What Is Module Tests?
Module tests are the group of tests that evaluate the electrical performance, thermal behaviour and safety characteristics of a group of cells connected in series and/or parallel. They represent the intermediate level between cell and pack.
Purpose of Module Tests
The purpose is to determine the temperature differences, imbalance and thermal-propagation risks that arise when cells operate together.
Which Products Is Module Tests Applied To?
- Electric vehicle battery modules
- Energy storage modules
- Industrial traction battery modules
In Which Sectors Is Module Tests Used?
Standards Related to Module Tests
- IEC 62619lithium battery safety in industrial applications test
- UL 2580Safety in electric vehicle batteries test
- ISO 12405Test conditions for electric vehicle lithium battery packs test
- UNECE R100electric vehicle and battery safety test
- IEC 62620industrial lithium cells and batteries test
- UN 38.3Transport safety tests on lithium batteries test
- IEC 62133Safety in portable cells and batteries test
- UL 1642safety in lithium cells test
- UL 2054Safety in home and commercial use batteries test
Module Tests Conditions
- Charge/discharge
- Current and voltage limits declared for the module
- Temperature measurement
- Simultaneous measurement at multiple points within the module
- Cell balance
- The voltage difference between cells is limited before the test
- Safety
- An explosion-protected chamber and gas venting are mandatory
Equipment for Module Tests
- High-current battery test system
- Multi-channel temperature measurement system
- Temperature chamber (sized for the module)
- Explosion-protected test room
Sample Requirements for Module Tests
- The module must represent series production
- The cell arrangement and cooling solution must be documented
- The declared operating range must be provided in writing
- The number of specimens is set out in the specification
Duration of Module Tests
Performance and thermal tests take days; propagation tests, including preparation, take a few days.
Module Tests Procedure
- 1The module is identified and cell voltages are recorded.
- 2The initial capacity and internal resistance are measured.
- 3The temperature distribution is mapped during charge–discharge.
- 4Thermal-propagation and abuse tests are applied if required.
- 5Cell voltages and physical condition are then assessed.
Module Tests Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance criteria are defined in the applied standard: a limit on the temperature difference between cells, propagation not extending beyond the module, and the absence of fire and explosion.
Evaluation of Results
Temperature homogeneity and cell imbalance are evaluated together. The adequacy of the cooling solution becomes apparent at this level.
Module Tests Report
- Standard applied
- Module configuration and cooling solution
- Temperature measurement points and map
- Electrical performance results
- Safety test observations
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 authorisationsRelated Regulations
- UNECE R100
- EU Battery Regulation
Batarya Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Module Tests 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.
Battery testing answers three separate questions, each with its own body of standards: can the battery be transported, is it safe in use, does it deliver the declared performance? These three questions are often confused with one another, and the confusion has commercial consequences — a market cannot be entered with a transport report, and a shipment cannot be made with a product safety report.
On the transport side, UN 38.3 is a mandatory gate; a battery without that evidence cannot be shipped. On the safety side the application determines what applies: IEC 62133-2 for portable products, IEC 62619 and IEC 63056 for industrial and energy storage applications, UNECE R100, UL 2580 and ISO 6469 for electric vehicles. On the performance side, capacity, internal resistance, cycle life, self-discharge, charge acceptance and temperature-dependent behaviour are measured.
The distinction of LEVEL is essential in this family and is the subject that causes the most argument in the supply chain. Cell, module and pack are assessed separately; a certificate obtained for a cell does not demonstrate the conformity of the pack. Alongside the cells, the behaviour of the pack is determined by the battery management system, the cooling design, the mechanical structure, the interconnection arrangement and insulation coordination. Putting the cell supplier's report into the pack file is a common but inadequate approach.
Thermal runaway and its propagation are the most critical subject in the field. A lithium cell may enter a self-sustaining chemical reaction when damaged or overheated; at that point removing the heat from outside is usually not possible. Modern standards therefore treat thermal runaway of a single cell as an UNAVOIDABLE fault scenario and change the question: does the event propagate to neighbouring cells, what does it release outside the pack, and how much time is left for the user to escape?
In this field the battery management system is assessed not as an electronic board but as a SAFETY FUNCTION. It is shown that overcharge, overdischarge, overcurrent and overtemperature protections actually operate, that the system falls to the safe side in a fault, and that its software has been verified. In industrial and vehicle applications this assessment is tied to functional safety frameworks.
The regulatory side is becoming rapidly more demanding. Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 goes beyond safety and introduces obligations for carbon footprint declaration, recovered content ratio, durability and capacity declaration, the battery passport, and removability for portable batteries. This takes the scope of testing beyond classical safety tests.
Method groups in this field
Electrical abuse
Overcharge, overdischarge, external short circuit, forced discharge and unbalanced charging. This is where it is seen whether the protection circuits actually work.
Mechanical abuse
Vibration, shock, crush, penetration, free fall and tipping. It is monitored whether internal short circuit conditions arise.
Thermal tests
Temperature cycling, thermal shock, high temperature storage, fire exposure and thermal runaway propagation.
Environmental tests
Humidity, low pressure, salt spray and, where required, immersion; these come to the fore in vehicle and outdoor applications.
Performance measurements
Capacity, energy and power, internal resistance, efficiency, cycle life, calendar life and temperature-dependent behaviour.
BMS verification
Verification of protection thresholds, the cell balancing function, communications and fault response.
Commonly confused in this field
- UN 38.3 is not a product safety certificate; it only demonstrates transport conformity.
- A cell certificate does not demonstrate pack conformity. The pack is assessed separately with its own architecture.
- Two packs built from the same cell give different results; cooling, interconnection and mechanical structure are decisive.
- A performance test is not a safety test. A cycle life report does not satisfy safety requirements.
- For an electric vehicle battery, a UL 2580 report and UNECE R100 approval are not the same thing; one is a standards assessment, the other a type approval regime.
- A vehicle battery moved into a second-life application enters a new usage profile; the earlier assessment does not carry over directly.
Which decisions these results support
- Transport conformity and the test summary for shipment
- Product safety declaration and market access
- Performance, durability and carbon footprint declarations under the Battery Regulation
- Assessing the impact of a cell supplier or BMS change
- Site acceptance processes for an energy storage system
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Module Tests
According to which standard is Module Tests made?
Module Tests is executed in scope IEC 62619, UL 2580, ISO 12405, UNECE R100 and IEC 62620. The limit values and acceptance criteria to be applied are defined in the product standard; The version valid for your product is confirmed in writing at the offer stage.
Which products does Module Tests apply to?
Mainly applied to Electric vehicle battery modules, Energy storage modules and Industrial traction battery modules. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.
Under what conditions is Module Tests done?
The determining parameters are: Charge/discharge — Current and voltage limits declared for the module, Temperature measurement — Simultaneous measurement at multiple points within the module and Cell balance — The voltage difference between cells is limited before the test. The full terms are in the "Test Conditions" section on the page and vary depending on the product standard.
What kind of sample is needed for Module Tests?
The module must represent series production, The cell arrangement and cooling solution must be documented and The declared operating range must be provided in writing. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.
How long does Module Tests take?
Performance and thermal tests take days; propagation tests, including preparation, take a few days. This duration belongs to the experiment itself; sample preparation, queuing and reporting are also evaluated. A realistic schedule for your product is given in the offer.
What is the Module Tests result called "appropriate"?
Acceptance criteria are defined in the applied standard: a limit on the temperature difference between cells, propagation not extending beyond the module, and the absence of fire and explosion.