Electrical – Question about ETL and UL Certifications for battery powered tools

cecertificationlithium iontesting

A friend is considering importing a 15 volt Lithium-Ion Battery (2600mAh) operated tool from China to sell to consumers in the USA.

The battery charger that comes with the sprayer has a stamp that says that it is certified and it plugs into the wall socket. (see attached image below)

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But the battery itself does not have any certification stamps, or any markings on it at all.

So what I am trying to find out is do they need to get the battery, or the tool itself certified by UL or some other safety certification before it can be legally sold in the USA, or is the charger the only component that is required to be tested and certified?

If the answer is yes, what kind of testing and certification is required to import it from China and to sell it here in the USA?

Best Answer

Due diligence with appropriate certification test reports are necessary for hazardous goods like LiPo packs with all the UN 38.3 test requirements set forth by United Nations.

read http://www.batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/building_a_lithium_ion_pack

Even if shipped by sea, there are risks to damage and supplier packaging test reports must include 1.2m drop tests on all sides and corners. (which may not be enough for some shippers.!)

more details https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/173.185

Also get the UL test report for http://industries.ul.com/consumer-technology/batteries.

I would demand an ongoing Quality reliability verification program with measurable performance and safety parameters and consider large 3rd party liability insurance costs.

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