My main point of focus is how BB tech support responded to the potential design flaw. Note that I said "potential" design flaw since I don't have a BB test battery to experiment on. But I have a few field engineeering contacts at BB that I'm going to query, so I'll know more soon.
think there’s an important distinction between tech support responding to a video versus responding to an actual customer issue. Videos like this typically generate a flood of support inquiries, even when the person hasn’t experienced a real problem. That makes it very difficult to respond in a meaningful, technical way without defaulting to marketing language. The head of support in an organization usually creates a canned response. That’s simply the reality of social media.
Not defending BB at all, just the reality of the situation.
What is unclear is what actual customers with issues were told and how they responded to that.. Likely not ideal, but the video seems like it was a response to an inquiry about the video. The canned response could have been better for sure though. At least say we are taking the issue seriously and gathering up evidence of our testing etc to see if we may have missed something..
There is no such thing as a bug free design unless you have test fixtures to prove it works under the intended use cases.
That’s exactly why I like to have one-on-one discussions with field engineers from a manufacturer. Help desk responses are often generic, designed for social media platforms and filtered by legal teams. I’ll know more next week!
-- how much current was flowing at the time this was discovered?
--- I've got 2-3 "laser pointer" thermometers and if I encountered a terminal heating issue like this, I'd photo/video/document that and send it the vendor ASAP, along with voltage and current measurements.
Granted not everyone changing batteries may have all the technical expertise or equipment to troubleshoot such things, but apparently Will might?
I have two 5 year old 100ah BB batteries in the golf cart configuration and have had no problems. I just looked at them and the epoxy is still bright red and there is no heat discoloration of the terminals or surrounding area. The terminals are still mounted firmly to the battery case.
BUT…That response from BB is disappointing in the extreme.
ALSO…I bought the BB brand because Will Prowse recommended them highly at the time.
Is it possible that the affected batteries had been carried by a strap attached to the battery terminals? They don’t look as robust as a lead acid post.
I’ve had 6 BB since 2017 with no problems or terminal discoloration.
I installed a BB 100Ahr battery in my travel trailer more than 7 years ago with no problems noted up to now. I was shocked to see Will’s first video and even more shocked to see the BB response. Thanks Mike for bringing it to our attention. There is no excuse for that response if it was authorized and truly represents the company’s position. Let’s see what happens there. I was both surprised when I saw the battery being charged with a 100A charger in a disassembled state and appalled to see that the bussbar bolts had loosened. Quite a mix of observations that triggered an emotional response and confusion. The real question is what to do? After reading a post by a reader who raised some great questions, I went to the BB website and reread the data sheet and confirmed that the max charging current is 50 A as they said. The other issues the reader brought up about flag terminals and potential damage due to over torquing seemed quite valid to me. I agree with them that Will’s test, while compelling and shocking, was not conclusive. BB now needs to prove that their batteries are safely designed. So, my questions are: If we have installed our BB batteries correctly and charge them within specifications, are they safe and should we continue to use therm? Did BB actually obtain the UL certifications they claim on their website? I believe I saw multiple claims of certifications not just “built to standards” but if they were never tested and certified, that seems to be a big problem. I am an electrical engineer with considerable electrical safety experience. I am not a happy camper at this point. I hope that BB steps up and shows some leadership here, assuming they have not done so already. This issue needs to be resolved for the good of all affected by it.
I have three of the 100 AHr BB batteries that I have had for 3 years. After watching the second video I looked at the batteries and there is no discoloration at all and the posts are solidly attached in. Should be noted as well that we only depend on the batteries and inverter while traveling, otherwise we are plugged into 50A. We do have 600 watts of solar that keep the batteries up while traveling.
There are a few issues here. Not suggesting Will is wrong... however Will's video, from an anonymous report, is the only such Interwebs account of this issue so far. "trust, but verify"
#1 is that we don't know if what BattleBorn suggests is a real, valid safety feature or not - that is, if the aluminum stud 'melting' away/disconnecting might actually be a 'thing' - because Will removed the top and never showed the studs and their connection to the internal bar.
#2 of course is the mechanical failure (loose bolt) of the internal bus bar that we might assume connected to the exterior aluminum stud we'd connect our RV or other systems to. Again not able to validate this because of how Will ripped to top off.
While Will provides a lot of digestible popular video content - not all of it is as technically detailed as some topics warrant. Save for enthusiasm and an articulated suggestion of technical expertise, we don't know much about him (education, degree, work experience.) For many such critical technical things it's always advisable to research/consult more/other/additional resources than hobbyists.
