An electrostatic precipitator pre-shipment inspection is the check, made before the balance is paid, that the units built match the proforma invoice: models, airflow, supply, stages, documents and count. A clean cabinet proves little; the configuration it was built to decides whether it can be connected. Run the 12 checks before you pay, and record the arrival the same way.
This page helps you decide whether to pay the balance on an electrostatic precipitator or ecology unit order and release the shipment. It also sets out how to run the check when you cannot travel, and what to record when the goods arrive. It does not select a model, write a tender clause or cover installation. For what the proforma invoice should state, see what an electrostatic precipitator quotation contains. For the work that follows delivery, see ecology unit installation.
| Question | Our answer |
|---|---|
| When the balance is due | Before shipment, after a 30% deposit (50% on some orders); T/T and L/C accepted |
| What the check is held against | The signed proforma invoice and the datasheet for the ordered models |
| The factory’s own inspection | Every unit is inspected before it leaves the plant; ask what that inspection records for your units |
| Seeing the units before payment | On-site tours and live video walkthroughs are both available. To see your own units, ask for it when you confirm the order and have it written on the proforma invoice |
| Documents with the shipment | Certificate copies that apply to the shipped models travel with the shipping documents: CE, RoHS and ISO copies for customs clearance, plus the UL listing for the three listed models |
| Freight | EXW at the factory gate, or FOB or CIF from Shanghai Port; sea and air freight both arranged |
| Warranty at arrival | 1 year on the complete unit, including the ESP cell and the SPP power supply; UV lamps and activated carbon media are consumables and not covered |
- Why the inspection has to come before the balance
- The 12-Point ESP Pre-Shipment Checklist
- Three ways to run the check: at the factory, on a live video, or through your inspector
- The shipping document set, and which Incoterm makes it whose job
- When the shipment arrives: what to record, and what to do if something is wrong
- Scope and limits
- Buyer record and key takeaways
- Frequently asked questions
Why the inspection has to come before the balance
On our orders the balance is paid before shipment, so the check that protects you is the one made before you pay it. After payment, a mismatch becomes a claim instead of a correction.
Our payment terms, published on our electrostatic precipitator supplier profile, put the balance before shipment. That fixes the window: the check has to fall between the end of production and the day the balance is paid. If you pay by L/C, the bank pays against the documents presented, so your check protects you only if its record is one of them. Before the L/C is opened, ask your bank whether an inspection certificate can be listed among the documents to be presented.
Two inspections happen in that window, and they answer different questions. Every unit is inspected before it leaves the plant; that is the factory checking its own work. Your check asks whether the units built are the units you ordered. One does not replace the other. Neither is a substitute for the third-party test report, and what the factory’s inspection records for your units is row 12.
The baseline for any electrostatic precipitator pre-shipment inspection is the signed proforma invoice. It names the models, the quantity, the rated airflow, the supply configuration, the stage list, the Incoterm and the documents to be sent. Where it is silent on an item, the check has nothing to hold that item against. Close the gap in writing before production starts. What a proforma invoice from us states is listed on our quotation page. The fourteen lines it should carry before the deposit is paid are set out on our electrostatic precipitator proforma invoice page.
The Incoterm sets the last practical moment for the check. Incoterms 2020 is the set of eleven three-letter trade terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce. Under it, FOB and CIF pass the risk to you once the goods are on board at the port of shipment. Under EXW it passes when the goods are placed at your disposal at the named place, before loading. Those risk points are set in the A2/A3 articles of each Incoterms 2020 rule.
The 12-Point ESP Pre-Shipment Checklist
Twelve checks, each held against a named document, confirm that the units built are the units on the proforma invoice. Check the supply configuration first: units are configured to order, so the label has to match the supply stated on the proforma invoice.
Nothing on this checklist needs the unit connected or switched on. Ask the factory what its own inspection before dispatch records for your units; that is row 12.
