Battery-Powered Toy Test — EN IEC 62115 / EN 71-1 / Button Cell Requirements

What Is Battery Toys?

The battery-powered toy assessment covers access to the battery compartment, the possibility of the battery coming out of the product, behaviour under reverse insertion and short-circuit conditions, and battery leakage risks. Access requirements are stricter for button and coin cells: the cover must require a tool and must not open after mechanical testing.

Purpose of Battery Toys

The purpose is to prevent the child from accessing and swallowing the battery, and to prevent the battery causing harm through heating, leakage or short-circuit. Because a swallowed button cell can cause severe tissue damage in the digestive tract within a short time, these requirements are of vital importance.

Which Products Is Battery Toys Applied To?

Sound- and light-emitting toys powered by button cells
Remote controls and remote-controlled toys
Toys with rechargeable batteries
Electronic book and musical toys
Light-up accessories and costume products

In Which Sectors Is Battery Toys Used?

ToyRetailConsumer ProductsElectrical & ElectronicsBattery

Standards Related to Battery Toys

TS EN IEC 62115 (electric toys — safety)
TS EN 71-1 (mechanical and physical properties)
TS EN IEC 62133-2 (lithium cells and batteries — safety)
UN 38.3 (transport of lithium batteries)
EN 71-1Mechanical and physical properties in toys test
EN 71-2oyuncaklarda yanabilirlik test
EN 71-3migration of certain elements in toys test

Battery Toys Conditions

Cover access: The button cell compartment must require a tool or two independent movements
After mechanical testing: The cover must not open, and the battery must not come out, after drop and impact
Reverse insertion: No hazardous condition may arise under incorrect polarity insertion
Rechargeable system: Protection against overheating and overcharging under charging conditions

Equipment for Battery Toys

Drop and impact rigs
Tension and torque test rigs
Multi-channel temperature recorder
Battery cycling and charging test system
Short-circuit test rig

Sample Requirements for Battery Toys

Specimen as offered for sale, with its batteries
The tests are destructive; multiple specimens are required
Battery type, chemistry and rated values must be provided
For rechargeable products, the charger must also be supplied

Duration of Battery Toys

The mechanical tests are short; charging and abnormal operation tests determine the duration. Lithium battery products additionally require cell-level documentation or testing, which extends the duration.

Battery Toys Procedure

1The battery compartment design and cover mechanism are examined.
2The movement and tool required to open the cover are assessed.
3Drop, impact, tension and torque tests are applied.
4The condition of the cover and battery is checked after testing.
5Reverse insertion and short-circuit conditions are tested.
6Charging and overcharging behaviour is monitored for rechargeable products.

Battery Toys Acceptance Criteria

The button cell compartment must not open after mechanical testing, and the battery must not become accessible. No fire, explosion or hazardous temperature may occur under reverse insertion or short-circuit conditions. Applicable requirements are confirmed from the current edition of EN IEC 62115.

Evaluation of Results

The cover being sound before testing is not sufficient; the assessment is based on the condition after drop and impact. For screwed covers, whether the screw boss has stripped after testing is checked. For lithium battery products, cell-level safety is a separate matter not covered by the toy test.

Battery Toys Report

Product identification, battery type and rated values
Battery compartment design assessment
Cover condition after mechanical testing
Reverse insertion and short-circuit observations
Charging test results and temperature records
Warning and instructions assessment

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

2009/48/EC Toy Safety Directive
(EU) 2023/1542 Battery Regulation
2011/65/EU RoHS Directive

Oyuncak Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Battery Toys test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Toy testing shows that a product is safe in children's use. What sets this family apart is that risk is defined according to the USER: the same product may be hazardous for a child under 36 months and safe for an older child. Age marking is therefore not a marketing preference but a technical decision that determines which requirements apply, and it is justified in the technical file.

At the centre of the field is the risk of CHOKING. Children under 36 months put objects in their mouths; a part that detaches or is small to begin with can block the airway. Assessment with the small parts cylinder is the fundamental criterion for this group, and the tests examine whether the part detaches after use and misuse.

The logic of the tests is not that the toy must not break but that BREAKING must not produce a hazardous outcome. A child drops, pulls, bites and stands on a toy. Drop, tension, compression, torque, impact and tipping tests are therefore applied, and the resulting new state is then assessed: is the detached part a small part, did the broken surface leave a sharp edge, has the internal mechanism become accessible?

On the chemical axis, MIGRATION is what counts. What is measured in a toy is not how much of an element the material contains but how much of it dissolves and transfers under conditions simulating the mouth. Materials are divided into three categories (dry brittle powder, liquid or sticky, scrapable) and different limits apply to each; the amount of material a child could ingest varies by category.

Flammability is the third axis and is critical particularly for costumes, tents and plush toys: how quickly flame spreads across the surface is measured.

Electrical and battery-powered toys bring additional bodies of work: EN 62115 for electrical safety, the relevant battery standards and Battery Regulation obligations for the battery. For toys containing button cells, making the battery compartment impossible for a child to open has become a separate requirement — a swallowed button cell is a cause of serious injury.

Sound level is an item that is often overlooked. For toys used close to the ear (toy telephones, rattles, cap-firing toys) the sound pressure is limited; the risk of hearing damage is assessed.

Market regimes differ and do not substitute for one another: the Toy Safety Directive and CE marking in Europe, and in the United States the CPSIA with mandatory ASTM F963 and a third-party laboratory certificate (CPC). The United States also looks at total lead content while Europe looks at migration; the two approaches can produce different results.

Method groups in this field

Mechanical and physical
Small parts assessment, sharp edges and points, entrapment, cord and drawstring safety, dynamic strength, drop and tipping (EN 71-1).
Flammability
Rate of flame spread and ignition behaviour (EN 71-2); decisive for costumes and plush toys.
Element migration
Migration of specified elements in the three material categories (EN 71-3).
Organic chemicals
Phthalates, flame retardants, azo dyes, preservatives and fragrances (EN 71-9 and REACH restrictions).
Electrical toys
Electrical safety under EN 62115; heating, insulation, battery compartment and charging safety.
Sound and other
Sound pressure measurements; the requirements of EN 71-4 and EN 71-5 for chemistry sets and chemical toys.

Commonly confused in this field

Toy safety cannot be demonstrated with a single standard; the mechanical, flammability and chemical parts are assessed together.
Age marking determines which requirements apply; it must be justified in the technical file and not left to marketing preference.
An ASTM F963 report is not accepted in a CE file; the requirements and test arrangements of the two regimes differ.
Migration and total content are different things; the CPSIA looks at total lead while EN 71-3 looks at migration.
If the material category is chosen incorrectly the limit is applied incorrectly too; the category decision is made before sample preparation.
For toys containing button cells, battery compartment safety is a separate requirement; passing electrical safety is not sufficient.

Which decisions these results support

CE marking and the technical file
Determining age marking and warning texts
The CPC certificate and mandatory third-party testing for the US market
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Determining the scope of retesting after a design change

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Battery Toys

Is a screwed cover sufficient?

It is usually a suitable solution but must not open after testing. If the plastic screw boss strips during the drop test, the cover loses its function and the requirement is not met. Boss material and screw length are therefore important.

Are there additional obligations for a rechargeable battery toy?

Yes. The battery falls under (EU) 2023/1542, UN 38.3 is required for transport, and cell-level IEC 62133-2 safety data is requested. Passing the toy standard does not cover these.