A few years ago (in 2015), there was multiple articles out
having to do with hoverboards catching fire, sparks and “exploding”.
Customers have become extremely cautious when purchasing an electric
scooter also known as hoverboards. Questions that often pop-up in conversations
are similar to, “Will it catch fire”, “Will it explode”, “What should I be
worried about”, and so on. I’m sure you can think of some questions that have
popped into your mind while shopping online looking for a hoverboard or when
you listening to your child or loved one talk about these cool devices.
With all of this concern there are now certifications for
hoverboards that can be found on batteries and chargers, this certification is
UL 2272.
This certification is created and given out by Underwriter
Laboratories. “UL certifies, validates, tests, verifies, inspects, audits,
advises and educates. We provide the knowledge and expertise to help customers
navigate growing complexities across the supply chain from compliance and
regulatory issues to trade challenges and market access. In this way, we
facilitate global trade and deliver peace of mind.”[1]
All UL Certified hoverboards have received a certificate as
well as a holographic labels which feature the UL Enhanced Mark. This makes it
easy for customers to identify excellent quality products, which also has
helped reduce “fake” or bad hoverboards.
“UL Certification means that consumers can purchase with
more peace of mind, knowing that the electrical system has been
safety-certified to electrical and fire safety requirements, and retailers can
source UL certified hoverboards with confidence in their safety certification
and can build UL 2272 compliance into their procurement policies.”
~ Jeff Smidt, Vice President and General Manager of UL’s Energy and Power
Technologies division[2]
UL Charger will say UL on it |
Please keep in mind that this is currently for the United
States of America and not all countries have to have this in order to sell a
hoverboard. With that being said some companies in Canada have decided to get
the UL Certification as well to comfort customers.
The majority of Hoverboards in the market are not UL 2272
certified and most of them do not carry any UL certification for batteries and/or
chargers. Some sellers are still not aware of this certification due to lack of
knowledge in the industry as well as market.
What do these sellers typically do then?
Some sellers are currently liquidating surplus Hoverboards
available in Canada especially in Toronto Market, before UL2272 Hoverboards
enters the market and because of that sometimes they are able to offer very low
prices.
I encourage you to verify that you receive a proper UL
Charger and UL Battery. As well as to make sure that the person/company can
provide you with a proper warranty and local support for hoverboards as well as
any other electric mobility device.
If you have more questions about the UL Certification please
click here
or leave a comment below.
Tune in next week when
I’ll be talking about which store you should consider shopping at.
[2] http://industries.ul.com/blog/ul-certifies-first-hoverboard-to-ul-2272-standard
01-09-2017 @11:44AM
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