The 12-Point ESP Pre-Shipment Checklist — our own checklist, not an industry standard or an inspection protocol. It has twelve rows to run against the signed proforma invoice before the balance on an ESP or ecology unit order is paid. IF the balance is due before shipment, THEN run all twelve before you pay it.
| # | Check | Held against | How it can be checked | What a mismatch means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The model number on each unit, and the number of units | Proforma invoice; packing list | On site, on a live video or on photos of each label | A wrong unit or a short count. Hold the balance until it is corrected |
| 2 | The rated airflow of each model, in m³/h | Proforma invoice; the datasheet for that model | The model on the label, read against the datasheet | The unit was sized for another duct. Have it corrected before it is packed |
| 3 | The supply configuration as built: voltage, frequency and phase count | Proforma invoice, checked against the electrician’s panel reading | The label; ask for the configuration to be confirmed in writing against the proforma invoice; not by switching on | The unit is not the one ordered. Units are configured to order, 220 V or 380 V at 50 or 60 Hz; have it corrected before the balance |
| 4 | The stage list and the stage order; on an ecology unit, the electrostatic stage, then UV-C, then activated carbon | Proforma invoice; datasheet | On site, on a live video or on photos | A stage missing or out of order. The order of the stages is fixed, as set out under ecology unit installation |
| 5 | Collector cells in place in each electrostatic stage | Datasheet; proforma invoice | On photos of each electrostatic stage, which you ask the factory for | A missing cell is a missing part of the ordered unit. Have it fitted before packing |
| 6 | The SPP high-voltage power supply fitted to each electrostatic stage | Datasheet; proforma invoice | Fitted, as listed on the datasheet; the power supply enclosure stays closed | Without its power supply the electrostatic stage does not collect. Hold the balance until it is fitted |
| 7 | Consumables and spares: UV lamps, activated carbon media and any spare parts on the invoice | Proforma invoice; packing list | Counted against the packing list, on site or on photos | UV lamps and activated carbon are consumables outside the warranty, so a short count is bought again later |
| 8 | The extract fan: an HME ESP hood carries its own; with an ecology unit, only where the proforma invoice includes one | Proforma invoice | On site, on a live video or on photos | On an ESP hood, the fan is part of the unit and is checked with row 1. With an ecology unit, a fan not on the invoice is not in the supply, and a fan on the invoice and missing from the shipment is a short shipment |
| 9 | Certificate copies that name the shipped models | The model list printed on each certificate | Read the model list, not the cover page | A certificate that does not name the model does not cover it. The UL 867 listing under File E522667 names only the LK and SE 6K, 12K and 18K models at 230 V, 50 Hz. CE certificate FQC2602501 names LK30–LK480, LK30E1–LK150E1 and the UV series. The RoHS 2.0 certificate BKC25114877LC names its own series list, set out by product line on our ESP certifications page |
| 10 | The installation and commissioning manual, with the electrical wiring diagrams and the commissioning checklist | The list on our downloads page | Ask for the PDF before dispatch; it is emailed within one business day on request | The electrician on site works without the diagrams |
| 11 | Shipping marks and the packing list, against the units and the count | Packing list; proforma invoice | Photos of each package before loading | Customs and the site receive a count different from the one invoiced |
| 12 | The factory’s own inspection before dispatch: what it records for your units | The supplier profile: every unit is inspected before it leaves the plant | Ask for the record, or for photos of your units | Without a record there is nothing written to hold against. Ask before the balance, not after |
This checklist confirms that the units built are the units ordered. It does not test collection efficiency, odor control or the installed system; those belong to the test report, the site and commissioning.
Three rows need a step on your side.
- Row 3, the supply. Read the label against the supply on the proforma invoice, and the invoice against the panel reading your electrician took at the panel that will feed the unit. If no panel reading was ever taken, have it taken and sent now, before the units are packed.
- Row 9, the certificates. A certificate covers the models it names, not the range it belongs to. How to read a supplier’s documents before the short list is on our commercial kitchen ESP buying guide. The certificates by product line are on our ESP certifications page.
- Row 4, the stages. On a kitchen ecology unit, the UV and carbon stages follow the electrostatic stage. A train shipped in another order is a different machine from the one quoted.
Third-party test reports are not one of the twelve rows. They are sent on request, each naming the model, the airflow and the report number. How to read one field by field is on our electrostatic precipitator test report page.
A row 3 mismatch, worked through. An order states four in-duct ESP units at 380 V, 60 Hz, three-phase. On the video check, one label reads 50 Hz. Row 3 fails, so the balance is held until the unit is corrected and a new photo of the label matches the proforma invoice.
Teaching example only — not Polygee test data, not a product claim, not an acceptance threshold.
Three ways to run the check: at the factory, on a live video, or through your inspector
A visit to the factory can cover all twelve rows; a live video covers what the camera is shown; an inspector you appoint covers what your instructions list. The choice is about who can be there, not about which method is stricter.
The factory side is published. On-site tours and live video walkthroughs of the production lines and the testing area are both available, booked through the form on our supplier profile. Photographs of client inspection visits and the testing area are in our factory gallery. A check of your own units is a separate request. Ask for it when you confirm the order and have it written on the proforma invoice.
