ESP8266 Community Forum

- Sat Apr 18, 2015 1:29 pm #14928 Hi all,
I am wondering if it is possible to buy and import ESP8266 module in quantities from China in US and Europe?

From what I see here: http://hackaday.com/2014/12/17/esp-gets-fcc-and-ce/, chipset itself is FCC certified and here: http://espressif.com/en/espressif-systems/news-events/ they are mentioning that chipset ESP8266EX is certified with given FCC and CE identifiers:
"The FCC identifier is: 2AC7Z-ESP8266EX
The CE opinion number is: TCF-1933CC14"

Does that means that only chipset (and not whole module) can be imported? Or one can, based on this chipset certification, import modules also?

Best regards,
Drasko

Last edited by drasko on Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

- Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:52 am #15035 Might want to check those certs for yourself - I thought it was well established that they aren't real, and you would need to re-certify your product if using them.

As to importing, are you looking for a source of the modules, or legal advice on importing? Can't help with the latter.

We've been paying about $2.50/module for -07 and -12 varieties in relatively small batches from China. So far no duds out of a few hundred of them.

- Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:18 am #15095

Might want to check those certs for yourself - I thought it was well established that they aren't real, and you would need to re-certify your product if using them.

Re-certifying the product is _always_ needed, no mather what module in the world you take. This is because your product has to pass the test of "unintentional radiator". There is a good explanation here: http://www.digi.com/technology/rf-tips/2007/11

Here: http://emclab.mst.edu/emcproc/ (or here: http://answers.google.com/answers/threa ... 26221.html) you can read:
"It is illegal to sell or advertise for sale any products regulated under Part 15, Subpart B until their radiated and conducted emissions have been measured and found to be in compliance.", meaning that the final product _always_ must pass an additional "unintentional radiator" certifications, no mather what module you use.

As you can also see, if the module passes the test of "intentional radiator" and comes with modular cetification, then you can use it for self-declaration for Part B in your product, and you only have to do "unintentional radiator" tests of the final product (much cheaper!).

What I see here: wiki/doku.php?id=esp8266-module-family, it looks like ESP-12 has the certifications needed. These certifications seems to be modular. But I am not sure how valid they are, so I wanted to ask if there are people who either imported this module in quantities in US and/or Europe, or used it in the final product (mass production).

As to importing, are you looking for a source of the modules, or legal advice on importing? Can't help with the latter.

Now that you mentioned it I am looking for the both. However - first is completely meaningless without second. Not only that it is illegal, but if the module does not have a modular certification, then it makes more sense to import just the chip, and make your own module from the scratch, then certify the product.

So, to be more prceise - I woul like to explore legal subjects in this forum thread.

This is important, as I am interested how one can go from the prototype to the final product and mass production with ESP8266 when FCC certified module does not exist.

Also, I am interested how companiies like Sparkfun or Adafruit can sell these modules in the US if the product does not have certification? How did they import it in the first place?

I guess that according to this: https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/398, they are declaring this as the subassemblies that are defined in section 15.101e of Title 47, but I am still surprised that US cusoms do not make problems when they see thousands uncertified WiFi chips entering the country in a batch.

BR,
Drasko

- Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:32 pm #15154

Might want to check those certs for yourself - I thought it was well established that they aren't real, and you would need to re-certify your product if using them.

As to importing, are you looking for a source of the modules, or legal advice on importing? Can't help with the latter.

We've been paying about $2.50/module for -07 and -12 varieties in relatively small batches from China. So far no duds out of a few hundred of them.

Interesting. I've had 2 duds out of 3!! Perhaps you've got a lucky batch? When did you place your order?

I also wonder if anyone has (re)run EMC tests on ESP-12.