PSA: Battleborn
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Yes, and I am surprised you are making it so. Forget about what you think of Will Prowse (and for that matter, the several other people like him doing similar things in different industries/applications).
Just pay attention to him (and the several others not associated with him) cutting the top off the battery and look at the design and problems yourself. Stop the video after the battery is removed from the case.
If you are implying that he (and, again, several others not associated with him) are intentionally making changes to the battery design and then pretending to cut the top off to fool you, then I can't help you with that.
FWIW, this isn't a new problem. If one thinks back to some of the early Battleborn adopters who were pimping them on their Youtube channels, like the Winns, one will remember that many of them had their batteries crap the bed early and Battleborn replaced the lot. Some of them were wigged out enough from the smoke and heat that they got a different brand of batteries instead. I suspect this was early warning of the design issues that didn't get recognized until now.
Mark
Why is it a mystery? There are hundreds of public complaints about this, and I would bet a donut those represent <99.9% of the actual occurrences. The reason I'm comfortable with that bet is because the vast majority of people experiencing a battery failure just get new batteries. They don't find out the cause, or even know enough about batteries to understand one type of failure vs another (the Winn's experience with them, for example).
But even if it remains that some are failing and some not, this can easily be explained by just chance and criticality. They all could be failing to a different extent, and many people install these as part of a large bank where they won't experience more than 20-30A each.
BTW, Will Prowse did experiments with quite a few BB batteries, including brand new ones, and not a single one of them met their specs without shutting down.
I know you don't think much of him, but he doesn't have any skin in the game, he carefully details and documents every experiment he does, his entire reputation and business would be ruined instantly by any duplicities, and he by now has more experience with LFP batteries than almost anyone here. You, of course, are free to judge his methodologies, experiment designs, and interpretation of results for yourself, and I think he would welcome any issues you had with them.
Mark
OK, Mark. This obviously means more to you than me and I think you have a position that you are going to hold onto. I'm not interested in being "right" or "wrong". I am interested in dealing in credible facts and there are enough question marks surrounding this that I am not prepared to condemn an entire brand. Maybe your threshold of evidence is lower. That's fine. I'm not trying to persuade anyone of anything - except maybe to be a little bit more discerning.
Have a friend who was involved in a quality control project for a major battery firm. Their household batteries suddenly started discharging very quickly - maybe half the expected length of use? None of the manufacturing processes, methods, or combinations had changed. It took them about a year to figure out why this was happening. It turns out that the raw material purchasing team had had a contest with a bonus to the agent who found the least expensive supplier of one of their core ingredients. The new supplier was providing material, matching the required specifications, but from a different source, so it was not the same actual composition as the original material. Oops. Batteries can be tricky.
Wow, this discussion got more heated than a Battleborn terminal! 
Foswick, I think you make excellent points about the conflicts of interest and general trustworthiness of getting your information from “social media” sources like YouTube personalities. Or this forum for that matter. Despite our wealth of information, we are at risk of losing truth in the noise.
I also, as an electrical engineer, was gobsmacked at the construction choices in the battery. I think they speak for themselves, and it’s obvious to me why there’s an overheating issue. Will Prowse simply opened a battery and showed us.
Loose connections and fire are the #1 danger in electrical circuits, especially low voltage. The double locknut (vs. a lock washer which maintains axial force), plastic spacer, and current-carrying bolt are all atypical and very questionable design choices in my opinion. There’s a reason you don’t see that kind of construction anywhere else on your boat…
Foswick, I think you make excellent points about the conflicts of interest and general trustworthiness of getting your information from “social media” sources like YouTube personalities. Or this forum for that matter. Despite our wealth of information, we are at risk of losing truth in the noise.
I also, as an electrical engineer, was gobsmacked at the construction choices in the battery. I think they speak for themselves, and it’s obvious to me why there’s an overheating issue. Will Prowse simply opened a battery and showed us.
Loose connections and fire are the #1 danger in electrical circuits, especially low voltage. The double locknut (vs. a lock washer which maintains axial force), plastic spacer, and current-carrying bolt are all atypical and very questionable design choices in my opinion. There’s a reason you don’t see that kind of construction anywhere else on your boat…
Battle Born batteries are manufactured by Dragonfly Energy which has 3 product lines: Battle Born LFP batteries, private label LFP batteries, and Wakespeed regulators. It is a publicly traded company, so we can look at how the market feels about the company. Prior to February 2025 the company's stock held in the ~$20 range. In the past year the stock has drop about 87% and stayed except for a flurry of activity last fall preceding a 1:10 reverse stock split necessary to avoid delisting from NASDAQ. Last week the company announced the availability of BattleBorn Solar Panels.
Dragonfly appears to be a company in trouble. I'm wondering if the founders of Wakespeed are second guessing their decision to be acquired by Dragonfly. I wonder what the investors saw that caused them to dump the stock a year ago.
Dragonfly appears to be a company in trouble. I'm wondering if the founders of Wakespeed are second guessing their decision to be acquired by Dragonfly. I wonder what the investors saw that caused them to dump the stock a year ago.
Thank you - I've been following this as I have 4 of these 100 amp hour batteries.
