Battleborn Battery Safety Issue

[jd1923]

11 hours ago, 2008RN said:

I updated my Truck to a 245Amp alternator with 4/0 to one battery and upgraded the link between batteries to 2/0.  I ran 1/0 back to the Oli for the Victron DC to DC charger.   While I was working with the big wires, I did the John Davies clean up in the battery compartment with 4/0 with smartshunt and shut off  switch  so that when I upgrade from AGM to Lithium I would have a good foundation. 

I bought a hydraulic crimper and I loved it.  Made all the work so much easier.  While I was at it I bought several extra lugs from 6ga to 4/0.  I love my dog but for me tools are mans best friend. They can make life so much easier, they just aren't warm and snuggly. 

You worked some great upgrades! Love your tool sentiment, but I'd be in trouble with Chris on the dog thing. 🤣

I've rewired all the important things in the Oliver, also added the DC-2-DC charger but using only 4 AWG. I understand a EE calculation calls for 2 AWG, and your a step better than that. I worked mine on a tighter budget, used the frame for the B- length of the truck, 65 ft total with a long-bed, and the design works well (less length, thinner wire). I also spent enough replacing the 130A OEM alternator with a US made, high quality 180A unit, thinking +50A was enough. I doubled the +/- connections from alternator to starter batteries by adding just 2 ft additional 6 AWG. (The main Oliver ground was only 6 AWG and I doubled that too.)

I get 35 Ah charging at idle with the 5.9 Cummins, numbers in the 40s when towing (highest reading 49A) with the Orion 50A. No issues ever with any of the cable and HW. Chris and I LOVE this upgrade. Five hours on the road will consistently provide over 200 Ah. In a 600 Ah system that's a 33% increase in SOC %, rain or shine! Ever get too low when boondocking, time to hit the road! 😎

Quality copper wire costs a fortune today. Sooooo high they are opening new copper mines in Arizona after many had closed decades ago!

My battery compartment is simpler than anybody's! I didn't want anything but batteries, 4/0 cables, insulation and tie-downs, nothing else (see before and after pics). What a mess OTT made of the battery bay, OMG. None of the extra 6 AWG wires were necessary. I cut off most of their length and attached them to interior buses.

For 45 years I have been servicing vehicles. Often the first thing I do is grab a 1/2" wrench and disconnect ground to battery. That's my shut-off. I understand in most use-cases a switch is handy, but our Oliver is 24x7x365 never in storage, only shut-off when working another mod. I also never turn off the inverter nor outside courtesy lights. The rooftop solar handles that.

I installed the shunt on the other end of the main 4/0 ground cable, attached directly to the inverter terminal with a shorty 4/0.

Back to the subject at hand...
For those replacing Battleborn batteries, it's a good time to upgrade the wiring and other electrical mods.

[CRM]

New Statement from BB. 

[rich.dev]

26 minutes ago, CRM said:

Statement from BB. 

 

Just more bla bla bla…when I read garbage generic responses like this I want to 🤮, the CEO’s coffee maker probably pulled this letter from their 10yo archives!

Why not own up to the fact their batteries have an issue, or at least come back with a something /video some explanation that makes sense to people that have more than 2 brain cells why Will Prowse, and btw Lithionics who called them out for same issues year ago, are taking too much kool aid! 

[2008RN]

1 hour ago, rich.dev said:

Why not own up to the fact their batteries have an issue, or at least come back with a something /video some explanation that makes sense to people that have more than 2 brain cells

Because it is easier and cheaper to deny and shift blame, and hope that a class action doesn't take place. This is the way the world has gone, no integrity.  I would bet the CEO is selling any shares if they even have them.  Sorry for the rant.

[rich.dev]

6 minutes ago, 2008RN said:

Because it is easier and cheaper to deny and shift blame, and hope that a class action doesn't take place.

I will be very surprised if a class action does not take place!  

[Mike and Carol]

9 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Back to the subject at hand...
For those replacing Battleborn batteries, it's a good time to upgrade the wiring and other electrical mods.

