GT Power 20A switching power supply- dreadful and dangerous

[MartinC]

I bought one of these in March 2010 and it failed, so I sent it back.

The unit was replaced and I was pleased with the service, until I noticed four metal bolt heads on the undeside of the case. One of them was reading 12V AC! When I opened the case I noticed the main unit was mounted diagonally and the whole arrangemnet had been poorly assembled.

One of the four bolts had distorted the main pcb and was very, very close (0.5mm) to the mains live terminal on the pcb. Two of the four bolt heads interfered with the feet, which had been notched roughly to make them fit. The shrink wrap on the mains connectors had not been shrunk. The whole thing looks as if has been hastily cobbled together.

My main worry is that the bolts are a conductive bridge to the internals and must surely breach rules of double insulated appliances.

I don't want to return it as it costs £7.00 to post, but I am disappointed, as this looks like a prototype rather than a production item. In my view it is dangerous and I urge you to invetigate the stock you hold. If the the rest of them are similar then they should be withdrawn from sale.

MartinC.

[whitemice]

Looks like a piece of dangerous crap alright, if the bolts are external then you're dead if a live wire touches them or comes off and does so if you handle it.

I have had three so-called twin output 20a frap out real quick, two at 12a output and one whilst charger was on discharge!

I have given up on the bloody things and run four 700w atx computer psu's (£7 A PIECE NEW ON EBAY)i converted, now 100% reliable even off a generator.

Always use rcd's with the things as a last hope.