About the IEC62133 Standard

IEC62133 is the most important standard for exporting lithium polymer battery, including those used in IT Equipment, tools, laboratory, household and medical equipment.

In December 2012, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) officially released the IEC62133 second edition IEC62133:2012 (2nd Edition), an international safety standard for battery products. This standard is mainly for the safety requirements of single cell batteries and battery packs and portable sealed single cell batteries and battery packs containing alkaline or non-acid electrolytes (including lithium polymer batteries, lithium ion(Li-Ion) cells, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, etc.).

The  second edition will have some very significant changes related to Lithium Polymer Batteries.

Part I: Cells

The second edition of IEC62133 have the most impact on lithium ion cell manufacturers and dealers, it also important for company who use the lithium ion cell. The changes related to lithium polymer cells fall into three categories:

•  Cancel redundant tests with other standards

•  Modify existing tests

•  Completely new requirements

1.Cancel redundant tests with other standards

The main focus is to delete the items covered by the United Nations Manual Of Tests and Criteria(UN38.3). The tests deleted are:

Vibration

Mechanical Shock

Low Pressure(Altitude Simulation)

Cell Protection Against High Rate Charging(not a UN38.3 test)

2.Modify existing tests

The most important of these changes is related to how the sample is prepared for testing. In the first edition of the standard, samples were charged at room temperature (20°C ±5°C) according to the manufacturer’s recommended charging method. The second edition includes two charging processes: one at room temperature, and one new program at high and low specified operating temperature ranges (10°C and 45°C if not stated). The new charging method also requires charging at the maximum rated charge current of the product. This process only requires samples at the cell level for short circuits, thermal abuse, crushing, and forced internal short tests.

In the constant voltage test, a continuous low-rate charge test was corrected to a constant charge. This modified test requires the battery to be charged for 7 days at the manufacturer’s recommended charge current and voltage limits.

Modifications to the crush test included clarification of the test, indicating that the crushing only needs to be done along the broadside of the cell. In addition, termination criteria for 10% deformation of cells were also added.

A more important change is to divide the short circuit into separate parts of the battery and the battery. The second version of the cell was modified to contain only one test temperature and provide a more stringent range of circuit resistances.

3.Completely new requirements

The most significant change in the second edition is the addition of a new test——Forced Internal Short Circuit test. The test procedure very explicitly describes a method that requires the test facility to fully charge a Li-Ion cell, then open it and remove the jellyroll. Once the cell is removed from the can, a small Nickel particle of a specific shape and size is to be place in a very specific location of the cell jellyroll. Following the placement of the particle, the affected jellyroll is to be crushed.

Pate II: Batteries

For lithium polymer battery manufacturers, the IEC62133 edition2 proposal will have less impact on lithium polymer battery manufacturers than battery suppliers. Lithium polymer  battery manufacturers’ testing and demand will actually be reduced. The changes related to lithium polymer batteries fall into three categories:

•  Revised Charging Procedure

•   Reduced Sample Requirement

•   New testing

1.Revised Charging Procedure

Similar to the cell level charging process changes, the lithium polymer battery level will have a modified charging process, but this will only affect the battery level of a test. This change comes from Japan’s lithium-ion battery and battery test requirements, and it state that samples used for short-circuit testing must be charged in an environment which is equal to the ambient temperature upper and lower: assumes 45°C and 10°C if not provided by the manufacturer. All other tested units on the battery level were charged at room temperature (20°C).

2. Reduced Sample Requirement

The subcommittee’s test requirements for lithium polymer batteries are more comprehensive than ever. Therefore, the amount of test required by IEC 62133 at the battery level has dropped significantly. The testing that has been completely removed as a result of this review is:

•  Vibration

•  Temperature Cycling

•  Mechanical Shock

The result is that the change reduces the required number of samples for testing from 31 for First Edition testing to 21 for Second Edition testing.

3.New Test

A new test has also been added to the battery level, designed to simulate the battery charging time longer than the manufacturer’s use of a higher charging rate. This test is performed on a fully discharged five battery packs, and the charge the batteries with a current of two times the rated current, and an upper voltage limit that is set to the maximum voltage available from the charger to the battery. If you do not know the charger’s maximum voltage, 5 volt per cell (or cell string) will be used. The current is maintained until the maximum charge voltage is reached and the temperature is monitored during the test. The termination of the test is defined as the temperature is stable, the highest voltage is reached, with acceptance criteria of no fire and no explosion.

LP403035 420mAh IEC62133 Test report

General product information

This battery is constructed with one pouch cell, and has over-discharge, over current and short-circuits proof circuits.

The main features of the cell in the battery pack as shown as below:

Tests Performed(name of test and test clause):

Tests are made with number of samples specified in Table 2 of IEC62133:2012(2nd Edition).

Test items:

Type test conditions

Charging procedures for test purpose

Continuous charging at constant voltage(cells)

Moulded case stress at high ambient temperature(battery)

External short circuit(cell)

External short circuit(battery)

Free fall

Thermal abuse(cells)

Crush(cells)

Over-charging of battery

Forced discharge(cells)

Transport tests

Test conclusion:

Lithium Polymer Battery submitted by LiPol Battery Co.,Ltd are tested according to IEC62133-2: 2017 Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes Safety requirements for portable sealed seconds cells. and for batteries made from them, for use in portable applications.