Battleborn Battery Safety Issue

[Mark_K5LXP]

Not revealed in the video is how many Ah were restored to the battery during each cycle, good or bad. A battery can't deliver what isn't put into it. Watching charge and discharge profiles can reveal characteristics of the BMS, cells and terminations. I suspect the equipment he's using supplies that data, would be interesting to see it.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[klook]

It looked like he charged it until it stopped? Cant charge it any further.....

 

[DonTom]

can't deliver what isn't put into it.

Can't put in more when the battery is not drawing any more current!

-Don- Maricopa, AZ

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

What did the current and voltage look like while charging? Seeing a graph of both over time tells you a lot.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Kirk]

If you want another opinion by someone who builds RV solar systems, talk with Chad Heiser of Heiser RV Solar & Electric.

Posted 22 hours ago · I
When BB batteries are properly installed, there is no issue with them. I have seen Will's videos and talked with BB about this issue. I have no concern with how they are designed or function. I have installed many BB batteries and never experienced a failure like is being discussed. I always use large cable (4/0) and strong mechanical crimps on the lugs to handle the current/loads. I also make sure those lugs are properly torqued to the battery terminals. This has resulted in zero issues or failures in my experience. We have no idea how the battery Will tore apart in his video was used/abused before he got it. If you pay attention, he states it was sent to him by one of his forum members after it failed. Will simply tore it apart to see what the failure was and (in my opinion) over reacted. Of course once it failed it would arc and do some of the other things Will showed after he tore it apart and manipulated the terminals in ways they couldn't move in an intact battery. If the battery were still intact, it simply wouldn't function anymore, which is how it was designed. There have been a limited number of similar failures, none of which had I ever heard of before Will's videos (and I am on a lot of online RV solar related forums). I can only attribute those failures to improper installations without knowing anymore. Battle Born still stands behind their batteries and warranties them when there are issues. I am still a fan of Battle Born's cylindrical cell battery design over standard prismatic cell designs you see in the vast majority of batteries. My only complaint with BB is their price. They are expensive, but if you have the money to spend and want to get a quality battery, they are a great option.

 

[Gizmo1137]

Wow. The most expensive battery on the market and something like this comes up.

Comments below the video says the problem has been documented since 2019. Basically they bolt the positive terminal to a buss bar using a single steel bolt and between the terminal and buss bar is a plastic spacer. If the terminal gets warm the plastic melts, you have an instant loose connection and everything gets hot. Unbelievable

Liithionics is quite a bit more expensive than Battleborn

 

[Isaac-1]

One has to wonder how well Chad Heiser keeps up with his installations long term, since this is an issue that will only tend to show up down the line after repeated cycling and vibration has occurred.

 

[DonTom]

A battery can't de liver what isn't put into it.

At 57 seconds in the video, it was fully charged.

This video below will start a few seconds before that:

 

[Kirk]

One has to wonder how well Chad Heiser keeps up with his installations long term,

He is very involved with them and has had many return customers. He is a supporter of the National Heavy Truck Rally of RVers as well as his own website. He not only stays in contact with most of the folks he has built RVs for but most of them return if they upgrade or change RVs. The big difference is that he uses all of the products that he recommends and doesn't do podcasts that use sensationalism to attract followers. Instead of speculating, why not look at his site where there is an extensive story of how he got into the business and what he has now?

That trailer has 3390 watts of solar on the roof and can run 1 roof air conditioner all day and night using solar only. Chad is a retired police officer who got into solar in an effort to find a better way. He now works have of the year and travels half in the RV.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

At 57 seconds in the video, it was fully charged

That's an assumption. The BMS may have cut it short, a crappy cell might trip a safety, a bad connection could cause the charger to give up. Just like with a timed discharge test you can't fake Ah delivered, works the same when charging. Watching *all* the operating parameters - current, voltage, time, can reveal clues.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[DonTom]

The BMS may have cut it short, a crappy cell might trip a safety,

Obviously, something was wrong with that new battery. Doesn't make BB batteries look very good.

-Don- Maricopa, AZ

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

And to what end. I guess ideally you'd discover some simple field fix and the supplier will find religion and fix it going forward. But often, time invested reveals some inherent intractable fault the OEM won't acknowlege or accept responsibility for and you're stuck with it. Even if the issue with these battleborns is technically simple, the logistics and scope for deployed units could be terrifically expensive to remedy. Plus the hit to reputation. Will be interesting to learn what is discovered with these units but it doesn't portend well. At best it's the customer being quality control and that's not a fun way to buy consumer products.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[IBTripping]

More Battleborn issues.

 

[zulutron]

Another BattleBurn battery issue . . . CASE MELTING!

BattleBorn Battery Melted

 

[DonTom]

Another BattleBurn battery issue . . . CASE MELTING!

I wonder what he would find if he took a few Chinese batteries apart tested in similar ways.

-Don- Douglas, AZ

 

[klook]

I suspect he is being asked that frequently. I am interested in that.

 

[IBTripping]

I wonder what he would find if he took a few Chinese batteries apart tested in similar ways.

-Don- Douglas, AZ

I follow Will Prowse and he has tested and taken apart a number of Chinese batteries. Some are good. I purchased a 12 volt 100 amp DumFume battery based on his analysis. I chose it because it is well made and protected against low temperature which a lot of Chinese batteries are not.

 

[IBTripping]

Another BattleBurn battery issue . . . CASE MELTING!

BattleBorn Battery Melted

I just watched this latest BattleBorn video. I would not be surprised if BattleBorn soon files for bankruptcy. The evidence is pretty damning and posted about extensively on RV media sites.

 

[DonTom]

I follow Will Prowse and he has tested and taken apart a number of Chinese batteries. Some are good. I purchased a 12 volt 100 amp DumFume battery based on his analysis. I chose it because it is well made and protected against low temperature which a lot of Chinese batteries are not.

I have a 300AH Ampertime in each of my RVs. I wonder how they would test, but since they work fine for me, I figure what I do not know will not hurt me.

Besides, I am never using them anything near their full capacity of 200 amps. Even at 12V (never that low in reality) 12 times 200 amps=2,400 watts. My MW oven/ hair driers, etc are around half of that. Of course there is some loss in the inverter, but not enough for me to be concerned with. Typical is 90% still leaving me more than enough for my needs.

They changed their name to Li-Time. Mine say Ampertime, but I think only the label is different.

-Don- Douglas, AZ

 

[klook]

I have a China one also, Temgot. I also have not pushed it since owning it but that is about to change. Heading West next week and thinking I will need a second one, long term boondocking in Arizona. By long term I mean a month. Have a generator, but want to experiment with a small solar build. Bought 3 320 watt panels yesterday. I got the Temgot based on reviews from people that had bought them in a different forum.