Again - trust but verify/validate. To that, BattleBorn could have, should have, provided a more robust response, and may be compelled to do so - I hope so.
I've had a pair of BB in my RV for 3+ years. Obviously others have as well, longer and more recently. BB and Victron's supporting equipment are probably the most popular kits for many many RV and marine systems. Perhaps internal construction has changed since 2022, but so far so good. I'm not inclined to remove and gut $1600 worth of batteries simply because of this video.
Hello Mike. I have been reading about the potential problems with Battleborn batteries on another forum as well, and watched the videos you provided. We have 4 Battleborn batteries, the most recent two batteries we bought earlier this year. We have our BB batteries stored under our bed in our Travel Trailer. Currently, we DO NOT have temperature monitors on any of the batteries, but I do have a fuse attached to the positive terminals. We have not had any problems I am aware of with the BB batteries with excessive hear, but have not been checking for this either.. Given the mechanism of the excessive heat source is due to arching internally with some owners BB batteries, I am not buying Battlerborns explanation, as any shorting internally within the battery is not a good thing. We are currently storing our BB batteries inside for the winter, and waiting for BB to come up with safety recommendations in the next few months. Thanks for bringing this topic to your forum.
Apparently, the issue is with 100Ah batteries from around 2018-2019. Newer batteries and other models aren't built the same way, which begs the question: If this is a "safety feature" why did they stop using it?
I have a 2025 Airstream Travel Trailer. It came from the factory with 2 - 100Ah BB batteries. I have inspected the epoxy surrounding the positive terminals and they are not discolored - still as red as new. I have also monitored the temperature during charging at approx 40A and there is no excessive heat. I measured 68 degrees F with ambient at approximately 55 degrees F.
This is going to be very interesting to follow. I do a little side hustle as an RV solar power installer. I did/do a lot of research on the equipment I use. Will's videos have been very useful for making purchase decisions, the most bang for the buck and quality in mind. I bought a brand new Ember trailer a couple years ago that came with two BB batteries. I need more than 200ah of battery for my boondocking, so I sold the BBs immediately and bought four competitor batteries for less than the cost of one new BB, based on Will's videos. I haven't had any issues with the competitor batteries. I now feel like I need to reach out to the person I sold the BBs to with an alert...
I think what may be misleading in his video is the implication that all of these batteries are unsafe. Localized heat at a terminal is not always caused by high current draw or an internal battery failure. In many cases, it is caused by resistance at the external terminal connection. High resistance in a poor connection manifests as heat. With a proper installation and a solid, low-resistance terminal connection, this issue likely does not occur—either inside or outside the battery case. The sheer number of these batteries in service with no major problems supports that conclusion fairly well so far. Unless there is evidence of a truly high failure rate, social-media reports remain anecdotal.
As for the likely sequence of events, I think it’s important to clarify what is actually happening. This issue probably has little to do with mechanical stress or vibration and is much more related to heat. As heat builds to unacceptable levels—again, originating from a poor terminal connection—the plastic begins to deform. Once that happens, the preload on the terminal nut is lost, the connection loosens, and resistance increases further, creating even more heat and potential arcing. It becomes a self-reinforcing failure loop with eventual loss of connection. I think BB is trying to say this was by design to protect the cells vs the terminal. (that could be truth, and that could be a lie, from the outside we can't say for sure without seeing the design documents or test plan). There seems to be no evidence of an actual fire or complete thermal run-away.
Battery bank design and use case are also major factors in how often this issue might occur. A larger bank operating at lower per-battery current will naturally experience less thermal stress at the terminals over time, regardless of how good the terminal connection is. Lower current simply means less heat.
None of this means it was an ideal design choice by Battle Born, but the reality is that we don’t know enough about the specific materials used. Many people claim to understand the characteristics of the plastic involved, but I don’t think anyone actually has those details. Plastic composites have proven capable in many applications we once assumed required metal—automotive intake manifolds being a good example. In fact, one reason plastics are often chosen over metal is their favorable thermal and electrical insulation properties. That may very well be a core reason Battle Born selected this material.
There are also several issues I have with his videos. First, he jumps straight to the conclusion that these batteries must be removed immediately for safety. He provides no meaningful guidance on how to test batteries to determine whether they are actually affected—most are not. The follow-up “test” is also deeply flawed. He overcharges the battery beyond its specified limits and physically twists the terminal on an already compromised unit. That doesn’t prove a systemic defect; it only manufactures failure and fuels fear and misinformation.
