Laptops are often shipped with switching power supplies that among other have a phrase for use with information equipment only on their body.
Why can't I use the same power supply to power a motor or a set of LEDs or a lamp given it's output voltage and its wattage are suitable? I mean it outputs say 36 volts of direct current and can supply say 50 watts - okay, that would do for my motor/LEDs/lamp, why can't I use that supply?
What's so special in those power supplies that they bear the "IT equipment only" mark?
Answer
It is part of the safety regulations. When deciding which specifications apply for testing, the product application is taken into account as the way of deciding which spec applies. So if a laptop manufacturer provides an external PSU, they will have it tested to the relevant specs, which includes the product category. There is no guarantee it will be suitable for other applications.
For example, if you drive a motor which has accessable metal parts, and that laptop PSU doesn't give you an earth connection back to the socket, unless you make a seperate connection to earth, there isn't naturally one back for you.
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