SGS ready to provide testing and/or certification services in accordance with ANSI/CAN/UL-2743 (2nd Ed) for the North American Market

SGS ready to provide testing and/or certification services in accordance with ANSI/CAN/UL-2743 (2nd Ed) for the North American Market

UL 2743, the new safety standard for portable power packs set out stringent technical requirements to ensure risks are minimized and products are safe to use.

GENEVA, 28-Nov-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — With lead-acid or lithium battery energy storage technology portable power packs are becoming more popular with consumers, thanks to their convenience for outdoor use. Typical products include not only portable energy storage, but also features like automotive jump-starters, tankless air compressors and lighting.

Differing from power banks, which provide only DC USB output for mobile devices, portable power packs provide more options. This includes, amongst others:

• USB output for mobiles
• 15V or 19V DC output for notebook computers
• 12V or 24V vehicle adapter sockets
• Standardized AC socket-outlets/receptacles
• Wireless charging modules
• LED lights
• Jump-starters (booster function) for starting dead automotive batteries
• Air compressors for tires

The fast growth of this market also brings new questions for customers and safety regulators. Incidents involving fires and battery explosions have been identified in the market and there is growing demand to regulate safety requirements and minimize these risks. In the USA and Canada, after several revisions, UL 2743 (2nd Edition) was formally adopted in July 2018 by ANSI and SCC to be the bi-national standard for both countries.

The new standard, UL 2743 (2nd Edition), sets out stringent technical requirements which include:

1. Safety components approved to both ANSI/UL and CAN standards
2. Lithium battery approval per UL1642 or UL 62133/CSA C22.2 E62133
3. AC receptacle (if provided) approval per UL 498/CSA C22.2 No. 42, rated max. 125V/20A, and be of double blade/ungrounded configuration
4. Battery circuit shall be equipped with redundant over-charging and imbalanced charging protection
5. Necessary insulation design for DC/AC circuit
6. Stringent outdoor use requirements, such as UV and rain protection
7. Stringent requirements for jump-starter cables, including length requirements and performance in low ambient temperatures, etc.
8. Air compressors and additional charging functions for vehicle engine batteries should additionally be evaluated to UL1450 and/or UL1236
9. In Canada, safety warnings shall be written in both English and French
10. The standard also incorporates standard requirements for safety and user instructions

As the global leader in the TIC industry, SGS is ready to provide testing and/or certification services in accordance with ANSI/CAN/UL-2743 (2nd Ed) and assist manufacturers in gaining access to the North American Market. Upon successful completion of testing and approval, portable power packs can be labeled with the SGSus, cSGS or cSGSus certification mark as evidence of the product’s safety for the USA and/or Canadian markets, greatly promoting their sale and acceptability in the North American market.

NEXT STEP:

Publication of the 2nd Edition of ANSI/CAN/UL-2743 does not automatically replace the old version of ANSI/UL-2743 (1st Edition) in the USA. Manufacturers may continue to use the older version for the United States only, or update to the new 2nd Edition to cover markets for both the USA and Canada.

Contact an SGS representative within the E&E sector for inquiries and support.

For enquiries, please contact:

Jerry Xiao
Electrical and Electronic Consumer  
Consumer and Retail Services
t: +86 (0)755 25328486

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SOURCE: SGS SA