Lithium Battery IEC 62133-2:2017 Certification Guide

Today, with the rapid iteration of portable electronic products, the safety performance of lithium-ion batteries has become a core issue globally. As the premier international standard for the safety requirements of portable sealed lithium-ion batteries, iec 62133-2:2017 is the foundation for enterprises to obtain a cb certificate and subsequently secure multi-market certifications such as KC and CE.

Detailed Explanation of the iec 62133-2:2017 Standard

Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes — Safety requirements for secondary lithium cells and batteries for use in portable applications Part 2: Lithium systems

Scope of Application:

• Small lithium cells and lithium battery packs used in portable electronic devices.

• Consumer lithium batteries: Mobile phone batteries, laptop batteries, drone battery packs, earphone batteries, etc.

• Not Applicable: Industrial application batteries (IEC 62619:2022 applies to such products).

Standard Comparison Table

The Relationship Between the IECEE CB Scheme and IEC 62133-2:2017

The CB Scheme operated by IECEE (IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components) is currently one of the international certification systems for electrotechnical products covering the largest number of countries. By obtaining a CB certificate through IEC 62133-2:2017, enterprises can leverage the IECEE CB Scheme to convert it into local certifications across multiple member countries, substantially reducing the cost of repeating full tests when initially exporting to a new market.

Examples of CB Certificate Conversion

• CB → KC (South Korea): Only requires supplementing the KC national difference testing items.

• CB → NOM (Mexico): Direct application of test data.

Nearly Ten Core Testing Items of IEC 62133-2:2017

The standard divides lithium battery testing into two main categories: Cell Testing and Battery Pack Testing. The main items are as follows:

Cell Testing:

• Continuous low-rate overcharging: Verifies the internal short-circuit protection function.

• Forced discharge: Simulates an over-discharge scenario; the sample is connected to an external charging power supply for forced reverse discharge.

• External short circuit: Short circuit under a fully charged state, with an internal resistance of less than 0.1Ω, to detect surface temperature.

• External short circuit in uncharged state: Simulates safety performance under low battery levels.

• Charge and discharge test: Detects capacity retention rate, verifying internal degradation and internal resistance growth.

Battery Pack Testing:

• Continuous charging: Simulates an overcharging scenario to verify the reliability of the battery pack's protection components.

• Vibration test: Conducted according to IEC 60068-2-64 to simulate transport vibration profiles.

• Mechanical shock: Conducted according to IEC 60068-2-27 to verify mechanical stacking and handling withstand capabilities.

• Ambient temperature storage: High-temperature storage (70°C) to test sealing and safety.

• Abnormal charging: Applied to battery packs with protection to verify the overall protection reliability of the battery pack.

cb certification Application Process

• Step 1: Select a Certification Body — Choose an IECEE member testing laboratory (such as SGS, TUV, DEKRA, Intertek, etc.) and submit application materials: product specifications, circuit diagrams, and BOM (Bill of Materials) list.

• Step 2: Submit Samples for Testing — Provide sufficient cell samples (20-40 pieces) and battery pack samples (10-20 sets). The laboratory will complete the testing item by item according to IEC 62133-2:2017.

• Step 3: Safety Evaluation and Verification — The laboratory will evaluate the core safety components (Protection IC, MOS tube, PTC components) to confirm the protection circuit meets the requirements.

• Step 4: Issue Test Report — The laboratory issues a test report compliant with IEC 62133-2:2017, demonstrating the passing status of all items.

• Step 5: Issue CB Certificate — The IECEE member testing laboratory issues the CB Certificate based on the test report, including two certificate forms: one for the cell and one for the battery pack.

• Step 6: Convert Certificate to Enter Target Markets — Rely on the CB certificate to convert to KC/CE/PSE and other market certifications, drastically shortening the repetitive testing cycle.

Certification Cycle

The standard cycle is 4-8 weeks (excluding sample preparation time). The CB certificate provides access to 40+ markets, making it a highly cost-effective entry method for lithium battery export enterprises expanding into multiple markets.

Common Causes of Test Failures and Countermeasures

1. Protection Circuit Failure

• Cause: The specifications of the protection IC or MOS tube do not match.

• Countermeasure: Conduct a simulated evaluation of the protection circuit in advance to ensure that the cutoff current limit of the protection IC is not less than the maximum discharge peak current of the battery.

2. Excessive Internal Resistance

• Cause: Caused by high cell internal resistance, poor connector resistance, or excessive internal resistance of the negative tab.

• Countermeasure: Assess and qualify cell manufacturers, optimize the series-parallel design of the cells, and monitor internal resistance limits.

3. Excessive Temperature during External Short Circuit

• Cause: The response time for short-circuit protection is too long.

• Countermeasure: Increase the short-circuit protection threshold or add a PTC protection layer.

4. Continuous Charging Failure

• Cause: The charging voltage threshold setting is too high.

• Countermeasure: Recalculate the charging cut-off voltage threshold based on the cell manufacturer's data; it should be strictly less than 105% of the cell's rated voltage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between IEC 62133-2 and IEC 62133-1?

A: IEC 62133-2:2017 targets lithium-system batteries (i.e., lithium-ion batteries), while IEC 62133-1:2017 targets nickel-system batteries (NiMH, NiCd, etc.). Currently, mainstream lithium-ion batteries on the market all fall under IEC 62133-2:2017.

How long is the validity period of a CB certificate?

A: The CB certificate itself has no fixed validity period. However, when the IEC standard is updated, product design changes, or core components are replaced, a re-evaluation is required. It is recommended to proactively review it every 3-5 years.

Do the cells within a battery pack need to apply for a separate CB certificate?

A: If the end-product manufacturer hopes to procure batteries with CB certificates to simplify the end-product certification, then yes. Of course, in actual practice, many enterprises will bundle the battery and the end-product to apply for a CB certificate together, which is more responsive to the requirements of different importers.

Q4: Can one CB certificate cover multiple battery models?

A: No, each battery model corresponds to an independent CB certificate. However, for battery models in a series with consistent materials and only dimensional differences, some laboratories support application by family series, including the derived models along with the main model in a common certificate.

How to choose between IEC 62133-2:2017 and IEC 62619:2022?

A: The two sets of standards apply to different scenarios:

• IEC 62133-2:2017 is for lithium batteries paired with portable consumer electronic products.

• IEC 62619:2022 is for products with larger energy capacities and more professional application scenarios, such as industrial applications, energy storage systems, and portable power stations.
  It is recommended that enterprises choose the appropriate standard based on the usage scenarios of their downstream customers.