What's the difference between Class 2 and Class II Power Supplies?
The biggest problem is that people don’t realise that Class 2 and Class II are 2 entirely different things!
So what’s the difference?
Class II Power Supplies
Class II concerns power supplies that are likely to be in contact with members of the public.
For example:
- LED Drivers
- Power Adapters
- Battery Chargers
Class II power supplies don’t need an earth connection to protect against electric shock. So, they are typically supplied with a 2-pin Australian power plug rather than a 3-pin one.
MEAN WELL does offer several Class II rated power supplies.
Both the MEAN WELL catalogue and the product data-sheet will indicate if a power supply has Class II isolation, and all will display the symbol on the power supply’s label:
Class 2 Power Supplies
A Class 2 power complies with specific safety standards set by the National Electric Code (NEC) in the USA. These standards limit the output voltage and power to ensure safe operation. The specific UL standard for Class 2 power supplies is UL1310. At the time of writing MEAN WELL don’t offer any power supplies with a UL1310 approval.
If you have any questions concerning Class II power supplies, please contact Power Supplies Australia.
