HEADING 85.07 - ELECTRIC ACCUMULATORS INCLUDING SEPARATORS THEREFOR WHETHER OR NOT RECTANGULAR (INCLUDING SQUARE).
37 COMMODITIES
8507.10 - Lead-acid of a kind used for starting piston engines
8507.20 - Other lead-acid accumulators
8507.30 - Nickel-cadmium
8507.40 - Nickel-iron
8507.80 - Other accumulators
8507.90 - Parts
Electric accumulators (storage batteries) are used to store electricity and supply it when required. A direct current is passed through the accumulator producing certain chemical changes (charging); when the terminals of the accumulator are subsequently connected to an external circuit these chemical changes reverse and produce a direct current in the external circuit (discharging). This cycle of operations charging and discharging can be repeated for the life of the accumulator.
Accumulators consist essentially of a container holding the electrolyte in which are immersed two electrodes fitted with terminals for connection to an external circuit. In many cases the container may be subdivided each subdivision (cell) being an accumulator in itself; these cells are usually connected together in series to produce a higher voltage. A number of cells so connected is called a battery. A number of accumulators may also be assembled in a larger container.
The main types of accumulators are :
(1) Lead-acid accumulators in which the electrolyte is sulphuric acid and the electrodes lead plates or lead grids supporting active material.
(2) Alkaline accumulators in which the electrolyte is usually potassium or lithium hydroxide and the electrodes are either :
(i) Positive electrodes of nickel or nickel compounds and negative electrodes of iron. or (ii) Positive electrodes of nickel or nickel compounds and negative electrodes of cadmium. The electrodes may consist of simple plates grids rods etc. or of grids or tubes covered or filled with a special paste of the active material. The containers for lead-acid accumulators are usually made of glass or in the case of car batteries are moulded from plastic hard rubber or composition material. In big stationary accumulators glass or lead lined plastic or wood boxes are used while containers for alkaline accumulators are usually of steel or plastics. Certain nickel-cadmium accumulators are contained in small waterproof containers and have the external appearance of dry batteries of heading 85.06.
Some lead-acid accumulators are fitted with a hydrometer which measures the specific gravity of the electrolyte and so indicates roughly the degree of charge of the accumulator. Electric accumulators remain classified here even if presented without their electrolyte.
This heading does not cover spent electric accumulators and waste and scrap thereof; these are classified in heading 85.48.
PARTS
Subject to the general provisions regarding the classification of parts (see the General Explanatory Note to Section XVI) the heading also covers parts of accumulators e.g. containers and covers; lead plates and grids whether or not coated with paste; separators of any material (except of unhardened vulcanised rubber or of textile material) including those in the form of flat plates merely cut into rectangles (including squares) meeting very precise technical specifications (porosity dimensions etc.) and hence ready for use.
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