Verify Genuine Battery Cells from Chinese Suppliers
A carton of cells arrives with a batch report and a UN38.3 summary. The cells look new, the papers official. The question is whether they describe the same thing — often they do not. Follow it through three steps — cell, paperwork, instruments — and stop where it breaks.
Appearance and Code Pre-screening
QR and Laser Code
Tier-one makers (CATL, EVE, Panasonic, Samsung) laser-etch the code into the can. A sticker can be moved to another cell, why it comes first. Scan and compare:
| Scan field | What a real cell returns |
|---|---|
| Brand and model | Same string as the label and your PO |
| Capacity | Datasheet figure, not a bigger printed one |
| Batch and date | Inside shelf life, traceable to a batch report |
| Status | Live lookup on the maker's domain |
Red Flags in the Code
A sticker QR, a scan that returns nothing, several cells sharing one code, a code ground off. Any one means the code is not tied to one cell. Stop there.
Terminals, Tabs and Welds
New A-grade cells have flat terminals and clean welds. Used-pack cells keep weld marks, and sellers polish them because a used cell sells for less. A magnifier shows the rough seam.
Shell, Dimensions and Weight
The wrap should be smooth, no bulge or dent. With calipers, one model sits in a very small spread; a bulge means gas inside. A light cell has less active material. Compare with a known-genuine cell.
Traceability and Document Verification
The Factory Batch Test Report
Ask for the original batch report, not a screenshot. Its code must match the cell, and it must carry capacity, internal resistance, self-discharge and OCV.
Brand-owner Verification
Send the serial or batch number to the maker's service channel. Some brands answer only by email; a reply is worth more than a certificate nobody can check.
When to Walk Away
No original report, screenshots only, codes that do not match, or a report issued to a name that differs from the licence. Each means the paper belongs to someone else's order.
Certificate Checks: UN38.3, IEC 62133, MSDS
Certificates come from the cell maker. We check that the document names the model in your order and fits your market.
What a UN38.3 Summary Carries
Since January 2020 the cell maker must supply a test summary on request. Ask for this batch's. Fields vary by carrier and market; fullest version: 49 CFR 173.185.
- Manufacturer name and contact
- Model number
- Chemistry: lithium-ion or lithium metal
- Watt-hour rating or lithium content
- Test lab name and contact
- Report number and date
- Tests and results, T1–T8
- Assembled-battery test reference
- Edition of the UN Manual used
- Responsible person's name and title
Ask for a reissued summary.
Match the Model String, Then the Lab
`LP504060` and `LP504060A` are different cells. The common forgery is a real report for a similar model with the model field edited. Compare three strings character by character: the label, the report, your PO. Then the lab: check its accreditation number on the CNAS site (`www.cnas.org.cn`) and that the scope covers battery testing. An IEC 62133 CB number reads `CN/[lab]/[number]/CB`; look it up in the IECEE online certificate system (`certificates.iecee.org`).
MSDS, CE and What They Do Not Prove
An MSDS is a safety document, not a performance test: check the date and transport mode. A CE Declaration of Conformity is the manufacturer's statement, not a report; read the EN 62133-2.
Instrument Testing
Open-circuit Voltage (OCV)
New cells from one batch hold a tight voltage spread; cells pulled from packs spread wide.
AC Internal Resistance
One model has a fixed resistance range. Refurbished and low-grade cells run high and the batch scatters.
Capacity Grading
Charge fully, discharge at constant current, compare measured capacity with the figure on the shell. Fake cells print a bigger number and deliver less.
Self-discharge
Charge fully, rest 7–14 days, measure the voltage drop. Old cells lose voltage faster.
Do not open a cell; a punctured one can catch fire.
Factory Visits and Third-party Inspection
Can I Visit the Factory?
Yes, by appointment. We are a trading company, so the visit is to the partner factory running your order; travel and accommodation are at your cost. Ask to see the welding line, the aging racks, the BMS station, and the warehouse with your model's cartons. If you cannot travel, ask for a live walk-through, not a recording.
Who Can Inspect the Goods for Me?
SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek and TÜV run pre-shipment inspections and factory audits in China. You appoint the body; it invoices you and issues the report. A day on site is about US$300–500, an indicative industry range, not our quote.