I’ve ordered my new Epoch 300aH batteries.  When we, @mountainoliver and I, did my upgrade from AGM’s to the Battle Borns, we also recabled everything so that like John, I have one red cable and one black cable in the battery box.  My Battle Borns are just over 5 years old.  I’ll keep them for a while as this Dragon Fly crisis progresses.  Mike

[topgun2]

2 hours ago, 2008RN said:

Because it is easier and cheaper to deny and shift blame, and hope that a class action doesn't take place.

 

2 hours ago, rich.dev said:

I will be very surprised if a class action does not take place!  

According to AI as of 2pm 2-12-2026

There is not an active, certified class-action lawsuit against Battle Born Batteries at this time, but a class-action lawsuit investigation is underway due to reported issues with overheating battery terminals. 

If you own Battle Born batteries, a survey has been circulating to gather information for the class action lawsuit investigation. 

 

Key Issues Under Investigation

The potential lawsuit stems from a reported design flaw in certain Battle Born battery models (specifically 12V, 100Ah, and potentially the GC2 models) where the positive terminal can overheat significantly during charging or under load. 

• Design Flaw: The positive terminal design is alleged to be problematic, with plastic isolating the terminal post from the busbars, forcing all current through a single aluminum bolt and nut. This can lead to the nut loosening, the plastic melting, and dangerous temperatures.
• Safety Concerns: Temperatures at the terminal have been reported to exceed 250°F (120°C), posing fire and burn hazards.
• Company Response: Battle Born Batteries (parent company Dragonfly Energy) has stated the terminal melting is an intentional "thermal failsafe" feature designed to prevent heat from reaching the internal cells in cases of misuse or improper installation.
• Warranty Issues: Some customers report that warranty claims related to these issues have been denied, which critics argue is contributing to the call for legal action. 

For potential claimants, industry experts and consumers on forums suggest:

• Checking the temperature of your battery's positive terminal under load using a temperature gun.
• Contacting the law firms conducting the investigation, whose information can be found through resources like the survey link mentioned in the search results. 

[Mike and Carol]

I will check the temps of my positive terminals right before I swap them out with new batteries.  Not sure having them “on” during the trip from storage to our driveway will show much.  My new batteries have shipped and they will be installed before our next trip.  I’m just not comfortable with the overheating/fire risk to keep using them.  Mike

[Patriot]

“Battle Burn” 🔥 C/A questionnaire. If this link is accurate it would appear the class action sharks smell blood and are circling in the water. 

If only BB would have just come clean and owned the issue(s) from the beginning I think things would be different.

It appears they decided not to and opted to just gaslight or manipulate owners into thinking there is nothing to see here. It falls into my bucket of; you maybe able to fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. IMHO, whether BB owns up or not this could continue to be a very costly miscalculation on their behalf.

IF the attached C/A sign up is true and accurate, it appears they are looking at 2022 to present YM 100 AH batts as listed. This more than likely a vetting process to see if there are enough claims to even move forward. One thing is for sure, if there is no money to be made the sharks will drop this process like a hot rock and move on. Most class actions can take years to settle. 

It will be interesting to see how this all turns out. 

https://forms.classactionu.org/253644899937884

 

Edited February 13 by Patriot

[mountainoliver]