I will say they have run flawlessly since installation.
One thing that does irritate me a bit in all the hyperbole is that no one has addressed precisely how to fix these if determined to be a problem. I'm certainly not going to just cut open my batteries to take a look. Especially as they are performing magnificently.
I also have a wakespeed 500 controller (actually 2, as it's a critical part of my system so I carry a replacement backup). But I bought both prior to the acquisition. It also runs flawlessly.
dj
I think that if it is not a problem, then there is nothing to fix. If it is a problem, then it is a warranty issue that Battleborn handles.
The devil in those details - is it a potential problem that will bite you in the future? And will BB honor their warranty without egregious conditions?
I wouldn't be worried about the Wakespeed, as I doubt any re-engineering was done on it by BB.
Mark
The problem seems to be the result of overheating the power post by pulling too much current through the post in either direction (discharging or charging). Prowse was charging at 1C or 100a, that's a lot of current and any resistance in the circuit is going to cause heat to build quickly as it did in the video. If the battery is never subjected to those currents, it might well live a long and productive life.
Here's the rub, the data sheet provided by BB says it is OK to draw 100a continuously, 200a for 30 sec, and 500a for a ½ second. What Prowse has shown it is not safe to use the battery with a 100a draw. It may be a perfectly safe battery if the current is limited to 50a, but we don't know that. BB's data sheet specifies .5C charge, a charge rate that is half of the charge Prowse applied. Proswe abused the battery and it failed.
Would the heat problem arise if a 100a load was applied to the battery? Or is the problem due to an excessive charging current? (This may have been addressed in earlier videos that I have not watched.) In either case, BB's response seems kind of lame, especially as they did not mention Prowse was exceeding the charging parameters (or did Prowse omit that part of their response?).
Given the controversy on this battery, BB would be wise to reengineer the connections, add a few bells and whistles, and introduce a Gen2 version of the battery. In the meantime I'd be hesitant to purchase the battery because of this problem and the price.
After writing the above response, I thought this might be a good question for our "friends" at ChatGPT.
Prompt:
Prompt:
And the response:
Here’s a summary of the ongoing online discussion about the Battle Born BB10012 batteries, the nature of the reported problems, the company’s response, how serious the issue is judged by affected users and experts, and what can be done to mitigate potential risks.
What Users and Independent Experts Are Reporting
1. Overheating & Internal Terminal Design Issue
A widely-circulated concern centers on the BB10012’s positive terminal area overheating under load. Multiple owners and independent reviewers have reported that the internal connection between the positive terminal post and the internal bus bar relies on a relatively small bolt and plastic support, which can get extremely hot under normal discharge conditions. Over time this can heat the plastic, deform it, loosen the connection, and lead to intermittent electrical contact, excessive heat buildup, and premature battery failure. Heavy loads that approach the battery’s rated limits (e.g., >90–100 A) frequently trigger these issues.
In many online discussions, users describe plastic melting inside the battery, loose internal terminals, and the battery effectively shutting down when the internal connection fails. This has been described by critics as a fundamental design flaw rather than isolated manufacturing defects.
2. Warranty & Customer Support Complaints
Some owners have reported difficulties with warranty claims, stating that Battle Born has denied coverage for failures they believe were not due to misuse, or has assessed shipping/handling fees even during the warranty period. These complaints appear on multiple review sites.
3. No Official Recall (as of available reports)
Despite widespread online discussion, there has not been an officially confirmed safety recall from regulatory bodies (e.g., CPSC/UL) that is publicly documented in credible news or regulatory databases. Articles mentioning a “recall” circulating online appear to be unverified commentary or blog posts rather than official notices.
Battle Born’s Response
Battle Born (manufactured by Dragonfly Energy) has publicly responded to the controversy—not by admitting a design flaw, but by framing the behavior as an intentional safety feature:
Battle Born’s messaging emphasizes that visible damage often results from outside abuse or installation/configuration issues, not a manufacturing defect. They assert their packs have served well in hundreds of thousands of installations over many years.
- According to communications posted by owners sharing Battle Born’s technical support responses, the company claims the terminal design and specific aluminum nut are a “thermal failsafe”.
- In their view, the design is meant to allow the plastic to deform and interrupt current flow under extreme heat, thereby protecting the internal cells from heat migration and potential thermal runaway. The company cites third-party UL certification and long track record as evidence that the batteries are safe when used within specifications.
How Serious Is the Issue?
There are two very different perspectives:
Critics and Independent Experts
- Many users, RV communities, and reviewers consider this a serious safety and reliability issue because internal overheating, melting plastic, and loosening terminals are conditions that could eventually lead to failure—or in the extreme, a thermal event.
- These issues have been reproduced by independent reviewers (e.g., Will Prowse on YouTube), who argue the failures occur even at loads within the battery’s published limits, raising concerns about design integrity.
Battle Born’s Position
Overall Assessment
- The company maintains the behavior is a protective design mechanism. They point to industry standards and UL certification to support their stance that the batteries are safe and performing as intended when installed and operated properly.
- There’s no independent regulatory recall or safety bulletin yet from a government safety agency. However, the volume of user reports and the detailed failure mechanisms in these discussions suggest the issue is significant enough to warrant serious attention from owners of these batteries.
