UL Certification Available for Hoverboards
The new UL 2272 provides a framework to evaluate, test, and certify self-balancing scooters, the company announced Feb. 2.
UL announced Feb. 2 that it is now accepting product submittals of hoverboards for construction evaluation, testing, and/or UL certification. UL can test and certify these devices using UL 2272, which covers the electric drive train including the rechargeable battery and charger system combination for use in self-balancing scooters.
"UL has been evaluating, testing, and certifying battery cells, modules, and packs as well as related battery chargers and power supplies as individual components for many years," said Jeff Smidt, vice president and general manager for UL's Energy and Power Technologies division. "With UL 2272, our expert science, research, and engineering teams have now developed the appropriate requirements and methodology to confidently evaluate and test the entire self-balancing scooter for electrical and fire hazard safety as a system. As recent news has shown us, there is a strong need for this type of service, and today we are pleased to offer our testing and certification services to manufacturers and distributors."
Retailers and manufacturers interested in submitting hoverboards for product testing and/or certification can submit their request using the form at http://contact.ul.com/contact-ul-energy or can email [email protected] Visit www.ul.com/hoverboards for consumer safety tips, which include these recommendations:
- Keep the hoverboard away from flammable materials while charging it.
Do not overcharge the board. Follow the manufacturer's recommend charging times.
- Do not charge the hoverboard overnight.
- Use only the charger that is packaged with the hoverboard.
- If an incident does occur, it may be incorrect to use a fire extinguisher due to the nature of battery chemical fires. Instead, leave the area and call 911.
According to the company's announcement, UL has begun, in parallel, the consensus process to gather industry manufacturers and interested stakeholder groups in order to further the requirements that cover self-balancing scooters and similar devices.