Safety Information - Installation & Use
Please read through this manual prior to use or installation of your battery. Use of electricity and the installation of electrical systems present a risk of
electrocution, injury or death. Dakota Lithium is not liable for injury that results from the use or installation of a Dakota Lithium battery or from the
safety of the actions recommended in this document. If you do not feel safe to perform these actions you must consult a professional electrician.
Explosion and fire hazard.
• Terminals of the Li-ion Battery are always live;
• Do not place items or tools on the Battery.
• Avoid short circuits
• Avoid too deep discharges, and too high charge currents (too high/deep is defined as discharge or charge that exceeds the battery’s specifications).
• Use insulated tools.
• Do not wear any metallic items such as watches, bracelets, et cetera.
• In case of fire you must use a type D, foam or CO2 fire extinguisher.
• Make sure that the wire gauge size is correct for the application and the length of the wire (see choosing the right wire gauge section)
• Make sure the terminal bolts are tight and the wiring has adequate surface are on the terminals (see how to connect the batteries to the
terminals section)
Do not charge or operate any visibly damaged, dented, bulging, or punctured batteries. If the battery lid comes loose, cease operations immediately.
Do not short circuit lithium batteries. Doing so may damage your battery and the high current and high temperature may cause personal injury or fire.
Do not heat over 140’F. Doing so may cause the plastic housing to warp and damage the internal components.
Do not exceed the max discharge specifications of the battery (for example, if the battery has a max discharge of 10 amps do not try to run a trolling
motor off of it that pulls 20 amps).
Do not charge above 15 Volts for 12V batteries, 30V for 24V batteries, 45V for 36V batteries, or 60V for 48V batteries. The BMS will turn the battery
off in case of overcharging, but repeated over charging will damage the battery.
Use compatible chargers and charging components (See charging your battery section).
Do not puncture the outer case or disassemble the battery. Never try to open or dismantle the battery. Electrolyte is very corrosive. In normal
working conditions contact with the electrolyte is impossible. If the battery casing is damaged do not touch the exposed electrolyte or powder
because it is corrosive.
Do not immerse the batteries in water. Keep the batteries in a dry environment. Use of a battery box in marine environments is recommended
(please note, even DL’s waterproof marine batteries with an IP 67 rating benefit from remaining dry – it extends the battery lifespan). For fishing
kayaks consider the Dakota Lithium Powerbox+ 60 or 135 which include a fully waterproof and submersible pelican style case.
Do not store the battery near heat, high temperature sources, or gas emitters, such as in direct sunlight, fires, heaters, propane tanks, generators, etc.
Batteries over 300Wh are subject to hazmat regulations when shipping.
When shipping a battery, plenty of anti static bubble wrap should be used to protect it from blunt damage. The terminal posts should be removed,
if possible, and covered with electrical tape to prevent accidental shorting.
Safety Information - Dakota Lithium Batteries
Here at Dakota Lithium we build batteries that last a long, long time. Safety is a core value of our engineering team and informs how DL designs and
builds our batteries. Here’s how Dakota Lithium stand above the competition when it comes to reliability and safety:
BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (BMS) - Ensures safety and long battery lifespan
All Dakota Lithium batteries include an active BMS protection circuit that handles cell balancing, low voltage cutoff, high voltage cutoff, short circuit
protection and temperature protection for increased performance and longer life. Safety measures provided by the BMS prevent overheating.
All Dakota Lithium batteries have a BMS that can support linking batteries in series or parallel.
LITHIUM IRON PHOSPHATE
Different Li-ion batteries use different chemistries. Dakota Lithium exclusively engineers our batteries using lithium iron phosphate or LiFePO4 for
short. Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries are the safest lithium battery chemistry. Unlike the cell phone battery in your pocket, or the laptop battery
on your desk, the structural stability of LiFePO4 results in significantly less heat generation compared to other lithium chemistries.
NO THERMAL RUNAWAY - Dakota Lithium cells do not produce oxygen
The main cause of fire or explosion of a lithium ion battery is due to the cells being compromised or ruptured, which causes thermal runaway.
Without proper management, thermal runaway may result in fire. Dakota LiFePO4 is extremely stable and does not produce the oxygen needed to
aid thermal runaway and unlike other lithium battery chemistries will not result in a catastrophic meltdown.
100% COBALT FREE - No rare earth elements
NCM and other lithium ion chemistries that contain rare earth elements such as Colton or Cobalt produce oxygen and toxic fumes when ruptured,
leading to fire. Dakota Lithium does not contain rare earth elements, and does not produce oxygen or a fire.
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