IF you cannot travel, THEN a live video of rows 1–8 and 11, with PDFs of the documents for rows 9, 10 and 12, is the remote way through the list. An inspector covers them in person when they are in its written instructions.
| Method | What it covers | What it does not cover | How to arrange it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visit to the factory | All twelve rows, with the documents beside the units | Running performance; nothing on the list needs the unit switched on | Book a tour through the form on the supplier profile; give the dates against the end of production |
| Live video | Labels, stage order, cells in place, consumables and the packed count: rows 1–8 and 11 | Anything the camera is not pointed at. Rows 9, 10 and 12 are documents, better checked as PDFs | Ask for it when you confirm the order, have it written on the proforma invoice, and send the twelve rows in advance |
| An inspector you appoint | The rows listed in its instructions, reported to you in writing | Rows left out of its instructions | It works under your contract with it. Give it the proforma invoice, the datasheet and the twelve rows |
The inspector’s fee and scope are outside this table; you agree both with the inspector.
During a video check, ask to be shown the labels, the cells in place and the packed count.
Does a sampling plan apply?
Only on a larger order of one model; with one unit, or a few, check every unit. ISO 2859-1 sets sampling schemes indexed by acceptance quality limit (AQL) for lot-by-lot inspection. It is written for lots of many identical items. If an inspector proposes it, the AQL is your choice, written into the instructions.
The shipping document set, and which Incoterm makes it whose job
Expect a commercial invoice, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, and certificate copies that apply to the shipped models; under CIF, add the insurance document. A certificate of origin confirms the nationality of the goods and is mostly required for customs clearance. The ICC describes two kinds, non-preferential and preferential. Ask your customs broker whether you need one, and which kind, before shipment. Which form exists for your destination, and whether it touches the duty on an ESP line, is on our electrostatic precipitator certificate of origin page.
IF a listed document is missing from the set, THEN ask for it before the balance, BECAUSE customs and the site work from the set.
| Document | What it shows | Check it against |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Seller, buyer, models, quantity, value and the Incoterm | The proforma invoice, line by line |
| Packing list | Each package, its contents and its gross weight | The units and the count; row 11 |
| Bill of lading (sea) or air waybill (air) | The carrier’s receipt for the goods, with the ports of loading and discharge | The Incoterm and the port on the proforma invoice |
| Insurance document, under CIF | The cover the seller took out for the transit | The level of cover agreed on the proforma invoice |
| Certificate copies | CE, RoHS and ISO copies for customs clearance, plus the UL listing for the three listed models | The model list in each; row 9 |
| Certificate of origin, where needed | The nationality of the goods | What your broker says customs needs |
| Installation and commissioning manual | The electrical wiring diagrams and the commissioning checklist | Row 10; it goes to the electrician before the shipment arrives |
| Third-party test reports, on request | The model tested, the airflow and the report number | The shipped models, read as set out on the test report page |
What your country requires at import is a question for your customs broker, not for this list. Which tariff line the goods go under, and what to send the broker so it can classify them, is set out in our electrostatic precipitator HS code guide.
Two of those documents have a narrower scope than their titles. The ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 copies are company management-system certificates. They do not name a model and do not certify a unit. And if the units travel in packaging made of raw wood, ISPM 15 applies to that wood, dunnage included; processed wood such as plywood is outside it. Ask for the packing type to be written on the proforma invoice.
Which Incoterm makes it whose job
The rule on the proforma invoice decides where the risk passes and who insures the transit. IF you buy FOB or CIF, THEN the risk is yours from loading at Shanghai; IF you buy EXW, THEN it is yours from collection at the factory gate. On our terms the balance falls before either point, so the twelve checks still finish before you pay.
| Rule | Delivery and risk pass to you | Insurance for the transit | The goods are at your risk from |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW, factory gate | When the goods are placed at your disposal at the named place, not loaded | Not required by the rule; the risk is yours, so cover is your choice | Collection at the factory gate |
| FOB Shanghai Port | Once the goods are on board the vessel your side nominated, at the named port of shipment | Not required by the rule; the risk is yours, so cover is your choice | Loading on board at Shanghai Port |
| CIF, your port | Once the goods are on board at the port of shipment, not on arrival | Arranged by the seller. Institute Cargo Clauses (C) is the default cover unless a higher level is agreed | Loading on board at Shanghai Port |
Incoterms set delivery, risk and costs. They do not set payment. On our orders, payment is the deposit and the balance before shipment.
