kSIST FprEN 3-11:2026

Portable fire extinguishers - Part 11: Performance, requirements, test method and marking for EN 3-7 extinguishers suitable to be used on lithium-ion battery fires

This document specifies performance requirements for portable fire extinguishers in addition to the requirements of EN 3-7, to demonstrate their suitability for extinguishing fires in rechargeable batteries based on lithium-ion chemistry with a maximum capacity of 600 Wh, as used for example:
- portable electronic equipment (smartphones, laptops);
- power tools and domestic appliances;
- portable medical equipment;
- toys and radio-controlled objects;
- drones;
- bicycles.
This document contains general requirements and procedures for extinguishing tests. The size of the extinguishing tests is comparable to the battery capacities in the above mentioned applications where the battery is accessible. This document doesn’t apply to larger fire

Tragbare Feuerlöscher - Teil 11: Leistungsmerkmale, Anforderungen, Prüfverfahren und Kennzeichnung nach EN 3-7, geeignet für Brände mit Lithium-Ionen-Batterien

Dieses Dokument legt zusätzlich zu den Anforderungen von EN 3-7 Leistungsanforderungen für tragbare Feuerlöscher fest, um deren Eignung zum Löschen von Bränden in wiederaufladbaren Batterien auf Basis von Lithium-Ionen-Chemie mit einer maximalen Kapazität von 600 Wh nachzuweisen, wie sie zum Beispiel in:
- tragbaren elektronischen Geräten (Smartphones, Laptops);
- Elektrowerkzeugen und Haushaltsgeräten;
- tragbaren medizinischen Geräten;
- Spielzeug und funkgesteuerten Objekten;
- Drohnen;
- Fahrrädern angewendet werden.
Dieses Dokument enthält allgemeine Anforderungen und Verfahren für Löschprüfungen. Der Umfang der Löschprüfungen ist mit den Batteriekapazitäten in den vorstehend aufgeführten Anwendungen vergleichbar, bei denen die Batterie zugänglich ist. Dieses Dokument gilt nicht für größere Brandrisiken, wie Fahrzeugbatterien, Gabelstapler und Batteriesätze stationärer Energiespeichersysteme.

Extincteurs d’incendie portatifs - Partie 11 : Performances, exigences, méthode d’essai et marquage pour les extincteurs EN 3 7 utilisables sur des feux de batteries lithium-ion

Le présent document décrit les exigences de performance des extincteurs d’incendie portatifs en complément des exigences de l’EN 3 7:2004+A1:2007 afin de démontrer leur aptitude à éteindre les feux dans les batteries rechargeables et non rechargeables basées sur la chimie des ions-lithium avec une capacité limitée, telles qu’utilisées dans :
-   les équipements électroniques portables (smartphones, ordinateurs portables) ;
-   les outils électroportatifs et les appareils ménagers ;
-   les équipements médicaux portatifs ;
-   les jouets et les objets radiocommandés ;
-   les drones ;
-   les bicyclettes.
Ce document contient des exigences générales et des procédures pour les essais d’extinction. La taille des essais d’extinction est comparable aux capacités des batteries dans les applications susmentionnées. Le présent document ne permet pas de valider l’aptitude à l’extinction de risques de feu plus importants, tels que les batteries de véhicules et les ensembles de batteries de systèmes de stockage d’énergie stationnaires.

Prenosni gasilniki - 11. del: Delovanje, zahteve, preskusna metoda in označevanje gasilnikov EN 3-7, primernih za uporabo pri požarih litij-ionskih baterij

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 29-Apr-2025
• ICS: 13.220.10 - Fire-fighting
• Technical Committee: POZ - Požarna varnost
• Current Stage: 5020 - Formal vote (FV) (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 28-May-2026
• Due Date: 16-Jul-2026
• Completion Date: 29-May-2026
• Ref Project: FprEN 3-11 - Portable fire extinguishers - Part 11: Additional requirements to EN 3-7 for the test method and marking of extinguishers suitable to be used on small rechargeable lithium-ion battery fires

Overview

kSIST FprEN 3-11:2026 is a European standard developed by SIST that specifies additional performance requirements, test methods, and marking guidelines for EN 3-7 portable fire extinguishers designed to be effective on lithium-ion battery fires. The standard addresses fire risks associated with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with a maximum capacity of 600 Wh, commonly found in portable electronic equipment (such as smartphones and laptops), power tools, domestic appliances, medical devices, toys, drones, and e-bikes. The document ensures that fire extinguishers not only meet the core requirements of EN 3-7 but also demonstrate proven capability in handling fires involving lithium-ion batteries, which present unique challenges due to the nature of battery fires.

Key Topics

• Scope and Applicability

  • The standard covers portable fire extinguishers that are suitable for tackling fires in lithium-ion batteries up to 600 Wh, aligning the test scenarios with battery capacities found in typical consumer and professional devices.
  • Larger battery fires-such as those from vehicle batteries or stationary energy storage systems-are out of scope.

