heating element;
  3. is unvented; and
  4. has a storage capacity not less than 4.5 L nor more than 680 L;

or

  1. is for heating water;
  2. is of the instantaneous type; and
  3. incorporates live parts in contact with water.

Declared article: Decorative lighting outfit

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for decorative, display or illumination purposes;
  2. is portable;
  3. consists of—
    1. electric light sources or lampholders interconnected by flexible cord of less than 2.5 mm² cross-sectional area; or
    2. electric light sources within a flexible enclosure;
  4.  may be integral with a frame or similar support;

and includes—

  1. any integral power supply or control device.

Declared article: Inspection handlamp

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for inspection purposes using illumination;
  2. contains an electric light source; and
  3. is hand held;

but does not include—

  1. handlamps with a magnification facility. 

Declared article: Luminaire - portable type

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is a household type;
  2. provides illumination or for decorative purposes, produces light;
  3. is fitted with a supply flexible cord, an appliance inlet socket or a power supply unit with integral pins for insertion into a socket-outlet;
  4. is for standing on a table or floor, or is fitted with a clamp or similar for attachment to vertical or horizontal surfaces;
  5. is for use with electric light sources; and
  6. is constructed to represent a model, person or animal and, by its design and materials used, is likely to be treated by a child as a toy; or
  7. has metal parts that are required to be earthed or double insulated from live parts (excluding live parts of an all insulated lampholder).

But does not include—

  1. a simple luminaire – portable type

But does not include appliances where less than 50 items are produced to a particular design.

Declared article: Simple portable luminaire

Definition

A portable luminaire, in which the supply flexible cord (including any associated cord line switch) is terminated to a single lampholder that is mounted on a non-flexible, non-articulated stem in which the cord may be enclosed, that—

  1. only includes one or more of the following components that comply with the relevant Standards:

Edison screw lampholder to accommodate screw cap of 14 mm or 27 mm nominal outside diameter or bayonet cap lampholder that accommodates a lamp with a bayonet cap of 15 mm or 22 mm nominal diameter, a cord line switch, supply flexible cord and plug; and

  1. is for use with light sources that have bases for insertion into E27, E14, B15 or B22 lampholders; and
  2. is of the ordinary type for indoor use only;
  3. but does not include—
  4. a transformer;
  5. a dimmer or touch controls or other electronic devices or portable luminaires of type covered in AS/NZS 60598.2.8 and 60598.2.10.

But does not include appliances where less than 50 items are produced to a particular design.

Declared article: Supply flexible cord  

Definition

An electrical cord that—

  1. is unscreened and flexible;
  2. is designed for use at low voltage;
  3. consists of two or three elastomer or PVC insulated cores of multistrand construction;
  4. has a cross-sectional area of each conductor not exceeding 2.5 mm²; and
  5. has for other than tinsel cords, individual wire strandings not exceeding—
    1. 0.21 mm for conductor sizes up to 1 mm²; or
    2. 0.26 mm for conductor sizes exceeding 1 mm²;

but does not include—

  1. a flexible cord directly connected to equipment or approved non-rewirable accessories that is marked in accordance with the CENELEC HAR marking scheme for flexible cords.

Declared article: Power supply or charger

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. provides an output not exceeding 50V a.c. or 120V ripple free d.c; and
  2. is a type to provide supply to separate luminaires; or
  3. is a household type for either charging batteries or to provide supply to separate equipment.

but does not include—

  1. Information Technology and Audio Visual equipment that can use the output to also transmit data that is not associated with a power supply or charger function.

Excluding devices designed to power a self-balancing personal transport device.

Declared article: Power supply or charger for charging of a self-balancing personal transport device  

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. provides an output not exceeding 50V a.c. or 120V ripple free d.c; and
  2. is a type to provide supply to separate luminaires; or
  3. is a household type for either charging batteries or to provide supply to separate equipment.

but does not include—

  1. Information Technology and Audio Visual equipment that can use the output to also transmit data that is not associated with a power supply or charger function.

and

is used for the charging of a battery powered self-balancing personal transport device

Declared article: Wall switch

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is an air-break switch;
  2. is for connection to the wiring of an electrical installation;
  3. is primarily for mounting on a vertical surface;
  4. is manually opened and manually closed; and
  5. has a rating not exceeding 20 A.