What an Inspector Should Check
Headcount, whether the lines run, whether the equipment is in use, and whether the model matches your PO. A finished pack needs a pack-level test; a cell report does not cover the BMS.
FAQ
Does a UN38.3 Report Cover My Model?
Only if the model string matches character for character and the lab checks out.
The Certificate Model Has an Extra Letter. Is That Fine?
No. A suffix means another cell, BMS or revision. Ask for a report naming your model.
Can I Visit the Factory Before Paying a Deposit?
Yes, by appointment; travel and accommodation at your cost.
Who Pays for Third-party Inspection?
You do. You appoint the body; it invoices you and the report is yours.
Is a B-grade Cell Counterfeit?
No. B-grade cells are genuine cells the factory rejected for missing spec: not counterfeit, not A-grade.
The first two cost nothing but a phone call. Run the instruments last.
Compiled by Novel Home Goods (Yiwu foreign trade and one-stop sourcing services) for overseas buyers sourcing in China. We provide sourcing, inspection and local support in Yiwu.
Key facts at a glance
- The checks in this guide — QR and serial traceability, terminal and weld inspection, shell dimensions, weight, internal resistance and OCV, and capacity grading — are physical and documentary checks that a buyer can run or commission.
- B-grade is not counterfeit: B-grade cells are genuine cells rejected by the original factory for failing to meet standard. They are not counterfeit, but they are not brand-new A-grade cells either.
- Traceability is the conclusive route: brand official verification and the original factory batch test report, matched one-to-one with the code on the cell.
- Our boundary: we can arrange a pre-shipment self-check on request — quantity, appearance, function, packing and carton marks against the approved sample — and issue a self-check record [F-SVC-0008][F-SVC-0018]. We are not a testing laboratory: capacity grading and instrument testing are carried out by a testing body that you appoint, and its report, its cost and its liability are its own.
Who we are — and what we do not do
Novel Home Goods is the export brand of YIWU RUIHA TRADING CO.,LTD., a sourcing agent and export trading company based in Yiwu, Zhejiang, China. We are not a factory: we own no production lines, and we source from a network of partner factories [F-SVC-0001].
What we do
- Source products in China to your specification, and quote FOB Yiwu, tax not included [F-SVC-0002].
- Arrange a pre-shipment self-check on request: quantity, appearance, function, packing and carton marks, all checked against the approved sample. We issue a self-check record and a packing list.
- Welcome you at our Yiwu office and warehouse — by appointment in advance [F-SVC-0006].
- Paid add-on services on request: hotel booking and interpreter accompaniment (languages arranged to your needs).
- Accept enquiries of any size: our sourcing service has no minimum order threshold [F-SVC-0019].
What we do not do
- We are not a freight forwarder and we do not offer freight forwarding [F-SVC-0017]. You appoint your own forwarder; ask your forwarder for freight rates and transit times. A freight quotation is valid for 7 days — that is the validity of the quotation, not a transit time [F-LOGI-0002].
- We do not book space, we do not handle customs clearance, and we do not provide a consolidation warehouse. Those steps belong to the forwarder you appoint.
- We do not offer DDP door-to-door delivery [F-SVC-0010].
- We do not issue visa invitation letters [F-SVC-0011].
- We do not publish commission rates [F-SVC-0005]. Commission depends on order size and is calculated on the product value of the order — contact us for a quote [F-SVC-0020].
- We do not issue inspection reports: we are not a third-party inspection body. Where a third-party report is required, it is commissioned from an accredited third party that you appoint, and that report, its cost and its liability are the third party's.
Terms: T/T in full before shipment [F-SVC-0003]. Sample fees are charged, and deducted from the order payment once the order is placed [F-SVC-0004]. Each product's Minimum order quantity (MOQ) is set by the supplier and printed on that product page — that is a separate matter from the sourcing service threshold above [F-SVC-0016].
Sources
- F-LOGI-0002 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0001 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0002 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0003 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0004 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0005 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0006 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0008 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0010 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0011 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0016 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0017 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0018 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0019 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-16
- F-SVC-0020 — Company confirmation (first-hand, verified with staff) — checked 2026-09-24