Lithium batteries certified in Canada

The Explosion of the Lithium Battery Market in Canada

The demand for Lithium LFP batteries exploded in the Canadian market in 2018 and this growth has been consistent since then.
Indeed, 2018 marks the arrival of American battery companies such as Relion and BattleBorn on the Canadian market. As soon as they arrived, these brands were very successful and their popularity was immediately felt. At that time, these companies exclusively offered 12 V lithium batteries.

With the growing and rapid size of the lithium battery market, 2018 also marks the arrival of the first standardization standard in the lithium battery industry, the UL1973 standard. In fact, it was in 2018 that CSA Group published the full standard guide for the first time and offers a CSA UL1973 certification process.

Reminder to readers

Lithium University aims to be the reference in consumer information, our mission is to provide verified and relevant information without bias in the complex lithium battery market. We know that access to information, verified and understandable, is often difficult for the consumer. We therefore contacted the various distributors on the Canadian market to find out the list of batteries legally authorized on Canadian and Quebec territory.
Subsequently, we had the list validated with the RBQ (Régie du bâtiment du Québec), and by the ESA (Electrical Safety Authority).

Regulations

It is important to note that Quebec has different regulations than the rest of Canada that apply to Lithium batteries.
In fact, Quebec has adopted a version of the Canadian Electrical Code that is older than all the other provinces.

Therefore, batteries legalized in English Canada, are automatically legal under Chapter 5 of the Quebec Construction Code. Thus, you will be able to read several times that the ANSI/ UL9540 ESS standard is required for Lithium LFP technology, but this does not apply to the Quebec market.

In Quebec, the UL1973 standard is sought for the entire lithium battery (certification of the battery’s internal cells alone is not sufficient).
In conclusion, a battery that is legal in Quebec will not necessarily be legal in English Canada.

Commercial Facilities

With respect to commercial installations, it is important to note that it is the master electricians who bear the burden of liability for the installation, therefore they could be sued by their client’s insurance company in the event of a loss.

Ensuring the safety and quality of the installation is therefore essential for master electricians. Some of them prefer to take the lead and rely on a more recent version of the Canadian electrical code to ensure an additional level of security.

List of legal lithium batteries in Canada

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and that other models may be available in Canada.

List of legal lithium batteries in Quebec

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and that other models may be available on the Quebec market. The models listed in our list are reported to be 100% approved in Quebec.

List of non-compliant batteries

It is important to be vigilant, many companies spread false information about the certifications of their batteries.

List of batteries that have received reports of non-compliance (from building inspectors, ESA, or Technical Safety BC):

• EG4 is promoting a UL9540 certification for its EG4-LL-S 51.2V 100AH battery. It should be noted that more than two dozen complaints about failed inspections in Ontario have already been reported.
• Pytes promotes CATL cells, a certification report mentions REPT brand cells. This could lead to the inspection agencies banning the use of their batteries. It should be noted that Pytes has not yet been added to the list of fully authorized batteries in Canada due to the lack of positive feedback regarding successful inspections, especially in Ontario.

List of batteries to avoid

Some non-certified Chinese brand lithium batteries are also available on the Canadian market.
These should be avoided because of the major safety risk they represent, in addition to not being compliant with the Canadian electrical code. and to pose legal problems for consumers in the event of a claim.

Here is a list of brands of 48 V / 51 V batteries that have been reported to recognized agencies, or via the inspectors consulted working for authorized agencies (ESA, CMEQ, Technical Safety BC):

• Ruixu
• Ritar
• Eco-Worthy
• AoLithium
• Li-Time
• Renogy
• EG4 LL-S

Conclusion

In a growing industry such as lithium batteries, it is important for both the user and the professionals to be vigilant about the products they select for their electrical installations.
Indeed, despite the constant regulatory effort put in place by Canadian institutions and the various authorized agencies, the number of false information spread in the industry remains high. It is therefore important to obtain the battery certificates of conformity before making decisions about your installation.