Three points follow from the rules. CIF and FOB are sea terms; when the units go by air, agree a rule written for any mode of transport. Under Incoterms 2020, CIP calls for cover to Institute Cargo Clauses (A), a higher level than CIF. EXW leaves export clearance with the buyer; ask your forwarder who handles it before choosing EXW.
When the shipment arrives: what to record, and what to do if something is wrong
Count and photograph before you unpack, note any damage on the carrier’s delivery receipt before signing, then check the labels and consumables against the packing list. Do not connect or switch on the unit to check it on arrival. Connection follows the installation manual and the wiring diagrams, and is done by the electrician.
ESP Arrival Record: one row for each thing to record at delivery. IF a row fails, THEN record it before signing or the same day, BECAUSE what is not written on the receipt or photographed is hard to prove later.
| At arrival | Record | If it is wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Package count | The number of packages against the packing list | Note the shortfall on the carrier’s delivery receipt before signing |
| Outer condition | Photos of every package before it is opened. Unload and move the packages with equipment suited to the gross weight on the packing list | Note the damage on the receipt; the photos go to whoever carries the transit risk |
| Shipping marks | The marks against the packing list | Photograph them and tell us the same day |
| Unit labels | The model and supply configuration on each label against the proforma invoice: rows 1–3 | Send a photo of the label with the invoice line |
| Stages and cells | Stage order and cells in place, as checked before shipment: rows 4–6 | Send photos; do not open the power supply enclosure |
| Consumables and spares | The count against the packing list: row 7 | Record a short count now; consumables are outside the warranty |
| Document set | Every document in the table above, against the proforma invoice | Ask for any missing copy; PDFs are emailed within one business day on request |
| Receipt | The date, who received the goods, and the carrier’s receipt with any exceptions written on it | Keep the receipt with the photos in the project file |
Commissioning comes later: it follows the checklist in the manual, after installation.
Transit damage and the warranty are separate routes. Damage in transit follows the risk under the Incoterm and the insurance; under CIF, the claim runs through the policy named on the insurance certificate. The insurer’s notice period is on that policy, so read it on the day the shipment arrives.
The warranty is 1 year on the complete unit, including the ESP cell and the SPP power supply. UV lamps and activated carbon media are consumables and not covered. On-site labor is not included, and paid visits are available. If a part is short or wrong against the packing list, send the photos with the invoice line and ask in writing how it will be made good.
Remote support runs by video call and the illustrated manual, Monday to Friday, 8:00–17:00 (GMT+8). Positioning, clearances and the order of the stages on site are set out on our ecology unit installation page.
Scope and limits
The pre-shipment check clears only the first of three layers, and each layer clears on its own.
- Layer one, the units and the documents: the twelve rows before shipment, the document set and the arrival record. This layer does not prove collection efficiency. Ask for the test report and read it against the shipped models.
- Layer two, the site: installation, ductwork, supports, access and the electrical connection. This page does not cover it. Send the manual and the wiring diagrams to the electrician before the shipment arrives.
- Layer three, operation: commissioning, delivered airflow and cleaning decide the result at the discharge. Record commissioning against the checklist in the manual, with the twelve entries on our electrostatic precipitator commissioning page; the cleaning side is on our electrostatic precipitator cleaning page.
Passing one layer does not clear the next. This page covers layer one only.
- No packing type is stated. Ask for it to be written on the proforma invoice.
- No transit time is stated. Ask for it with the proforma invoice.
- No claim deadline is given. It is on the insurance policy, not on this page.
- No inspector fee or AQL value is given. Both are agreed between you and the inspector.
- The content of the factory’s own inspection is not described here. Ask what it records for your units; that is row 12.
- No market approval is judged. Your customs broker and your reviewer say what your market requires; we tell you which documents we hold for the shipped models.
- Certificates cover the models they name. Check every model number on the commercial invoice against the certificate, ours included.
Buyer record and key takeaways
Five lines go into the project file with the proforma invoice.
- Before paying the balance: the twelve rows checked against the signed proforma invoice, with the photos filed.
- Ask the factory for: the record of its own inspection of your units, the certificate copies that name your models, and the manual with the wiring diagrams.
- Hold the balance when: rows 1–6, 8 or 9 do not match.
- On arrival: the ESP Arrival Record, with the carrier’s receipt and any exceptions written on it.
- Run the twelve rows again when: the proforma invoice is amended after signing, whether the model, the quantity, the supply or the stage list changes.