- Whether it’s a true design defect or an unexpected failure mode exacerbated by real-world use is debated—but the fact that many owners see similar symptoms independently suggests it is not just isolated defects.
What Battery Owners Should Do
If you own BB10012 batteries (or are considering purchasing them), here are recommended precautions:
1. Inspect and Monitor
2. Ensure Proper Installation
- Use an infrared thermometer/thermal gun to check temperature at the positive terminals during normal operation and under load.
- Heat much above normal electrical warming (~30–40 °C above ambient) could indicate a loose internal connection.
3. Stay Within Safe Load Limits
- Make sure battery cables are properly sized, torque-tightened to the manufacturer’s specifications, and free of corrosion.
- Verify your charging and inverter settings adhere to recommended LiFePO₄ profiles. Improper settings can contribute to stress on the BMS and connections.
️ 4. Contact the Manufacturer
- Avoid sustained high current draws near or above the battery’s rated continuous discharge (~100 A) without adequate cooling and support infrastructure.
5. Watch for Official Notices
- If you’re seeing abnormal heat, deformation, or performance issues, document them and contact Battle Born technical support for guidance and warranty evaluation.
Summary
- Follow credible RV, solar, and battery safety forums and official manufacturer channels for updates or potential recalls/field notices.
Issue: Multiple independent reports claim BB10012 batteries can develop dangerously high heat at internal positive terminal connections, potentially due to design choices.
Company Response: Battle Born says the behavior is an intentional thermal failsafe designed to protect cells and is validated by UL testing.
Severity: The issue is being taken seriously online and by some experts, though there is no confirmed safety recall from regulators yet.
Mitigation: Monitor terminal temperatures, verify installation practices, avoid overstressing the battery, and seek support if problems arise.
In the video testing the BB12100 that he purchased new he was only charging at 49A and discharging at 99A
If there was abuse it was the rapid charge/discharge cycling, not the charge/discharge rate. But that cycling could be representative of someone with a high output alternator and high loads like cooking or AC. But the battery couldn't even complete three such cycles without shutting down early.
I did see one solution which was to run jumpers from the extra hole on the positive post over to the positive busbar, essentially bypassing the aluminum bolt. The description is at 9:00 in this video.
Of course don't do that if you don't have a problem. I would just put a clamp meter on each battery every couple of months when you have a high charge or discharge. If you see one battery not charging or discharging similarly to the others then investigate that battery further.
I did not see this. The videos I saw had him charging at 0.5C and discharging at 1C, which are BB's specs. I never saw him abusing a battery outside of BB's specs.
His original video that started this was of a battery that failed with a melted post and he was asked to find the cause. It was not a battery he was putting high charge rates on in an attempt to get it to melt down.
He has many BB batteries (15?) that have failed in this way in normal use that he has cut open to show the issue. It wasn't a single battery, nor did he do anything with them prior.
Yes, which is why I said don’t do it unless you have a problem. It would be a last ditch effort to get use from a non functioning battery. You could also try to get a warranty replacement, but that risks a few hundred dollars if BB decides the fault isn’t covered by warranty.
On the Response video at ~minute 2:15, he shows the DC power supply at 14.60v and 95.65a which is clearly outside the charging parameters.
For BB owners, the most useful advice would be on affordable non-destructive testing of their batteries. Or go down the replacement road and install a more robust brand of LFP. Its painful, I know, I went down this road with Firefly batteries.
Yes, but that was a battery that had already failed and was sent to Will by one of his viewers. He was just demonstrating the poor connection.
Good point. Let me try to remedy that.
I don't think there is a "fix" that doesn't involve cutting the batteries open (and subsequently replacing the case) and positive terminal, which wouldn't be practical or advisable for anyone except Battleborn themselves. Alas, they do not seem inclined to admit there's a problem, let alone issue a recall. Hopefully the added attention from Will's videos will generate some pressure to make them change their mind.
That said, if your batteries are functioning well, you can reduce the potential for further problems by:
- Limiting current in and out of the battery
- Making sure your connections to the positive terminal are not mechanically stressing it or transmitting vibrations.
- Using large cables (but not so large that you stress the terminal)
- Monitoring terminal temperatures
Loose connections are a "thermal runaway" type of failure (not to be confused with the thermal runaway the cells themselves can undergo when heated). Heat causes thermal expansion, and when materials with different CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) are heated, such as the plastic, copper, and whatever the bolt is made of, they can become loose. Likewise, heat can cause the plastic to soften and deform. Once the connection becomes loose, resistance rises causing further heating, causing further loosening in a vicious cycle.
Here's my reasoning for each of the above recommendations:
- Heating is a function of current squared. So limiting your max current to 50A causes 1/4th as much heating as 100A. 25A is 1/16th.
- Despite the epoxy lid, the top terminal may transmit some torque loads from the cable to the weak point, which may cause it to deform and/or loosen
- Undersized conductors generate heat. Oversized conductors act as heat sinks and actually remove heat from the terminal.
- Having some form of temperature monitor can warn you of impending problems or automatically disconnect the battery.
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