New Australian Standard -  AS/NZS 3001.2:2022 

In November 2023 new standards are being introduced that will affect how and where Lithium Batteries are installed plus what batteries can be installed in a inhabitable recreational vehicles i.e. Caravans, Motorhomes, Campervan's, Camper Trailers....

The new standard is: AS/NZS 3001.2:2022 which you can read in full here.

Over the coming weeks we are going to explain the standards to you - this week we are starting with Section 

An important point to note in the standard is “All lithium Ion batteries shall comply with IEC62619”.

A “battery” is made up of both the battery management safety system and the battery cells.

There are numerous manufactures that only have certification on the cells. At the time of writing only Invicta Lithium Batteries have certification on both the cells and the entire batteries. 

So what is AS IEC 62619?

In part 1 of the series Josh chat's to Shaun from Invicta Lithium Batteries about AS IEC Certification 62619 (you can watch the video in full below) 

What is AS IEC 62619 Certification?

AS IEC 62619 Certification is a globally recognized standard for lithium batteries, developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).  IEC 62619 specifies requirements and tests for the safe operation of secondary lithium cells and batteries used in industrial applications, including stationary applications. 

This certification assures consumers that the battery they are purchasing has undergone rigorous testing and meets all the necessary requirements for safe operation. 

Plus it tests the safety of a battery in a failure scenario which may include

• The battery being submerged in water,
• A hole being drilled in a battery
• The battery being dropped from heights
• The battery being crushed
• Shaking the battery (similar to being on corrugated roads) 
• Short Circuit the battery
• Over & Under Charge the battery
• Plus lots lots more.... 

So if a battery with AS IEC 62619 Certification fails - it should fail safely. 

AS IEC 62619 Certification on the entire Battery vs the single Cell.

 Manufactures can get the AS IEC 62619 certification on 2 things

1. The single Lithium ion cell or
2. The entire Battery

A cell is a single encased electrochemical unit. A Battery means two or more cells which are electrically connected together and fitted with devices necessary for use. 

Having certification on the entire battery means the cells in conjunction with the battery which includes things like Busbar, Battery Management System and Wiring has been tested for safety and quality.

How Do I Tell If My Battery Is IEC 62619 Certified?

To tell if your batteries are AS IEC 62619 certified there is one simply question you can ask the manufacturer. Do you have a certificate?

The only way to really know if the battery (or cells for that matter) are compliant is to ensure they have been tested to the standard and passed. A test certificate proves this is the case. If the manufacturer supplier cannot produce a test certificate then chances are their batteries, nor cells, are compliant to IEC62619.