Macromatic Plug-in Products UL Listed with Sockets

We are often asked several questions regarding our plug-in products & UL: "why are plug-in products only UL Component Recognized instead of UL Listed"?  Or "what is the difference between UL Component Recognized & UL Listed"?  The answer comes from "UL's Component Recognition Service covers the testing and evaluation of component products that are incomplete or restricted in performance capabilities".  Plug-in products require a socket for terminating wires.   Since any plug-in product can be used with almost any manufacturer's socket, UL has no information or control over the type of field-installed wires or terminations used with plug-in products such as time delay relays, phase monitor relays or alternating relays.  Therefore, they classify the product as Recognized instead of Listed.

On the other hand, non-plug-in products such as contactors, terminal blocks, control transformers, etc., that include their own terminations can be tested & approved by UL on their own.  Those products that obtain UL Listing require the manufacturer to list maximum wire size and recommended wire tightening torque values.

Does this mean "UL Listed" products are better than "UL Component Recognized" products?  Many people believe this to be true.   However, nothing could be further from the truth.  Products that are Component Recognized & those that are Listed go through the exact same safety-related tests at UL per UL508 with one exception--Listed products must also go through a wire pull-out test because they have terminals for field use.  Therefore, the only difference is how they are marked--with the UL Listed logo or the UL Component Recognized logo.

However, UL does allow the UL Listed Mark to be used on UL Component Recognized plug-in products if the manufacturer specifies a particular Component Recognized socket to be used and if the combination is submitted to UL for Listing.   Macromatic has completed such a program at UL, and now our plug-in products carry the UL Listed logo in addition to the UL Component Recognition logo.

As you can see from the photo, the particular Macromatic 8 or 11 pin socket is specified on the product nameplate.  This indicates that UL has Listed the combination of the Macromatic plug-in product and the appropriate Macromatic socket when used together.  Also notice that the UL Component Recognition logo remains.  This means that if the Macromatic plug-in product is used with any socket other than the appropriate Macromatic socket, the unit is only Component Recognized, not Listed.

Now panel shops and other equipment builders can eliminate questions & confusion on whether the products are truly UL Listed by specifying & using Macromatic plug-in products and our sockets.

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