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Should the Lithium Batteries in Your AWP Equipment Have UL Certification?
Lithium-ion batteries have become a popular choice due to their maintenance-free design, shorter charging times and ability to provide consistent power across thousands of cycles. Some come with Underwriters Laboratory( UL) certification, while others“ conform” to UL certification standards. So why and what are the differences? It’ s essential to distinguish between the two. The wording has caused confusion among consumers, rental fleet managers and companies that own battery-powered aerial work platforms( AWPs).
Why It’ s Important Deep-cycle lithium-ion batteries contain sophisticated electrical components, including their lithium cells, a battery management system( BMS), sensors, wiring, enclosures and cell support structures. With all these components packed into a single case, battery manufacturers must ensure that the entire pack meets safety standards and is protected against vibration, dust and moisture.
Underwriters Laboratory is a global organization that tests and certifies products for safety. UL developed a standard known as UL 2271, which is the pinnacle of safety standards for these types of batteries. It sets requirements for the design, construction and testing of batteries used in light electric vehicles( EVs), such as AWPs and forklifts. The certification process for UL 2271 involves a variety of procedures to see how well batteries perform against various forms of abuse, including overcharging, impacts, short-circuiting and overheating. Receiving the UL 2271 certification ensures the battery in your equipment has adequate measures in place to prevent fire or explosion when exposed to these adverse conditions.
The Key Differences
Conforming to UL Standards: A broad term meaning a product is designed and built according to the specifications laid out in a UL standard but has not undergone the rigorous testing completed by UL to confirm it meets those standards.
UL Certified: This designation indicates that UL has tested the product in accordance with relevant standards and confirmed that it meets these standards. Meeting these standards allows the manufacturer to display the UL mark on the product.
Obtaining UL certification for products comes with a high cost and stringent requirements, so it is understandable why many battery manufacturers choose not to undergo UL 2271 certification and instead list UL conformity in their literature. Without actual UL 2271 certification, however, it is challenging to determine the actual safety of the battery for use in AWPs. The choice depends on their trust in the battery manufacturer’ s products and overall reliability.
U. S. Battery Manufacturing is one battery manufacturer that has high standards for its products. The company’ s Essential Li deep-cycle 24V and 48V batteries for AWP applications have undergone various safety testing procedures to achieve a UL 2271 Certification. The company goes even further to test the batteries in other areas to include the following certifications:
UN 38.3: Certification by the U. S. Department of Transportation to be safe for transport in the U. S. and globally.
UL 2580: Certification by UL for quality and safety of lithium-ion battery( or cell) used in EVs. Proves the battery has passed testing through various damaging scenarios for electrical, mechanical, thermal and environmental safety. Additionally, the manufacturer-specified charge and discharge temperatures fall within the specified parameters.
IP67 Rated: A protection rating by the International Electrotechnical Commission’ s( IEC) testing that ensures construction, preventing outside particles and moisture damage.
To ensure customers that deep-cycle battery products are safe and reliable, manufacturers such as U. S. Battery subject their products to various tests and certification processes, proving they meet the highest safety and durability standards in the industry. For more information on U. S Battery Manufacturing’ s line of deep-cycle battery products, visit www. usbattery. com.
U. S. Battery Manufacturing 1675 Sampson Avenue, Corona, CA 92879 /( 800) 695-0945 / www. usbattery. com
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