Declared article: Plug

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. makes a detachable connection between the contacts of a socket-outlet and the conductors of a flexible cord;
  2. has two, three or four pins for insertion into a socket-outlet; and
  3. has a rating not exceeding 20 A;

but does not include—

  1. a plug that is within the scope of AS/NZS 3123 and is intended for industrial use; or
  2. a plug that is within the scope of AS/NZS 3131.

Declared article: Socket-outlet

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is for fixing at a point at that fixed wiring terminates;
  2. provides a detachable connection with the pins of a plug;
  3. has two, three, or four contacts; and
  4. has a rating not exceeding 20 A;

but does not include—

  1. an outlet within the scope of AS/NZS 3123 or AS/NZS 3131.

Declared article: Outlet device

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is a household type;
  2. as its primary function, extends supply from a socket-outlet;
  3. is portable;
  4. incorporates facilities for the insertion of a plug or plugs; and
  5. has a rating not exceeding 20 A;

but does not include—

  1. a cord extension set.

Declared article: Cord extension socket

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is for attachment to a flexible cord;
  2. has a maximum rating of 20 A at low voltage; and
  3. has contacts whereby a detachable connection may be made with the corresponding pins of a plug or an inlet;

but does not include—

  1. a connector or appliance connector designated in AS/NZS 3123; or
  2. a socket-outlet designated in AS/NZS 3131.

Declared article: Appliance connector

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is for attachment to a flexible cord; and
  2. makes a detachable connection between the conductors of the cord and the pins or contacts of any low voltage appliance or equipment of a type intended or generally used for household applications;

but does not include—

  1. a connector within the scope of AS/NZS 3123; or
  2. a plug or socket-outlet within the scope of AS/NZS 3131.

Declared article: Bayonet lampholder adaptor

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is for insertion into a B22 bayonet lampholder; and
  2. is for connection to a flexible cord; or
  3. has one or more lampholders.

Declared article: Cord-line switch

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is for attachment in a flexible cord;
  2. manually opens and closes an electrical circuit; and
  3. has a rating not exceeding 16 A at low voltage;

but does not include—

  1. bell push and pendant switches.

Declared article: Residual current device (RCD)

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. isolates or initiates a tripping signal to isolate a low voltage supply to protected circuits, socket-outlets or equipment in the event of a current flow to earth that exceeds a predetermined level;
  2. may be fixed or portable;
  3. has a rated residual current not exceeding 300 mA for devices intended for connection to fixed wiring or 30 mA for other devices; and
  4. has a rated load current not exceeding 125 A for devices intended for connection to fixed wiring or 20 A for other devices;

but does not include—

  1. a device intended to be used with a particular circuit breaker other than a miniature overcurrent circuit-breaker; or
  2. a device intended to protect an electricity supply authority distribution system; or
  3. a device covered by AS 2081 and intended for mines use.

To avoid doubt, a Type B and a Type F RCD are also declared high risk articles.

Declared article: Miniature over current circuit breaker

Definition

An electrical device that—

  1. is an enclosed air-break switch;
  2. opens a low voltage circuit automatically under predetermined conditions of over-current;
  3. has a nominal rating not exceeding 125 A; and has—
    1. a current breaking capacity up to 10 kA; and/or
    2. a projected panel mounting area not exceeding 4000 mm² per pole;

but does not include—

  1. miniature overcurrent circuit breakers as defined but that are intended and marked as being only for use in industrial application.

Declared article: Tool - portable type

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for machining, drilling, sawing, or surface preparation; and
  2. may be entirely supported by hand during operation;

but does not include—

  1. a tool, portable type, promoted exclusively to industry.

Declared article: Arc welding machine

Definition

An electrical appliance that—

  1. is for use in the electric arc welding process;
  2. is for connection to single phase low voltage supply;
  3. is fitted with a flexible cord and plug rated at not more than 16 A;
  4. can easily be moved from one place to another while it is connected to supply; and
  5. has, for GMAW (gas metal arc welding), GTAW (gas tungsten arc welding), and FCAW (flux cored arc welding) machines, a 100% output rating not exceeding 65 A. The 100% rating is calculated from the square root of the marked duty cycle expressed in decimal form multiplied by the marked output current associated with the duty cycle in amperes;

but does not include—

  1. an arc welding machine promoted exclusively to industry.