Quality control is probably the most significant factor, with the correct implementation of protection circuits a close second.
I'm not saying that there aren't better programs out there, but am quite impressed with the CTIA's battery system certification program as it addressed Quality and safety system integrity on several levels. (CTIA is now a non-acronym organization, but used to stand for Cellular Telephone Industry Association) The CTIA's program relies on four levels of certification to ensure safety of an end system. The multiple levels were all aimed at keeping a lithium cell operating within its design specifications. 1) The first level was the cell construction itself - multiple test samples, regular factory audits, and other requirements were all present to prove sufficient quality control and maintain certification on a cell. 2) The second level was the battery pack - this level ensured that proper overvoltage/overcurrent circuits were implemented and also required an authentication mechanism to ensure that only properly certified battery packs were used in the system. 3) The next level was host certification (usually the phone itself). These checked for proper charge circuit/controller certification and proper matching of the V/I/temp charge profile to the pack/cell. 4) The final level was for the wall or vehicle power adapter with the intent of limiting potentially damaging transients. At some level (can't remember off the top of my head), there were also permanent charge disable circuits that would disable charging of a certain pack/cell if it went outside of its specifications or tripped a protection circuit more than a set number of times. Looking at this from the big picture, it was all about keeping the cell within its operating specifications. Unfortunately, there's no law preventing aftermarket batteries from being sold for use with otherwise certified devices (hence the warning to only use manufacturer specified replacement batteries!). Worse, aftermarket batteries often leave out or incorrectly implement protection mechanisms such that the system cannot function as intended and a safety risk is present. Needless to say, when I need a replacement lithium battery, I gladly pay the extra to get an authentic battery from the manufacturer. Best Regards, -Dave Heald On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 11:32 AM, <[email protected]>wrote: > > With just about everything now manufactured in developing countries with > inexpensive labour, I wonder > if quality control of these batteries could be a contributing factor > towards acute thermal failure. As I understand it, of this battery > chemistry is charged/discharged correctly, there shouldn't be a problem, > but how do they wear out? > > _____________________________________________________________________________________ > * > Ralph McDiarmid* | * Schneider Electric ** | Renewable Energies > Business* | *CANADA* | *Regulatory Compliance Engineering* > > > > From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> To: > [email protected] Date: 01/12/2012 07:24 AM Subject: Re: [PSES] > Thermal Protection of Lithium Ion Batteries > ------------------------------ > > > > Forgot to ask – I believe current Standards require thermal protection, > but are they enough? > > John Allen > President > Product Safety Consulting, Inc. > 605 Country Club Drive, Suites I & J > Bensenville, IL 60106 > P - 630 238-0188 / F - 630 238-0269 > 1-877-804-3066 > *[email protected]* <[email protected]> > *http://www.productsafetyinc.com* <http://www.productsafetyinc.com/> > > > *Although PSC maintains the highest level of virus protection, this > e-mail and any attachments should be scanned by your virus protection > software. It is the responsibility of the recipient to check that it is > virus free. PSC does not accept any responsibility for data loss or > systems damage arising in any way from its use. This message is > confidential and intended only for the individual to whom or entity to > which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or addressee, > or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the > addressee, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or > copying, in whole or part, of this message is strictly prohibited. If you > believe that you have been sent this message in error, please do not read > it. Please immediately reply to sender that you have received this message > in error. Then permanently delete all copies of the message. Thank you.* > > *From:* [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]<[email protected]>] > * > Sent:* Thursday, January 12, 2012 9:18 AM* > To:* [email protected]* > Subject:* [PSES] Thermal Protection of Lithium Ion Batteries > > Interesting article and findings by John Hopkins University… > > * > http://gazette.jhu.edu/2012/01/09/discovery-warns-of-catastrophic-failure-of-lithium-ion-batteries/ > *<http://gazette.jhu.edu/2012/01/09/discovery-warns-of-catastrophic-failure-of-lithium-ion-batteries/> > > > John Allen > Product Safety Consulting, Inc. > 605 Country Club Drive, Suites I & J > Bensenville, IL 60106 > P - 630 238-0188 / F - 630 238-0269 > 1-877-804-3066 > *[email protected]* <[email protected]> > *http://www.productsafetyinc.com* <http://www.productsafetyinc.com/> > > IEEE PSES - *http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pses/*<http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pses/> > IEEE PSES Chicago - > *http://ewh.ieee.org/r4/chicago/pstc/*<http://ewh.ieee.org/r4/chicago/pstc/> > IEEE PSES Risk Assessment Technical Committee - * > http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pses/TAC/RATC/index.html*<http://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pses/TAC/RATC/index.html> > > > *Although PSC maintains the highest level of virus protection, this > e-mail and any attachments should be scanned by your virus protection > software. It is the responsibility of the recipient to check that it is > virus free. PSC does not accept any responsibility for data loss or > systems damage arising in any way from its use. This message is > confidential and intended only for the individual to whom or entity to > which it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or addressee, > or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the > addressee, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or > copying, in whole or part, of this message is strictly prohibited. If you > believe that you have been sent this message in error, please do not read > it. Please immediately reply to sender that you have received this message > in error. Then permanently delete all copies of the message. Thank you.* > > - > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc > discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <* > [email protected]* <[email protected]>> > > All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: * > http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html*<http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html> > > Attachments are not permitted but the IEEE PSES Online Communities site at > *http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/*<http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/>can > be used for graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. > > Website: *http://www.ieee-pses.org/* <http://www.ieee-pses.org/> > Instructions: > *http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html*<http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html> > List rules: > *http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html*<http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html> > > For help, send mail to the list administrators: > Scott Douglas <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > Mike Cantwell <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > > For policy questions, send mail to: > Jim Bacher <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > David Heald <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service. > ______________________________________________________________________ > - > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc > discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <* > [email protected]* <[email protected]>> > > All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: * > http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html*<http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html> > > Attachments are not permitted but the IEEE PSES Online Communities site at > *http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/*<http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/>can > be used for graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. > > Website: *http://www.ieee-pses.org/* <http://www.ieee-pses.org/> > Instructions: > *http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html*<http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html> > List rules: > *http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html*<http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html> > > For help, send mail to the list administrators: > Scott Douglas <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > Mike Cantwell <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > > For policy questions, send mail to: > Jim Bacher <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > David Heald <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>> > > - > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > > This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc > discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to < > [email protected]> > > All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: > http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html > > Attachments are not permitted but the IEEE PSES Online Communities site at > http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ can be used for graphics (in > well-used formats), large files, etc. > > Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ > Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html > List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html > > For help, send mail to the list administrators: > Scott Douglas <[email protected]> > Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> > > For policy questions, send mail to: > Jim Bacher <[email protected]> > David Heald <[email protected]> > > - ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <[email protected]> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieee-pses.org/emc-pstc.html Attachments are not permitted but the IEEE PSES Online Communities site at http://product-compliance.oc.ieee.org/ can be used for graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <[email protected]> Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <[email protected]> David Heald: <[email protected]>
