▍What is KC?
Declared on 25th Aug., 2008 by Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE), the national standard committee will conduct a new national unified certification mark -- named KC mark replacing Korean Certification during the time between Jul., 2009 and Dec., 2010. Electrical Appliances safety certification scheme (KC Certification) is a mandatory and self-regulatory safety confirmation scheme according to Electrical Appliances Safety Control Act, is the certified safety scheme for manufacture and sale.
The difference between mandatory certification and self-regulatory safety confirmation.
For the safe management of electrical appliances, KC certification is divided into mandatory and self-regulatory safety certifications as per the class of danger. Mandatory certification is applied to electrical appliances whose structures and methods of application may cause relatively bigger danger and or obstacle, such as fire disaster, electric shock. While self-regulatory safety certification is applied to electrical appliances whose structures and methods of application are relatively easier and hardly causes bigger danger and or obstacle such as fire disaster, electric shock. And the danger and obstacle can be prevented by testing the electrical appliances.
Applicant: All legal persons or individuals both at home and abroad who are engaged in manufacturing, assembly, processing of electrical appliance.
Scheme and method of safety certification:
Use the product model no. to apply certification, and product model no. can be divided into basic no. and derived no.
In order to tell apart model no. and design of electrical appliances, they are named per their different function and respective product name.
▍KC certification for Lithium battery
1. The change of KC certification standard for lithium battery
Date |
2009.07.01 |
2012.07.25 |
2014.09.01 |
2015.09.01 |
KC law |
Quality Management & Safety Control of Industrial Products Act |
Electrical Appliances Safety Control Act |
||
Standard |
Self-Regulatory Safety Confirmation Annex 5. Part2 |
K62133:2012 (IEC 62133 1st ed.) |
K62133:2014 (62133 2nd ed.) |
KC62133:2015 (IEC 62133 2nd ed.) |
Remark |
The beginning of KC mark |
The changingn of KC Law |
The changing of KC Standard (Aperiod of grace for new KC standard) |
The changing of KC Standard (The date of enforcement for KC standards) |
KATS Notification number |
KATS NO. 2008-289 (2008.10.16) |
KATS NO. 2012-0193 (2012.05.24) |
KATS NO. 2013-0342 (2013.09.17) |
KATS NO. 2012-0193 (2015.07.17) |
2. Product scope of KC certification for lithium battery
1) Secondary lithium batteries for use in portable application or removable devices.
2) Cells used and sold as batteries are within the scope, but those cells considered as a part of battery are outside the range.
3) For batteries used in energy storage device or UPS (uninterruptible power supply), and their power which is greater than 500Wh are beyond the scope.
4) Battery whose volume energy density is lower than 400Wh/L comes into certification scope since 1st, Apr. 2016.
3. The comparison of test items between K62133:2012 and KC62133:2015
Clause |
4.2.1 |
4.2.2 |
4.2.3 |
4.2.4 |
4.3.1 |
4.3.2 |
4.3.3 |
4.3.4 |
4.3.5 |
4.3.6 |
4.3.7 |
4.3.9 |
4.3.10 |
4.3.11 |
K 62133:2012 |
Continuous low-rates charging |
Vibration |
Moulded cases stress at high ambient temperature |
Temperature cycling |
Incorrect installation of a cell |
External short circuit |
Free fall |
Mechanical shock |
Thermal abuse |
Crushing of cells |
Low pressure |
Overcharge for lithium systems |
Forced discharge |
Cell protection against a high charging rate |
|
||||||||||||||
Clause |
8.2.1 |
8.2.2 |
8.3.1 |
8.3.2 |
8.3.3 |
8.3.4 |
8.3.5 |
8.3.6 |
8.3.7 |
8.3.8 |
8.3.9 |
|
|
|
K 62133:2015 |
Continuous charge at constant voltage (cell) |
Moulded cases stress at high ambient temperature |
External short circuit (Cell) |
External short circuit (Battery) |
Free fall |
Thermal abuse (Cells) |
Crush (Cells) |
Over-charging battery |
Forced discharge (Cells) |
Transport tests (Cell) |
Design evaluation-Forced internal short circuits (cells) |
|
|
|
4. The series model classification for lithium battery
Lithium batteries can apply serial certification (multiple models) under certain conditions. In this way, it’s required to test the basic model only. And the rules for serial classification is as follows.
Cell:
1) Type of cell: a. Li-ion cell, b. Lithium polymer cell
2) Shape of cell: a. Cylindrical, b. Prismatic
3) Main material of cell: a. Anode, b. Cathode
4) Shell of cell: soft packed shell or metal shell (Aluminum/steel shell)
5) Capacity of cell
a. Cylindrical: ①X≤2400mAh, ②X>2400mAh,
b. Prismatic/ Polymer: ①X≤1500mAh, ②1500mAh
6) Upper limit charge voltage of cell ①X≤4.25V, ②X>4.25V
7) Way of series and parallel connection
a. no series and parallel connection
b. no series connection (same protection IC)
8) Same PCM protection devices and specification: FUSE, PTC, IC etc.
▍KC mark
- The size of KC mark varies with product size.
- The outline of KC mark is in black color.
- Certificate no. shall be showed on the bottom of mark.
- It shall be printed or carved on products, and be durable.
▍MCM’s advantages on KC certification
● MCM keeps a close cooperation with Korean labs, such as KTR (Korea Testing & Research Institute), KTC (Korea Testing Certification), KTL (Korea Testing Laboratory), and is able to offer the most suitable solutions with high cost performance and great service to clients from the point of lead time, testing process, certification cost.
● KC certificate for rechargeable lithium battery can be gained by submitting a CB certificate and convert it into KC certificate. As a CBTL under TüV Rheinland, MCM can offer reports and certificates which can be applied for conversion of KC certificate directly. And the lead time can be shortened if applying CB and KC at the same time. What’s more, the related price will be more favorable.