Selling electrical goods

sugarwalsh

Hi all,

We have been asked if we can supply some 'Hollywood' style mirrors - essentially mirrors with lights in the frames. We can easily manufacture these, but we are unsure as to what certificates we would need and what regulations they would need to comply to.

I have looked it up and it appears that we would need to write up a small booklets worth of info.

We do not have the technical ability to do this - does anyone know whether this would be something we can have done for us?

Many thanks
Megan

paddyrg

If they're for a one-off how about a cross-hire?

http://www.getsethire.co.uk/index.php/make-up-mirror.html
http://www.flashfilmtransport.com/hire/costume-make-up/17232050
http://www.anthonysautocues.com/makeupmirrors/
http://www.scenicservice.co.uk/ob-make-up-mirrors
http://www.backstageshop.co.uk/acatalog/Make_Up_Mirror_-_Hire.html

They're cheap and ruggedised and frankly real movie make-up mirrors if you get one of the folding, flight-cased location ones.

If you take these as examples and make your own, you can get a qualified electrician to do the wiring and expect them to know how to make it legal.

sugarwalsh

Thanks Paddy. On this occasion people want to buy the mirrors - one for a shop - so a large one and one for a house, so it is different.

We asked an electrician but he said he only knew about installing, not about making items. I will continue researching!

Megan

paddyrg

Electrically it's the simplest thing in the world - not much you can get wrong, but being insureable is probably the biggest hurdle. How about you make the unit and then seeing as it's a residential install you get a proper electrician to install the lamps in situ - by separate hire. Basically you provide the frame and mirror and suggest an electrician they can call to get to install the lamps.

Mistral001

There are strict electrical regulations concerning this especially concerning providing correct insulation and earthing and you need proper professional advice.

Look Yellow Pages under "Engineers , Consulting".

paddyrg

Wherever in the country you are, there will be a local film and theatrical lighting hire company or two. They will have electricians who know and are qualified to do exactly what you're after, they spend their days mending and testing theatrical lamps. Worth asking, anyway.

Or make a low voltage system - LED strip lighting driven from a Maplin transformer and driver. Low voltage led kit is not dangerous, you can't injure yourself on 5v.

sugarwalsh

Thanks Paddy - it is really simple - the same as our letters. Basically an 'in' and and 'out' current, I even managed to wire some of the letters, not bad for a !!!!less female.

I think you might be right, if we can supply the item and then get them to have it installed by an electrician then it might work. We had our letters PAT tested and as the electrician pointed out there is nothing really that can go wrong.

I think I just need to run it all past the electrician, or find a theatre company.

Thanks again - any more ideas are always welcome! Megan

paddyrg

TBH doing your letters and everything on a 12v system might be a good idea anyway - lighting has become a lot less power intensive these days, and making all your kit 12v makes it safer, means you can power from a car battery, fewer bulb changes, running cooler, running cheaper, etc.

sugarwalsh

Thanks Paddy, I will get the husband to look into it, it is a great idea as already we are being asked for outdoor ones.

You have been really helpful, thank you.

paddyrg

Hope it goes really well for you! Feel free to send my consultancy fee to Children In Need ;-)