UL 1973：2022 major modifications
UL 1973：2022 major modifications,
UL 1973：2022,
▍What is cTUVus & ETL CERTIFICATION?
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), affiliated to US DOL (Department of Labor), demands that all products to be used in workplace must be tested and certificated by NRTL before being sold in market. Applicable testing standards include American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards; American Society for Testing Material (ASTM) standards, Underwriter Laboratory (UL) standards, and factory mutual-recognition organization standards.
▍OSHA, NRTL, cTUVus, ETL and UL terms definition and relationship
OSHA: Abbreviation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It is an affiliation of US DOL (Department of Labor).
NRTL： Abbreviation of Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. It is in charge of lab accreditation. Up to now, there are 18 third-party testing institutions approved by NRTL, including TUV, ITS, MET and so forth.
cTUVus： Certification mark of TUVRh in North America.
ETL： Abbreviation of American Electrical Testing Laboratory. It was established in 1896 by Albert Einstein, the American inventor.
UL： Abbreviation of Underwriter Laboratories Inc.
▍Difference between cTUVus, ETL & UL
| Item | UL | cTUVus | ETL |
| Applied standard |
Same |
||
| Institution qualified for certificate receipt |
NRTL (Nationally approved laboratory) |
||
| Applied market |
North America (US and Canada) |
||
| Testing and certification institution | Underwriter Laboratory (China) Inc performs testing and issue project conclusion letter | MCM performs testing and TUV issues certificate | MCM performs testing and TUV issues certificate |
| Lead time | 5-12W | 2-3W | 2-3W |
| Application cost | Highest in peer | About 50~60% of UL cost | About 60~70% of UL cost |
| Advantage | An American local institution with good recognition in US and Canada | An International institution owns authority and offers reasonable price, also be recognized by North America | An American institution with good recognition in North America |
| Disadvantage |
|
Less brand recognition than that of UL | Less recognition than that of UL in certification of product component |
▍Why MCM?
● Soft Support from qualification and technology: As the witness testing lab of TUVRH and ITS in North American Certification, MCM is able to perform all types of testing and provide better service by exchanging technology face to face.
● Hard support from technology: MCM is equipped with all testing equipment for batteries of big-sized, small-sized and precision projects (i.e. electric mobile car, storage energy, and electronic digital products), able to provide overall battery testing and certification services in North America, covering standards UL2580, UL1973, UL2271, UL1642, UL2054 and so forth.
UL 1973：2022 was published on 25th February. This version is based on two suggestion draft issued in May and October of 2021. The modified standard expands its range, including vehicle assistant energy system (e.g. illumination and communication).
Append 7.7 Transformer: transformer for battery system shall be certificated under UL 1562 and UL 1310 or relevant standards. Low voltage can be certificated under 26.6.
Update 7.9: Protective Circuits and Control: battery system shall provide switch or breaker, the minimum of which is required to be 60V instead of 50V. Extra requirement for instruction for overcurrent fuse.
Update 7.12 Cells (batteries and electrochemical capacitor): For rechargeable Li-ion cells, test under annex E is required, without considering UL 1642. Cells are required also to be analyzed if meet demand of safe design, like material and position of insulator, the coverage of anode and cathode, etc.
Append 16 High Rate Charge: Evaluate charging protection of battery system with over maximum charging current. Need to test in 120% of maximum charging rate.
Append 17 Short Circuit Test: Conduct short circuit test for battery modules that need filed installation or change.
