EG4 LifePower4 no UL Label - Failed Inspection

[Andrewr05]

Sounds like a "woke" bunch of inspectors and they need a wake up call!

Do words just not mean anything anymore?

How can you continue to say "woke" and expect to be taken seriously when it gets used to... I guess... just mean anything you want at any time.

 

[JWLV]

Do words just not mean anything anymore?

How can you continue to say "woke" and expect to be taken seriously when it gets used to... I guess... just mean anything you want at any time.

I just woke up an hour ago. I'm not sure what to make of this. Or maybe I'm still dreaming.

 

[wildbillpdx]

For what it’s worth, this is the label on my most recent battery:

 

[MattiFin]

For what it’s worth, this is the label on my most recent battery:

Smells like trouble: The Recognized Component Mark is a type of safety certification mark issued by UL Solutions. It is placed on components which are intended to be part of a UL certified end product, but which cannot bear the full UL Mark themselves.[20] The general public does not ordinarily come across it, as it is borne on components which make up finished products.

ARGH, UL bloodsuckers don't even provide free access to documentation.

 

[zanydroid]

Smells like trouble: The Recognized Component Mark is a type of safety certification mark issued by UL Solutions. It is placed on components which are intended to be part of a UL certified end product, but which cannot bear the full UL Mark themselves.[20] The general public does not ordinarily come across it, as it is borne on components which make up finished products.

I believe the AHJ is looking for a UL or ETL listing stamp with control number matching the papers on EG4 website as to the UL9540

RU does not satisfy that. RU is not relevant for inspections.

 

[solar8484]

SS appears to have little understanding of "listed" vs "recognized" or "certified". SS web site states "UL listed prismatic 3.2V cells". That's not a thing. Battery cells don't get "listed". Have to wonder how anyone can pass inspection with these batteries ...

EG4-LifePower4 Lithium Batteries Kit | 30.72kWh | 6 Server Rack Batteries With Pre-Assembled Enclosed Rack | With Door & Wheels | Welded

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

 

[JWLV]

@Will Prowse has EP Cube batteries installed at his house.
Being that it's attached to his house right next to the meter, I'm sure it's UL listed. Will, can you show us which UL label is on the EP Cube? This is just for comparison purposes with the EG4 batteries.

 

[MattiFin]

In past you could load the UL approval cerfificates from the UL website and it showed even all the internals. Now they want 228usd/year to access the database.

My guess is that the chinese supplier is changing components to every second batch and one batch is UL approved and the next one is "almost the same"

 

[zanydroid]

ing. Battery cells don't get "listed".

I thought you can get UL9540A at cell, module, and unit level. Not that it matters at all for residential inspection.

In past you could load the UL approval cerfificates from the UL website and it showed even all the internals. Now they want 228usd/year to access the database.

My guess is that the chinese supplier is changing components to every second batch and one batch is UL approved and the next one is "almost the same"

EG4 posts their certs. As for NRTL you can pull which certification was given. But sometimes you want more details esp for certifications with a lot of optional items in them. Inverters and batteries are kind of on the edge of being complex enough to need the details.

 

[Will Prowse]

@Will Prowse has EP Cube batteries installed at his house.
Being that it's attached to his house right next to the meter, I'm sure it's UL listed. Will, can you show us which UL label is on the EP Cube? This is just for comparison purposes with the EG4 batteries.

It's on cec list under a weird name. Some other company owns them and registered it I think. I need to get picture of label, it's under the covers

 

[solar8484]

I thought you can get UL9540A at cell, module, and unit level. Not that it matters at all for residential inspection.

UL9540A is a part of the UL9450 standards for ESS. UL9540A is a test method/report for thermal run away performance of ESS including its BMS, cells, etc. UL9450A does not get the battery cell a "listed" mark. Only stand-alone products can get "listed" in general.

 

[EG4_Jared]

Whelp... I am in Washington State. The inspector has rejected the UL paperwork I have from Signature Solar and is insisting that the batteries must have a UL sticker on them. I contacted Signature Solar and was told to contact EG4. Waited an hour and fifteen minutes on hold only to have EG4 dump me to voicemail.

So... has anyone been able to secure UL stickers from EG4? (I have 16 LifePower4 48v batteries and 2 LL 48V batteries so this is a big deal for me.)

We apologize for the delay in getting back to you. Our support team is small, and we typically turn to our distributors for help. But don't worry, if you could send a DM with a picture of the serial numbers for those batteries, I'll personally take care of getting this sorted out for you.

 

[wildbillpdx]

DM with a picture of the serial numbers for those batteries, I'll personally take care of getting this sorted out for you.

So is that the answer for everyone who owns the batteries or is there some other larger solution?

 

[robby]

I hope people don't try attaching fake stickers to their equipment.
Those little UL stickers on Wall-warts etc from China are 100% fake and anyone with a bit of experience will notice it instantly!
The UL Sticker on my Battery and Inverter are part of the larger sticker with all of the electrical specifications of the product. The UL section has a listing number as well as a Barcode next to it.

 

[740GLE]

This will be the new QR code relasering, lol.

 

[Hedges]

Just like people put in AFCI/GFCI breakers for inspection, then remove them ...
If there is a process to remove UL label intact, sell it to the next guy trying to get his system (of same model) inspected?

Or do you have to swap the entire inverter with him? Worth bucks ...

UL can visit a custom installation and put a sticker on it?
There ought to be a process to apply sticker after the fact, at least if equipment was built in the approved factory, especially after the inspections which made UL listing possible.

 

[zanydroid]

Just like people put in AFCI/GFCI breakers for inspection, then remove them ...
If there is a process to remove UL label intact, sell it to the next guy trying to get his system (of same model) inspected?

Or do you have to swap the entire inverter with him? Worth bucks ...

UL can visit a custom installation and put a sticker on it?
There ought to be a process to apply sticker after the fact, at least if equipment was built in the approved factory, especially after the inspections which made UL listing possible.

The inverter is heavy enough of a problem. Now imagine that for 4 battery racks

 

[Quattrohead]

I hope people don't try attaching fake stickers to their equipment.
Those little UL stickers on Wall-warts etc from China are 100% fake and anyone with a bit of experience will notice it instantly!
The UL Sticker on my Battery and Inverter are part of the larger sticker with all of the electrical specifications of the product. The UL section has a listing number as well as a Barcode next to it.

Ok thanks for the sound advice Robby

 

[peakbagger]

I used to do large combined heat and power projects which required 13.8KV custom switchgear. We almost always ended up having to get a UL inspector to the site after delivery to do the final sign off.

 

[740GLE]

Just like people put in AFCI/GFCI breakers for inspection, then remove them ...
If there is a process to remove UL label intact, sell it to the next guy trying to get his system (of same model) inspected?

Or do you have to swap the entire inverter with him? Worth bucks ...

UL can visit a custom installation and put a sticker on it?
There ought to be a process to apply sticker after the fact, at least if equipment was built in the approved factory, especially after the inspections which made UL listing possible.

Sure UL can prob fix you breakfast too, just gotta pay them