After I had heard about the issues that Battle Born was having, I initially tested my three batteries. I installed my batteries about six years ago and at least initially didn’t have any issues with them. We were in the midst of a two month trip so my testing was very rudimentary. I just ran a 1500 watt electric heater on my inverter for about a half hour. That loaded the batteries to 122 amps which only put about 41 amps on each battery. With this test I was only checking for hot positive terminals. No issues there. After we got back home I decided to replace all of the Battle Born batteries with two Epoch 300 ah batteries at the wise counsel of another Oliver owner. Anyway, I decided to perform a more detailed test on the three old batteries. I had an old 400 watt inverter that I connected with a 100 watt incandescent light bulb (remember those) and connected the input to each battery one at a time. This would put approximately 8 amps load on the battery. I first charged each battery to make sure they were fully charged. I finished my initial battery test today. First and third batteries lasted about 12 hours each. The inverter will turn itself off at 10 volts which is the voltage that a lithium battery is considered dead. The 12 hour time frame seems about right, 100 amp/hr (battery) divided by 8 amps (load) is about 12.5 hours so I think my actual test is fairly accurate. The second battery only lasted a few hours and died to the point that the charger would not recognize any voltage so wouldn’t start charging. I had to jumper a good battery in parallel with the dead one so that the charger would start then after just a couple of minutes I removed the good battery and charging continued. Anyway, I’m going to re test the bad one tomorrow. My original 300 ah had turned into 200 ah! Over the past couple of years I had noticed that the battery pack seemed to draw down quicker than before and that I had to recharge them more frequently. We do all sorts of camping typically, a mixture of boondocking and various stages of campgrounds. We typically camp not just a few days boondocking which is easy for any trailer but we’ll boondock for maybe two weeks at a time. This past year we were in our camper for a total of six months. Four months in the west and two months in the south east. During that time we spent a week here and there boondocking and sometimes in campgrounds with no hook ups. Anyway, it had become more difficult to boondock in the last couple of years. We have a compressor fridge that of course runs 24/7 and then other typical loads. I didn’t know it but we had one third of our battery capacity gone! I’m glad I changed these out for the Epoch batteries! My takeaway and suggestion for others (not just Battle Born owners) is to periodically fully test your lithium batteries. There are load testers sold on Amazon specifically designed to test them and they are a little more elegant than the inverter/light bulb arrangement that I used. The Epoch Essentials 300ah batteries have Bluetooth and can be electronically controlled. The output or charge input can be turned off and on through the app so in a multi battery setup each battery can be isolated. I have not experimented with this feature yet but could potentially make it easier to test one battery at a time in place without having to remove them. Anyway, fellow Battle Born owners test your batteries!

Edited yesterday at 01:32 PM by mountainoliver
Wording

[Mike and Carol]

Thanks, Ken, nice write up!  I’m replacing my 3 BB’s this week with the same Epoch batteries.  I will attempt to test the BB’s also once I get them out.  Mike

[topgun2]

43 minutes ago, mountainoliver said:

Anyway, I’m going to re test the bad one tomorrow.

Any plans to return the battery to BB under their warranty?

Bill

p.s.  nice test -  since you didn't mention it - did you keep track of the positive terminal temps when you did these tests?

[mountainoliver]

During my initial high amp test while camping I specifically was looking for high terminal temperature. I did not see any temperature problems. During my long term low amp test at home (only 8.5 amps) I did not see any terminal heating. I believe the bad battery has an internal issue or several bad cells. No I am not going to pursue any warranty claims. I’ve already replaced the batteries so I don’t need them for the trailer. Besides BB charges about $150 to test the battery and I would have to pay for shipping. If they don’t replace the battery under warranty I would be responsible for their charge and all shipping. Not worth it to me at this point. 

[mountainoliver]

I forgot to mention that my initial high amp test tested all of the batteries at once. Since we were in the midst of a two month trip I didn’t want to shut down my 12 volt system to individually test each battery. I didn’t even check the individual amp draw at each battery. I simply applied a 122 amp draw to the entire battery pack via the inverter for a half hour and kept checking the terminals for a temperature change. 

[mountainoliver]

The second test of the “bad” battery just finished. That battery started out fully charged this morning and only lasted for 6 1/2 hours. It again shut down with so little voltage that the charger will not recognize a voltage and start charging. The other two batteries took the load for over 12 hours, the inverter shut down at 10 volts as it should. The charger was able to begin charging immediately. This second test confirms that this one battery is defective in some way and can only handle a load for a short period of time. No telling how quickly it discharges under a much heavier load. My Battle Born testing is done! Two good batteries and one bad battery. Now I’ve got to find something to do with these two batteries.

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, mountainoliver said:

The second test of the “bad” battery just finished.

Similar outcome shown by the “Grand Adventurer” RV guy, the YouTube video I posted above. You have 1 of 3 bad and he had 2 of 6 bad. Both of you noticed your SOC was not what it used to be! Good test Ken!