If anything, this situation highlights a broader design concern: permanently sealed batteries may be a poor choice overall. You can’t repair them, replace the BMS, inspect internal connections, or perform meaningful field fixes. If this battery had a removable lid, Battle Born would be in a much stronger position to guide customers or implement a practical remedy for affected units. A $1,000 battery is not something consumers want to throw away, and it’s unlikely the company could survive replacing every battery outright.
Full disclosure, I don't own a BB battery and probably never would due to the price and more value for the money offerings. I do know several people that have them and they have had no problems to speak of. I think this is an issue worth bringing up, but I don't think it is a disaster waiting to happen scenario. I think owners of these batteries (and really any battery) should test for thermal issues under high charge and discharge scenarios annually or even more often if possible.
Also, worth watching his giddy video on the same battery for reference.
This certainly appears to be a serious design flaw and I find BB's response appalling and inexcusable. It smacks of a company that's realized they screwed up and they're desperate to avoid having to issue a recall. Apparently, their marketing and legal departments are in full panic mode.
While this overheating issue may not have occurred in most of the BB batteries currently in service, that doesn't mean it won't, especially in high-vibration environments like RVs and boats. If nothing else, it's going to seriously hurt their reputation and credibility. They've already lost a huge amount of market share to competitors, and this will just exacerbate the problem.
I have 3 BB 100’s since 2017, with no issues. Capacity a bit down but no other issues. Is it overheating from poor installation eg small wriring, bad crimps or bad attachment point inside.
Look up issues with ATS’s overheating from tin shore power wires.
Will Prowse does not know anything
Beyond the several he has looked at and is wildly overreacting and over
My main point of focus is how BB tech support responded to the potential design flaw. Note that I said "potential" design flaw since I don't have a BB test battery to experiment on. But I have a few field engineeering contacts at BB that I'm going to query, so I'll know more soon.
think there’s an important distinction between tech support responding to a video versus responding to an actual customer issue. Videos like this typically generate a flood of support inquiries, even when the person hasn’t experienced a real problem. That makes it very difficult to respond in a meaningful, technical way without defaulting to marketing language. The head of support in an organization usually creates a canned response. That’s simply the reality of social media.
Not defending BB at all, just the reality of the situation.
What is unclear is what actual customers with issues were told and how they responded to that.. Likely not ideal, but the video seems like it was a response to an inquiry about the video. The canned response could have been better for sure though. At least say we are taking the issue seriously and gathering up evidence of our testing etc to see if we may have missed something..
There is no such thing as a bug free design unless you have test fixtures to prove it works under the intended use cases.
That’s exactly why I like to have one-on-one discussions with field engineers from a manufacturer. Help desk responses are often generic, designed for social media platforms and filtered by legal teams. I’ll know more next week!
To that... we also don't know what specifically:
- the installation/conditions of this issue
-- how much current was flowing at the time this was discovered?
--- I've got 2-3 "laser pointer" thermometers and if I encountered a terminal heating issue like this, I'd photo/video/document that and send it the vendor ASAP, along with voltage and current measurements.
Granted not everyone changing batteries may have all the technical expertise or equipment to troubleshoot such things, but apparently Will might?
I have two 5 year old 100ah BB batteries in the golf cart configuration and have had no problems. I just looked at them and the epoxy is still bright red and there is no heat discoloration of the terminals or surrounding area. The terminals are still mounted firmly to the battery case.
BUT…That response from BB is disappointing in the extreme.
ALSO…I bought the BB brand because Will Prowse recommended them highly at the time.
Is it possible that the affected batteries had been carried by a strap attached to the battery terminals? They don’t look as robust as a lead acid post.
I’ve had 6 BB since 2017 with no problems or terminal discoloration.
I installed a BB 100Ahr battery in my travel trailer more than 7 years ago with no problems noted up to now. I was shocked to see Will’s first video and even more shocked to see the BB response. Thanks Mike for bringing it to our attention. There is no excuse for that response if it was authorized and truly represents the company’s position. Let’s see what happens there. I was both surprised when I saw the battery being charged with a 100A charger in a disassembled state and appalled to see that the bussbar bolts had loosened. Quite a mix of observations that triggered an emotional response and confusion. The real question is what to do? After reading a post by a reader who raised some great questions, I went to the BB website and reread the data sheet and confirmed that the max charging current is 50 A as they said. The other issues the reader brought up about flag terminals and potential damage due to over torquing seemed quite valid to me. I agree with them that Will’s test, while compelling and shocking, was not conclusive. BB now needs to prove that their batteries are safely designed. So, my questions are: If we have installed our BB batteries correctly and charge them within specifications, are they safe and should we continue to use therm? Did BB actually obtain the UL certifications they claim on their website? I believe I saw multiple claims of certifications not just “built to standards” but if they were never tested and certified, that seems to be a big problem. I am an electrical engineer with considerable electrical safety experience. I am not a happy camper at this point. I hope that BB steps up and shows some leadership here, assuming they have not done so already. This issue needs to be resolved for the good of all affected by it.