Key takeaways
- Timing: the check that protects you comes before the balance, not on arrival, because the balance is paid before shipment.
- Baseline: The 12-Point ESP Pre-Shipment Checklist is held against the signed proforma invoice, not against the factory’s word that the units were inspected.
- Supply: the label’s voltage, frequency and phase against the supply on the proforma invoice is the first row to check.
- Certificates: a copy covers the models it names, not the range it belongs to.
- Arrival: transit damage goes to the insurance under the Incoterm, not to the warranty.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I inspect the units before paying the balance?
- You can ask for it. The balance is paid before shipment, so the check fits between the end of production and the payment. On-site tours and live video walkthroughs of the factory are both available. To see your own units, ask for it when you confirm the order. An inspector you appoint can also check them against your instructions.
- Can you do a video inspection of my order?
- A video check of your own units can be requested: ask for it when you confirm the order and have it written on the proforma invoice. Live video walkthroughs of the production lines and the testing area are available. Send the twelve rows in advance, so the camera is pointed at the labels, the stages, the cells and the packed count.
- What documents come with an ESP shipment?
- A commercial invoice, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, and the certificate copies that apply to the shipped models; under CIF, the insurance document as well. Those are the CE and RoHS copies whose model lists include your models, the ISO management-system copies, and the UL listing when one of the three listed models is shipped. Ask your customs broker whether you need a certificate of origin, and which kind, before shipment.
- Who pays for a third-party inspection?
- The party that appoints the inspector contracts with it and agrees its fee. When you appoint it, it works for you and reports to you. Give it the proforma invoice, the datasheet and the twelve rows as its instructions. The fee is set in that contract.
- What if a unit arrives damaged?
- Photograph it before unpacking further, note the damage on the carrier’s delivery receipt before signing, and send us the photos the same day. Transit damage follows the Incoterm and the insurance; under CIF, the claim runs through the policy on the insurance certificate. The 1-year warranty is a separate route from transit damage. Do not connect or switch on a damaged unit.
Ready to run the twelve checks?
Releasing the balance on an electrostatic precipitator or ecology unit order? Send us the proforma invoice number, the destination port and how you will run the check: on site, on a live video or through your inspector. You get back the certificate copies that apply to the models on it and the installation manual: rows 9 and 10 of The 12-Point ESP Pre-Shipment Checklist. You also get a reply on the visit or video you ask for.
Still choosing a supplier? Start from the ten inputs on our electrostatic precipitator quotation page: the proforma invoice you get back is the baseline for these twelve rows.
Send the proforma invoice number →
Why we write this. We sit at the point where an order becomes a shipment. This page answers the questions a buyer has there: whether the units can be seen before payment, whether a video check is possible, and which documents travel with the goods. It also sets out the record to keep when the shipment arrives. This guide does not size or configure equipment; sizing and quotation live on the product pages.
Scarlett handles orders at Polygee from the proforma invoice to the shipping documents, along with export inquiries, dealer relationships and commercial terms. Polygee, founded in 2004, manufactures the in-duct electrostatic precipitators, ESP hoods and ecology units described here and has exported to 50 countries. The terms stated here are our published terms; they are not a contract, an inspection report, a conformity certificate or an approval.
References & further reading
- Incoterms 2020, International Chamber of Commerce: the eleven three-letter trade terms. The default cover is Institute Cargo Clauses (C) under CIF and (A) under CIP. iccwbo.org (Incoterms 2020); iccwbo.org (Incoterms rules). The EXW, FOB and CIF risk points are set in the A2/A3 articles of each rule.
- Certificates of origin, International Chamber of Commerce: what a certificate of origin confirms, and the non-preferential and preferential kinds. iccwbo.org (certificates of origin)
- ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade, International Plant Protection Convention. ippc.int (ISPM 15)
- ISO 2859-1, Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes, Part 1: sampling schemes indexed by acceptance quality limit (AQL) for lot-by-lot inspection, International Organization for Standardization.
- UL 867, Standard for Electrostatic Air Cleaners: UL Solutions note on the revised standard. The listing under File E522667 for the LK and SE 6K, 12K and 18K models is checked on UL Product iQ. ul.com (UL 867)
Related reading
- Electrostatic precipitator quotation — the ten inputs to send, and what the proforma invoice you check against should state.
- Electrostatic precipitator test report — how to read the third-party report sent on request, field by field.
- Commercial kitchen ESP buying guide — the six documents to verify before a supplier goes on the short list.
- Ecology unit installation — what happens after the arrival record is signed: positioning, clearances and the stage order on site.