A custom chandelier entering Canada or the United States is not just a heavy object with a plug on it. The electrical side of the fixture — voltage, wiring, driver and, on commercial projects, certification — is where specifications get held up at inspection.
Voltage and wiring
North American residential supply is 110–120 V, unlike the 220–240 V used in the UK, Europe, Australia and the Gulf. Our fixtures are built to the destination voltage, so this is a question we ask at brief stage rather than at dispatch. It matters for the driver, for the lamp type and for anything the fixture is going to be dimmed by.
Certification: what CSA and UL actually mean
In Canada, electrical products are expected to bear a certification mark from a recognised certification body — CSA is the most commonly named. In the United States the equivalent is typically UL or ETL. What certification means in practice is that the electrical assembly has been evaluated against a safety standard and that the factory producing it can be inspected.
The consequences for a custom fixture are practical:
- The electrical assembly has to be built to a standard that can be evaluated, not improvised on site.
- Components — drivers, connectors, wiring — have to be approved parts.
- On commercial and hospitality projects, the specification usually names the mark, and the authority having jurisdiction will look for it.
If your project names CSA or UL, say so in the brief. The right time to establish what certification route is available for your specification is before the drawing set is approved — not after the crate is on the dock, and never after the electrician has arrived.
What a Canadian or US project should include in the brief
- Destination country and province or state.
- Voltage and phase, and whether the circuit is new or existing.
- Dimming system and protocol, if the fixture will be controlled.
- Whether certification is required, and which mark the specification names.
- Installation date, and whether an inspection is scheduled.
- Site access: loading dock, service lift, or a narrow stair with a crate that has to fit.
Documentation that travels well
For projects that will be inspected, ask for the technical drawing set, the load information, the electrical specification listing the components used, and the finish and material references. Being able to hand an inspector or a consultant a complete package is worth more than any brochure. Our designer and trade programme exists precisely so that specification text and drawing sets can go straight into your own documentation.
Planning the date
Production and international transit are quoted separately and confirmed before payment. For North American projects, add time for customs clearance and for the delivery appointment. The related guide ready to ship or made to order takes the timeline apart, and the shipping page covers packing, duties and receiving.
Browse custom chandeliers to pick a starting silhouette, then send the destination, voltage and specification requirements in one message.