You may have noticed that almost every LiFePO4 battery cell has a QR code on it.
What is the LiFePO4 QR code?
The QR code is generated by a combination of characters that represent information about the LFP battery cell. This is shown in the picture below(Notice where it is on the battery).
Using QR code parsing software (you can do this with your phone’s QR code parsing app), you will get this string of battery information. Some manufacturers will inscribe this string of characters next to the QR code, such as EVE.
Actually the string parsed by QR code is this horizontal and vertical string engraved next to the QR code.
How to parse the QR code information?
You can parse the QR code by reading the description of it in the specification.
Let’s take the QR code of EVE 3.2V 280Ah LF280K as an example to explain the process of parsing the LiFePO4 battery cell information.
We read out the string of this battery as 04QCB76717900JB5S0005806.
According to the encoding rules, we can get the following information.
- Vendor Code: EVE
- Production Type: Cell
- Cell Type: LiFePO4
- Model: LF280K
- Production Line: 71
- Task Code: 79
- Factory Address: Jingmen
- Production Date: May 29th 2021
- Product Serial No.: 5806
In fact, for the buyer, only the production date needs to be concerned. So let’s focus on describing the parsing rules of date code.
The date of manufacture is the 15th, 16th and 17th characters, which correspond to the year, month and day respectively.
In this case it is B5S.
Year: 1~9 represents 2011-2019, the next years are in alphabetical order A~Z, A represents 2020, B represents 2021…
Month: 1~9 represents January to September, A~C represents October to December.
Day: 1~9 for the 1st to the 9th, A~V for the 10th to the 31st.
So B5S represents the production date of May 29th, 2021.
How to use QR Code to avoid buying fake battery cells?
Suggested steps:
1, Ask the seller for a photo of the QR code of the battery cell before purchase.
Sellers of A-grade battery cells are happy to provide this information if they are.
such as Energiepanda will usually offer to provide the QR Code of the battery cell to the buyer.
2, parse the date of manufacture.
Production dates preferably within a year to avoid buying old stock.
3, Check whether the QR code is in the right place.
- The QR code of A-grade cells is always in the position marked on the Specification.
- The QR code of B-grade battery has only a smaller QR code in different position with a different coding rule. The original large QR code will be scraped
- The QR code for fake batteries is elsewhere and does not parsing any information or points to a strange URL. Some fake batteries have QR codes that are printed with white paint rather than laser engraved.
In short, the QR code for LiFePO4 battery cell is its identification, which allows you to know the production information about the battery before you buy it.
Conclusion
1, Understanding the relationship between energy density and weight and volume of LiFePO4 batteries can help us identify sellers who have falsely marked their capacities. — see How to Quickly Identify Fake LFP Battery Cells Part 1 – Weight & Volume.
2, Access to specification can help us find a serious and compliant seller. — see How to Quickly Identify Fake LFP Battery Cells Part 2 – Specification(datasheet).
3, Learning to read QR codes can help us identify old stock/refurbished/fake battery cells.
We can use the above methods to identify fake batteries and find a trustworthy seller so as to minimize the risk of transactions.
There are many Lithium Iron Phosphate battery suppliers, but Energie Panda provides you brand new grade A LiFePO4 battery cells.
Any question and inquiries please send email to info@energiepanda.com, we answer quickly.
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Should the QR code information that is printed on the QR code label match the numbers received when when scanning the QR code with a QR code scanner?
The QR code printed on my label indicated the cells are EVE, however the numbers received when when scanning the QR code with a QR code scanner appears to be for CATA cells.
The serial number （printed beside the QR code）and the scanning result of QR code should be same. If it is an EVE battery cell, the vendor code should be 02Y or 04Q.