We're moving to China this week as we talk about requirements for international compliance.
China
China is a very confusing area for certification still. Compliance with the standard is “Mandatory” but enforcement is only at the end device evaluation level as batteries are not currently on the mandatory list of products for CCC. What will typically happen in this case is when the end device is evaluated for CCC compliance, the report and testing to the GB standard will be required. There are 2 options for compliance here, generate an entrusted test report, which will not require any mark or factory inspections, but will need to be undertaken annually. The other option is to obtain a voluntary CQC certification, which will require annual and initial factory inspections but will have no expiration date. The cost ends up being similar since the annual testing and the annual inspections cost about the same amount.
Mandatory:
- Two compliance options
- China Entrusted Test Report GB 31241-2014 (Mandatory standard as of August 15, 2015)
- Voluntary CQC certification (Type testing + initial factory inspection + follow-up services)There are two options for compliance
- Enforcement Li-ion batteries not on CCC mandatory product list
Mark required:
Things to be aware of:
- New shipping regulations – very difficult to ship to into China
- FedEx and UPS will not ship fully regulated DG into mainland China
- All FedEx and UPS shipments of batteries alone are fully regulated
- Specific marking requirements
- Product name and model
- Rated capacity, limited charge voltage
- Positive electrode and negative electrode, represented by “Positive, Negative”, “+,-”
- Manufacturer or brand
- Warnings – can be on smallest unit box
- Everything must match exactly
- Standard is totally different from any other standard globally
- New factory = new submittal
- Capacity verification will be done prior to starting testing
Li-Ion battery requirements for different countries can be quite confusing. Every country has specific requirements that make them unique and these differences can lead to delays and potential changes in design if not fully understood.
At Energy Assurance, we take pride in the level of expertise we have in this field and are happy to share news of our ever-changing environment. If you have any questions or want to learn more, please reach out to us for a consultation.
