SIST EN 61434:2001

• Abstract:

  Applies to secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes. It proposes a mathematically correct method of current designation which shall be used in future secondary cell and battery standards.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Jan-2001
• ICS: 29.220.30 - Alkaline secondary cells and batteries
• Technical Committee: ISCB - Secondary cells and batteries
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 01-Feb-2001
• Due Date: 01-Feb-2001
• Completion Date: 01-Feb-2001
• Ref Project: EN 61434:1996 - Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes - Guide to the designation of current in alkaline secondary cell and battery standards

• Referred By: SIST EN IEC 62368-1:2024 - Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment - Part 1: Safety requirements
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN IEC 63115-1:2020 - Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes - Sealed nickel-metal hydride cells and batteries for use in industrial applications - Part 1: Performance
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 62660-3:2017 - Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electrical road vehicles - Part 3: Safety requirements
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 61960-1:2002 - Secondary lithium cells and batteries for portable applications -- Part 1: Secondary lithium cells
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN IEC 62368-1:2020 - Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment - Part 1: Safety requirements
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 61982-4:2016 - Secondary batteries (except lithium) for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Part 4: Safety requirements of nickel-metal hydride cells and modules
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 61960-2:2002 - Secondary lithium cells and batteries for portable applications -- Part 2: Secondary lithium batteries
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 62660-1:2011 - Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Part 1: Performance testing
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 62660-2:2011 - Secondary lithium-ion cells for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Part 2: Reliability and abuse testing
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 62259:2004 - Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes - Nickel-cadmium prismatic secondary single cells with partial gas recombination
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 61982-1:2013 - Secondary batteries (except lithium) for the propulsion of electric road vehicles - Performance and endurance tests
• Effective Date: 03-Feb-2026

SIST EN 61434:2001 is the Slovenian standard for secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes, published by SIST and based on IEC 1434 / EN 61434. It sets out a mathematically correct way to designate charge and discharge currents in alkaline secondary cell and battery standards, so current values are written unambiguously. The document is mainly for standards writers, battery manufacturers, test laboratories, and others who need a common current notation.

What does SIST EN 61434:2001 specify?

SIST EN 61434:2001 applies to secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes. Its purpose is to define how current should be designated in future standards for these products.

The document is organized into a foreword, an introduction, Clause 1 Scope, and Clause 2 Method of designation. The foreword gives the IEC publication background, and the introduction explains why the older practice of expressing current as a fraction or multiple of capacity raised a unit-consistency issue.

What are the key requirements of SIST EN 61434:2001?

SIST EN 61434:2001 gives one central rule: current designation in alkaline secondary cell and battery standards should be based on a reference test current, I, derived from the rated capacity, C, and the time base, n. In practice, this gives standards a single current reference that can be used across charge and discharge tests.

Define a reference test current

Clause 2 defines the reference test current from the declared rated capacity and the time base used for that capacity. For readers, this means the standard does not leave current naming to local convention - it ties the current symbol to the battery rating and the declared test basis.

Express all test currents from I

Clause 2 says that all charge and discharge currents shall be written as fractions or multiples of I. In practice, anyone writing or reading a test method must first identify I, then state whether the test uses a fraction of I or a multiple of I.

Keep the time base separate from the current value

Clause 2 explains that n is only the time base, in hours, for which the rated capacity is declared. The value of n determines which fraction or multiple of I is used for a particular purpose in a standard, but it does not change the value of I itself. This matters when comparing different battery standards, because the notation stays consistent even if the declared capacity basis changes.

Use the notation for capacity verification

Clause 2 gives capacity verification as the main example of how the notation is applied. The discharge current used to verify rated capacity is selected from the time-base convention chosen in the standard. For test planning, that means the writer must state the capacity basis first and then select the matching current expression.

Keep the units mathematically correct

The introduction explains the reason for the guide: current should not be written as a fraction or multiple of C, because C is a capacity in ampere-hours, not a current in amperes. In practice, this guide gives standards committees a unit-consistent way to describe test currents without mixing current and capacity units.

What terms does SIST EN 61434:2001 define?

• Rated capacity (C) - The manufacturer-declared capacity of the cell or battery, expressed in ampere-hours (Ah), and used as the basis for the reference test current.
• Reference test current (I) - The current derived from C and n and then used as the common basis for charge and discharge current expressions.
• Time base (n) - The number of hours used to declare the rated capacity; it sets the notation used in a given standard.
• Ampere (A) - The unit used for I and for all current expressions in the guide.
• Ampere-hour (Ah) - The unit used for C; it is a capacity unit, not a current unit.
• Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes - The product family covered by the guide.

Who uses SIST EN 61434:2001?

SIST EN 61434:2001 is used by IEC and national standards committees, battery manufacturers, test laboratories, and technical writers preparing product standards for alkaline secondary cells and batteries. Quality managers and buyers use it when reading specifications or test reports that refer to I, C, and n, so they can understand what current basis a standard is using.

What changed in SIST EN 61434:2001 from the previous edition?

SIST EN 61434:2001 is identified as identical to EN 61434:1996.

What does the SIST EN 61434:2001 document contain?

The document contains a foreword, an introduction, Clause 1 Scope, and Clause 2 Method of designation. Clause 2 provides the current-designation rule, including the relation between C, n, and I, and explains how charge and discharge currents are expressed from that reference current. The introduction gives the technical reason for the guide by addressing the units issue behind the traditional C-based notation. Overall, the text is a short drafting guide for standards that need a consistent way to write current values for battery testing and specification.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-februar-2001
Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes -
Guide to the designation of current in alkaline secondary cell and battery
standards
Secondary cells and batteries containing alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes - Guide
to the designation of current in alkaline secondary cell and battery standards
Sekundärzellen und Batterien mit alkalischem oder anderen nicht säurehaltigen
Elektrolyten - Richtlinien für die Bestimmung des Stromes in Normen für alkalische
Sekundärzellen und Batterien
Accumulateurs alcalins et autres accumulateurs à électrolyte non acide - Guide pour
l'expression des courants dans les normes d'accumulateurs alcalins
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 61434:1996
ICS:
29.220.30 $ONDOQLVHNXQGDUQLþOHQLLQ Alkaline secondary cells and
EDWHULMH batteries
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

NORME
CEI
INTERNATIONALE
IEC
INTERNATIONAL
Première édition
STANDARD
First edition
1996-09
Accumulateurs alcalins et autres
accumulateurs à électrolyte non acide –
Guide pour l’expression des courants
dans les normes d’accumulateurs
alcalins
Secondary cells and batteries containing
alkaline or other non-acid electrolytes –
Guide to the designation of current in alkaline
secondary cell and battery standards
 CEI 1996  Droits de reproduction réservés  Copyright - all rights reserved
Aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite ni No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized
utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie et les including photocopying and microfilm, without permission
microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de l'éditeur. in writing from the publisher
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1434 © IEC: 1996 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
________
SECONDARY CELLS AND BATTERIES CONTAINING ALKALINE
OR OTHER NON-ACID ELECTROLYTES –
Guide to the designation of current in alkaline secondary
cell and battery standards
FOREWORD
1) The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of the IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, the IEC publishes International Standards. Their preparation is
entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested in the subject dealt with may
participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-governmental organizations liaising
with the IEC also participate in this preparation. The IEC collaborates closely with the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by agreement between the
two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of the IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an
international consensus of opinion on the relevant
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