I have three of the 100 AHr BB batteries that I have had for 3 years. After watching the second video I looked at the batteries and there is no discoloration at all and the posts are solidly attached in. Should be noted as well that we only depend on the batteries and inverter while traveling, otherwise we are plugged into 50A. We do have 600 watts of solar that keep the batteries up while traveling.
There are a few issues here. Not suggesting Will is wrong... however Will's video, from an anonymous report, is the only such Interwebs account of this issue so far. "trust, but verify"
#1 is that we don't know if what BattleBorn suggests is a real, valid safety feature or not - that is, if the aluminum stud 'melting' away/disconnecting might actually be a 'thing' - because Will removed the top and never showed the studs and their connection to the internal bar.
#2 of course is the mechanical failure (loose bolt) of the internal bus bar that we might assume connected to the exterior aluminum stud we'd connect our RV or other systems to. Again not able to validate this because of how Will ripped to top off.
While Will provides a lot of digestible popular video content - not all of it is as technically detailed as some topics warrant. Save for enthusiasm and an articulated suggestion of technical expertise, we don't know much about him (education, degree, work experience.) For many such critical technical things it's always advisable to research/consult more/other/additional resources than hobbyists.
Again - trust but verify/validate. To that, BattleBorn could have, should have, provided a more robust response, and may be compelled to do so - I hope so.
I've had a pair of BB in my RV for 3+ years. Obviously others have as well, longer and more recently. BB and Victron's supporting equipment are probably the most popular kits for many many RV and marine systems. Perhaps internal construction has changed since 2022, but so far so good. I'm not inclined to remove and gut $1600 worth of batteries simply because of this video.
Hello Mike. I have been reading about the potential problems with Battleborn batteries on another forum as well, and watched the videos you provided. We have 4 Battleborn batteries, the most recent two batteries we bought earlier this year. We have our BB batteries stored under our bed in our Travel Trailer. Currently, we DO NOT have temperature monitors on any of the batteries, but I do have a fuse attached to the positive terminals. We have not had any problems I am aware of with the BB batteries with excessive hear, but have not been checking for this either.. Given the mechanism of the excessive heat source is due to arching internally with some owners BB batteries, I am not buying Battlerborns explanation, as any shorting internally within the battery is not a good thing. We are currently storing our BB batteries inside for the winter, and waiting for BB to come up with safety recommendations in the next few months. Thanks for bringing this topic to your forum.
Mark
Here's the latest news: https://camperreport.com/safety-alert-viral-video-sparks-debate-over-older-battle-born-batteries/?campaignSource=RVLIFE
Apparently, the issue is with 100Ah batteries from around 2018-2019. Newer batteries and other models aren't built the same way, which begs the question: If this is a "safety feature" why did they stop using it?
Wow!!! This video was extremely informative (very thorough) and I learned a bunch and appreciate you sharing this with us.
Thank you!
Wow….not a good response from ANY manufacturer… Arcing and Sparking of any type is BAD…. Also the person was using excess current when charging….
Thankful we have Minimal Lithium Batteries in use here….
I wait for a real analysis and a true response from the manufacturer on their “”safety design”…
What a great article...
I have a 2025 Airstream Travel Trailer. It came from the factory with 2 - 100Ah BB batteries. I have inspected the epoxy surrounding the positive terminals and they are not discolored - still as red as new. I have also monitored the temperature during charging at approx 40A and there is no excessive heat. I measured 68 degrees F with ambient at approximately 55 degrees F.
This is going to be very interesting to follow. I do a little side hustle as an RV solar power installer. I did/do a lot of research on the equipment I use. Will's videos have been very useful for making purchase decisions, the most bang for the buck and quality in mind. I bought a brand new Ember trailer a couple years ago that came with two BB batteries. I need more than 200ah of battery for my boondocking, so I sold the BBs immediately and bought four competitor batteries for less than the cost of one new BB, based on Will's videos. I haven't had any issues with the competitor batteries. I now feel like I need to reach out to the person I sold the BBs to with an alert...
