By sion932 
Lead-acid batteries are widely used in civil scenarios such as electric bicycles, backup power supplies, and motorcycles due to their stable performance and cost-effectiveness. However, frequent safety accidents caused by improper design, production, or use have highlighted the urgency of establishing unified safety standards. GB/T 32504-2016, titled “Civil Lead-Acid Battery Technical Code for Safety”, was issued on February 24, 2016, and officially implemented on September 1, 2016. Formulated in accordance with the rules specified in GB/T 1.1-2009, this standard is proposed by the China Electrical Equipment Industrial Association and under the jurisdiction of the National Technical Committee for Lead-Acid Battery Standardization (SAC/TC 69). It sets clear safety bottom lines for civil lead-acid batteries, playing a pivotal role in regulating industry production, ensuring user safety, and promoting the healthy development of the industry.
1. Scope and Core Definitions of the Standard
GB/T 32504-2016 mainly applies to civil lead-acid batteries, which refer to lead-acid batteries that may be accessed by non-professionals such as the elderly and children during use. Typical examples include sealed lead-acid batteries for electric bicycles, small valve-regulated sealed lead-acid batteries, lead-acid batteries for motorcycles, miniature valve-regulated lead-acid batteries, and starting lead-acid batteries. In contrast, industrial lead-acid batteries, which are only accessible to professionals (such as those for railway passenger cars, energy storage, and traction), are not within the scope of this standard.
The standard defines key terms to clarify its application boundaries. For instance, “ambient temperature” refers to the medium temperature within 5 mm around the battery or battery pack; “full charge” means all available active substances in the battery have been converted to a fully charged state; “safety” is defined as a state where unacceptable risks are eliminated; and “leakage” refers to the leakage of visible liquid electrolyte. These definitions lay a solid foundation for the unified implementation and interpretation of the standard.
2. Core Technical Safety Requirements
GB/T 32504-2016 covers multiple dimensions of safety requirements, including electrical safety, mechanical safety, environmental adaptability, and harmful substance control, forming a comprehensive safety protection system.
2.1 Electrical Safety Requirements
Electrical safety is a core part of the standard, focusing on parameters such as rated capacity, charge-discharge efficiency, and overcharge protection. The standard stipulates that the rated capacity of civil lead-acid batteries shall comply with the nominal value, with a deviation not exceeding ±5%. Under standard operating conditions, the charge-discharge efficiency shall not be less than 80%. These parameters are set based on civil usage habits: the rated capacity requirement prevents battery damage caused by over-discharge, extends service life, and avoids leakage risks; the charge-discharge efficiency standard ensures energy conservation during charging while preventing overcharging-induced overheating, balancing safety and operational efficiency.
2.2 Mechanical Safety Requirements
To address potential risks such as handling collisions,挤压, and transportation jolts in daily use, the standard specifies strict mechanical performance tests, including vibration, impact, and extrusion tests. For the vibration test, the battery shall be subjected to a specific frequency range (10-55Hz) and amplitude for a specified duration without leakage or damage. The impact test requires the battery to be dropped from a specific height onto a hardwood board without shell rupture. In the extrusion test, the battery shall withstand a specified pressure without electrolyte leakage. These tests simulate real-world usage scenarios, ensuring that the battery can maintain structural integrity and avoid safety hazards in case of accidental impacts or挤压.
2.3 Environmental Adaptability Requirements
The standard defines clear temperature and humidity ranges for the operation and storage of civil lead-acid batteries to ensure stable performance and service life. The operating environment temperature is specified as -10℃ to 45℃ with a relative humidity not exceeding 85%, while the storage environment temperature ranges from -20℃ to 50℃ with a relative humidity not exceeding 80%. This range covers most civil scenarios. Excessively high temperatures can accelerate electrode corrosion and electrolyte evaporation, while excessively low temperatures reduce reaction activity; high humidity may lead to leakage. The standard’s environmental requirements effectively mitigate these adverse effects, reducing internal battery wear and extending service life.
2.4 Harmful Substance Control Requirements
In line with global environmental protection trends and the goal of “dual carbon”, GB/T 32504-2016 imposes strict limits on harmful substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. The lead content shall not exceed 0.1% of the total battery mass; mercury content shall not exceed 0.0001%; and cadmium content shall not exceed 0.002%. These limits reduce environmental and human health risks during production, use, and recycling. Low-hazardous substance batteries are easier to recycle and dispose of environmentally, contributing to carbon emission reduction and sustainable development.
3. Inspection Methods and Rules
To ensure the effective implementation of technical requirements, GB/T 32504-2016 specifies detailed inspection methods and rules. The inspection methods cover electrical performance, mechanical performance, environmental adaptability, and harmful substance content. For example, electrical performance tests include capacity measurement and charge-discharge cycle tests; mechanical performance tests adopt standardized equipment to simulate vibration, impact, and extrusion conditions; harmful substance content is detected using precision analytical instruments.
The inspection rules clarify the sampling methods, judgment criteria, and re-inspection procedures. Enterprises shall conduct full-process monitoring of product quality during production, and unqualified products shall not leave the factory. For enterprises, the main challenges in implementing inspections include insufficient precision of testing equipment and non-standard processes. The solution lies in introducing high-precision testing instruments, establishing standardized testing processes, regularly calibrating equipment, and strengthening staff training to ensure accurate and reliable inspection results.
4. Industry Impact and Future Outlook
As a foundational safety standard for civil lead-acid batteries, GB/T 32504-2016 has significantly promoted the upgrading of the industry. It has guided enterprises to optimize product design and production processes: for example, adopting more durable shell materials to meet mechanical strength requirements, and optimizing charging protection circuits to enhance electrical safety. This has not only improved the overall quality and safety performance of civil lead-acid batteries but also eliminated backward production capacity, promoting the healthy and orderly development of the industry.
With the expansion of civil lead-acid battery applications in emerging fields such as new energy storage, the standard faces new challenges. For instance, the frequency of extreme temperature scenarios is increasing, and the existing environmental adaptability indicators may not fully meet the needs of extreme conditions. In the future, it is necessary to conduct in-depth research on battery performance under extreme environments, combine technological advancements, and appropriately adjust and upgrade the standard indicators to maintain their guiding significance.
In conclusion, GB/T 32504-2016 provides a clear safety framework for the civil lead-acid battery industry. Its strict technical requirements and standardized inspection rules have effectively guaranteed user safety and promoted industrial upgrading. With the continuous development of technology and changes in application scenarios, the standard will be further improved to adapt to new market demands, laying a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the civil lead-acid battery industry.