I still have a drawer full of incandescent GE Reveal bulbs at home, for the health of our eyes and heart!

[Hokieman]

 

16 hours ago, mountainoliver said:

Now I’ve got to find something to do with these two batteries.

I had 3 BB 100’s in use for 5 years, worked great, no problems.   I was getting increasingly paranoid about my family safety, so I sold them on Facebook Marketplace for $150 each.   I tested each one and made sure the buyer was fully informed of the issues.  He was aware, but was looking for a bargain and willing to take his chances.   I could perhaps have gotten a higher price, but my conscience kept me from being greedy.   The way I figure it, I had $2450 total invested, so the cost of 300AH of trouble-free use cost me $400/year.   I saved way more than that by boondocking.   There are several dozens of them for sale on FB Marketplace in my local rural area, so my guess is many others feel the same way.  

14 hours ago, jd1923 said:

You have 1 of 3 bad and he had 2 of 6 bad.

It might interest some that @Overland had 2 out of 4 go bad in 2021.   This was before the present design problems were known, apparently BB told him the BMS went bad.   I recall he did a lot of off-road, so maybe his terminals shook loose internally and got hot.   @Overland  was able to get BB to pay for shipping and replace.  

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/4956-lithium-battery-upgrade/page/2/

Those were the days when BB was widely regarded as the #1 brand, and there were no reliable Chinese competitors.   See Will Prowse glowing endorsement on YouTube from 2020 if interested.   Yep, same guy that blew this up on the web, may have been indirectly responsible for becoming one of BB best salespersons.  

Edited 2 hours ago by Hokieman
Removed comments that were not clear.

[mountainoliver]

Yes, I saw all of the glowing reviews six years ago when I did my upgrade to lithium batteries. Back then Oliver had just introduced their lithium trailer and there weren’t many choices for lithium batteries. Battle Born was the gold standard then. This goes to show that lab testing has little resemblance to real world life testing day in and day out over the years. Even now and with most things we buy, we do our homework and research the best we can and select the best option. I’m not too upset with the way this has turned out. These batteries have traveled many miles in six years and have been well used all without any maintenance. We on average spend four months out of the year in our trailer every year, in 2025 it was six months. We are ready for the next chapter!

[thompsonkd]

Mountainoliver, thanks for the clear writeup of your battery issue. I was wondering if you could elaborate on your choice of two 300 AH batteries versus 3 or 4 of the 105 AH, of course besides the increased AH! Your trailer is similar to ours in age-have you changed any of the wiring as to gauge to accommodate the increased AH? What is a general rundown on your electrical system? Again, appreciate your writeup. 
David

[mountainoliver]

Over the years I have found that more amp/hrs would be of benefit. I initially felt that the 300 amp/hrs of the BB batteries were enough but with the compressor fridge on 24/7 during winter traveling and a few cloudy days here and there, my batteries would draw down to less than I am comfortable with. Anyway, two of the 300 amp/hr batteries seem to be the wave of the future. Having two still gives me the redundancy that I like. As built, Oliver used 4/0 welding cable for the main battery connections to the inverter. These are large enough for the 2,000 watt inverter and are protected by a 250 amp fuse. These wire for all other dc circuits is #6 welding cable and is adequate for the existing dc circuits in the trailer. I did not install a larger Progressive Dynamics charger or a larger inverter so I didn’t feel it necessary to upsize any wiring. I do have the air conditioner wired so that I can run it through the inverter but it only draws about 90 dc amps. The microwave by comparison draws about 120-130 dc amps. Really the only thing I did when I initially installed the lithium batteries six years ago was to clean up some of the wiring by moving all of the #6 wiring out of the battery box and I added a circuit breaker. Not too involved. 

[thompsonkd]

Thank you Mountainoliver. There is the cost differential from the 3X 105 to two X 300 AH batteries versus, but two 300 AH would allow for future upgrades and it’s good to know that the existing wiring on my system would be adequate. Thanks again. 
David

[mountainoliver]

The existing wiring is adequate just as long as you don’t try to use all 600 amp/hrs at once! 🌋