Don’t anybody get excited yet until I’ve done more research.
Hey Mike, any progress on doing a Battle Born analysis?
My interview with BB engineering is set up next week.
I think what may be misleading in his video is the implication that all of these batteries are unsafe. Localized heat at a terminal is not always caused by high current draw or an internal battery failure. In many cases, it is caused by resistance at the external terminal connection. High resistance in a poor connection manifests as heat. With a proper installation and a solid, low-resistance terminal connection, this issue likely does not occur—either inside or outside the battery case. The sheer number of these batteries in service with no major problems supports that conclusion fairly well so far. Unless there is evidence of a truly high failure rate, social-media reports remain anecdotal.
As for the likely sequence of events, I think it’s important to clarify what is actually happening. This issue probably has little to do with mechanical stress or vibration and is much more related to heat. As heat builds to unacceptable levels—again, originating from a poor terminal connection—the plastic begins to deform. Once that happens, the preload on the terminal nut is lost, the connection loosens, and resistance increases further, creating even more heat and potential arcing. It becomes a self-reinforcing failure loop with eventual loss of connection. I think BB is trying to say this was by design to protect the cells vs the terminal. (that could be truth, and that could be a lie, from the outside we can't say for sure without seeing the design documents or test plan). There seems to be no evidence of an actual fire or complete thermal run-away.
Battery bank design and use case are also major factors in how often this issue might occur. A larger bank operating at lower per-battery current will naturally experience less thermal stress at the terminals over time, regardless of how good the terminal connection is. Lower current simply means less heat.
None of this means it was an ideal design choice by Battle Born, but the reality is that we don’t know enough about the specific materials used. Many people claim to understand the characteristics of the plastic involved, but I don’t think anyone actually has those details. Plastic composites have proven capable in many applications we once assumed required metal—automotive intake manifolds being a good example. In fact, one reason plastics are often chosen over metal is their favorable thermal and electrical insulation properties. That may very well be a core reason Battle Born selected this material.
There are also several issues I have with his videos. First, he jumps straight to the conclusion that these batteries must be removed immediately for safety. He provides no meaningful guidance on how to test batteries to determine whether they are actually affected—most are not. The follow-up “test” is also deeply flawed. He overcharges the battery beyond its specified limits and physically twists the terminal on an already compromised unit. That doesn’t prove a systemic defect; it only manufactures failure and fuels fear and misinformation.
If anything, this situation highlights a broader design concern: permanently sealed batteries may be a poor choice overall. You can’t repair them, replace the BMS, inspect internal connections, or perform meaningful field fixes. If this battery had a removable lid, Battle Born would be in a much stronger position to guide customers or implement a practical remedy for affected units. A $1,000 battery is not something consumers want to throw away, and it’s unlikely the company could survive replacing every battery outright.
Full disclosure, I don't own a BB battery and probably never would due to the price and more value for the money offerings. I do know several people that have them and they have had no problems to speak of. I think this is an issue worth bringing up, but I don't think it is a disaster waiting to happen scenario. I think owners of these batteries (and really any battery) should test for thermal issues under high charge and discharge scenarios annually or even more often if possible.
Also, worth watching his giddy video on the same battery for reference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5E30u-66VI
This certainly appears to be a serious design flaw and I find BB's response appalling and inexcusable. It smacks of a company that's realized they screwed up and they're desperate to avoid having to issue a recall. Apparently, their marketing and legal departments are in full panic mode.
While this overheating issue may not have occurred in most of the BB batteries currently in service, that doesn't mean it won't, especially in high-vibration environments like RVs and boats. If nothing else, it's going to seriously hurt their reputation and credibility. They've already lost a huge amount of market share to competitors, and this will just exacerbate the problem.
I have 3 BB 100’s since 2017, with no issues. Capacity a bit down but no other issues. Is it overheating from poor installation eg small wriring, bad crimps or bad attachment point inside.
Look up issues with ATS’s overheating from tin shore power wires.
Will Prowse does not know anything
Beyond the several he has looked at and is wildly overreacting and over
Simplifying the Cause.
Mike will get to the bottom of this.
Sure, shoot the messenger.
I guess the software industry isn't the only one subscribes to the mantra:
"If you find a flaw, just document it and call it a feature."
Mike will actually research this not just kneejerk for the youtube views