• Performance Requirements

  • Extinguishers must first comply with general EN 3-7 requirements, addressing aspects such as A-rating for fire classes and dielectric performance.
  • Additional extinguishing tests specific to lithium-ion batteries must be successfully completed to demonstrate suitability.

• Test Methods

  • The standard outlines robust and standardized test procedures using battery test setups comparable to real-world applications.
  • Fire ratings are defined by the nominal Wh capacity of lithium-ion batteries that extinguishers can effectively control, with structured free-burn and extinguishing test protocols.

• Marking and Instructions

  • Fire extinguishers meeting the requirements are marked with a specific symbol and corresponding performance class (e.g., 600 Wh on lithium battery fires) for easy identification.
  • Marking should be clear, visible, and must not interfere with other legally mandated labels.

• Product Documentation

  • A complete product file with technical datasheets, assembly drawings, material specifications, safety sheets, and test results must be compiled and maintained.

Applications

• Portable Electronics: Ensuring safety for smartphones, laptops, tablets, and similar devices powered by lithium-ion batteries, especially in offices, schools, transportation hubs, or public spaces.
• Industrial and Domestic Tools: Power tools, domestic appliances, and portable medical equipment with lithium-ion batteries-common in homes, workshops, warehouses, and healthcare facilities.
• Recreational and Professional Use: Drones, electric bicycles, toys, and radio-controlled devices, where battery risks require appropriate fire protection.
• Workplace Safety: The standard supports occupational health and safety requirements by specifying both extinguisher performance and safety procedures, including post-fire handling and ventilation measures to mitigate health hazards from combustion products.

Related Standards

• EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007

  • Core European standard defining characteristics, performance requirements, and test methods for portable fire extinguishers.
  • kSIST FprEN 3-11:2026 acts as a supplement for lithium-ion battery fire scenarios.

• ISO and IEC Terminologies

  • Utilizes definitions and concepts from ISO and IEC databases to ensure clarity and international alignment.

• Other EN 3-series Standards

  • kSIST FprEN 3-11 fits within the broader EN 3 series, which addresses requirements, testing, and classification for portable fire extinguishers.

kSIST FprEN 3-11:2026 promotes enhanced fire safety by defining clear test methods, performance requirements, and labeling for extinguishers suitable for the increasing prevalence of lithium-ion battery-powered devices. Adherence to this standard helps manufacturers, users, and safety professionals ensure readiness against lithium-ion battery fires, supporting both product safety and regulatory compliance.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
01-april-2025
Prenosni gasilniki - 11. del: Delovanje, zahteve, preskusna metoda in označevanje
gasilnikov EN 3-7, primernih za uporabo pri požarih litij-ionskih baterij
Portable fire extinguishers - Part 11: Performance, requirements, test method and
marking for EN 3-7 extinguishers suitable to be used on lithium-ion battery fires
Tragbare Feuerlöscher - Teil 11: Leistungsmerkmale, Anforderungen, Prüfverfahren und
Kennzeichnung nach EN 3-7, geeignet für Brände mit Lithium-Ionen-Batterien
Extincteurs d’incendie portatifs - Partie 11 : Performances, exigences, méthode d’essai
et marquage pour les extincteurs EN 3 7 utilisables sur des feux de batteries lithium-ion
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 3-11
ICS:
13.220.10 Gašenje požara Fire-fighting
oSIST prEN 3-11:2025 en,fr,de
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
prEN 3-11
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
February 2025
ICS 13.220.10
English Version
Portable fire extinguishers - Part 11: Performance,
requirements, test method and marking for EN 3-7
extinguishers suitable to be used on lithium-ion battery
fires
Extincteurs d'incendie portatifs - Partie 11 : Tragbare Feuerlöscher - Teil 11: Leistungsmerkmale,
Performances, exigences, méthode d'essai et marquage Anforderungen, Prüfverfahren und Kennzeichnung
pour les extincteurs EN 3-7 utilisables sur des feux de nach EN 3-7, geeignet für Brände mit Lithium-Ionen-
batteries lithium-ion Batterien
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 70.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.

Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.

EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATIO N

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUN G

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2025 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 3-11:2025 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
prEN 3-11:2025 (E)
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 General requirements . 6
4.1 General product requirements . 6
4.2 Product file . 6
5 Suitability for extinguishing lithium-ion battery fires . 6
5.1 General. 6
5.2 Fire rating . 6
5.3 Results . 7
6 Marking . 7
6.1 General. 7
6.2 Pictogram . 8
Annex A (normative) Extinguishing tests . 9
Annex B (informative) Model test report . 14
Annex C (informative) Safety precautions during the execution of the tests . 16

oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
prEN 3-11:2025 (E)
European foreword
This document (prEN 3-11:2025) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 70 “Manual
means of fire fighting equipment”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document describes a reliable and standardized fire extinguishing test that demonstrates the
suitability of an EN 3-7 fire extinguisher model to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. It also specifies
corresponding marking.
This document has been prepared by a working group of CEN/TC 70.
oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
prEN 3-11:2025 (E)
Introduction
Rechargeable batteries based on lithium chemistry have high energy density, low weight, and a long
service life. These characteristics make this type of battery very popular in portable and mobile
applications such as laptops, mobile phones, power tools, bicycles, and cars.
This relatively new technology has a considerable disadvantage: the contents of the battery cells can
ignite due to overloading, heating, or mechanical damage. An uncontrollable chemical reaction
(‘thermal runaway’) then occurs in the battery cell and large amounts of heat are released in a short
period of time. This usually causes intense flames and leads to a sharp rise of pressure and temperature
in the cell.
Modern lithium-ion batteries have built-in protective circuits that prevent ignition by overloading. But
these systems cannot prevent ignition of the cell as a result of heating or mechanical damage. After the
first cell in a lithium-ion battery is ignited, the heat will cause a thermal runaway in adjacent cells as
well and the fire will spread through the battery pack until all cells are fully burnt. This releases a great
deal of energy for a prolonged time which may ignite other combustible materials in the vicinity.
Test-protocol
As of yet, there are no known extinguishing agents that can stop a thermal runaway in a lithium-ion
battery cell. There are, however, extinguishing agents that can effectively stop the fire propagation in
the battery pack.
The fire development in burning lithium ion batteries cannot be compared with the development of
normal fires of solid materials, liquids or gases. Therefore, existing test protocols of
EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007 cannot be used for the evaluation of the suitability of extinguishing agents for
this specific risk.
The test protocol described in this document can be used to demonstrate that a certain extinguishing
agent used in combination with a specific type or model of portable fire extinguisher can stop a fire in a
lithium battery pack. The test protocol is aligned with the current common capacity of bicycle batteries.
WARNING During an extinguishing action, the user of a portable fire extinguisher is exposed to
health risks as a result of the released heat and combustion products. This is the case with any fire, but
certainly when lithium-ion batteries are involved. This type of fire releases toxic and highly irritating
combustion products. The user is advised to follow specific instruction for this type of fire and use
suitable personal protection equipment, for example a breathing mask. Where applicable, it is advised
to pay close attention to these risks and measures in the workplace safety procedures.
During and after a lithium-ion battery fire, it is important to thoroughly ventilate the area to remove
harmful combustion products.
After each extinguishing action it is advised:
— to cool damaged and burnt batteries under water for a prolonged time (48 h) to prevent re-ignition;
— to store damaged batteries outside at a safe distance from other objects until they can be safely
removed;
— to consider proper treatment of the used cooling water.
oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
prEN 3-11:2025 (E)
1 Scope
This document describes performance requirements for portable fire extinguishers in addition to the
requirements of EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007, to demonstrate their suitability for extinguishing fires in
rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries based on lithium ion chemistry with a limited capacity, as
used in:
— portable electronic equipment (smartphones, laptops);
— power tools and domestic appliances;
— portable medical equipment;
— toys and radio-controlled objects;
— drones;
— bicycles.
This document contains general requirements and procedures for extinguishing tests. The size of the
extinguishing tests is comparable to the battery capacities in the abovementioned applications.
Suitability for extinguishing larger fire risks, such as vehicle batteries and battery sets of stationary
energy storage systems, cannot be validated with this document.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007, Portable fire extinguishers — Part7: Characteristics, performance requirements
and test methods
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
cell
battery cell
single source of electrical energy obtained by the conversion of chemical energy
3.2
battery
set of interconnected battery cells in a common enclosure
3.3
pouch cell
battery cell with a flat shape, of which the internal components are stacked and packed in a plastic foil
oSIST prEN 3-11:2025
prEN 3-11:2025 (E)
3.4
NMC
nickel manganese cobalt oxide
type identification of lithium batteries based on nickel manganese cobalt oxide (LiNiMnCoO ) chemistry
4 General requirements
4.1 General product requirements
The portable fire extinguisher shall at least meet the requirements of EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007, including:
— the extinguisher has an A-rating in accordance with 6.4.2 of EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007;
— successful completion of the dielectric test shall be demonstrated in accordance with Clause 9 of
EN 3-7:2004+A1:2007.
4.2 Product file
Before the start of the extinguishing tests (Annex A), a complete product file shall be submitted
containing at least the following information:
— detailed technical specifications of the extinguisher (technical datasheet);
— detailed parts and assembly drawings documenting material specifications, dimensions and
tolerances and, where relevant, production processes;
— detailed specifications of extinguishing
...