Warranty and Support

Our warranty approach is based on fairness, evidence and practical battery engineering. We stand behind the products we sell, and we will always try to help customers reach a fair outcome. At the same time, lithium batteries and loose cells can be damaged by installation, charging, BMS settings, temperature, storage and use. A warranty claim has to be assessed against the product specification and the evidence available.

Australian Consumer Law

Our goods come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.

Any warranty provided by LiFePO4 Australia is in addition to the rights and remedies available to you under the Australian Consumer Law.

Different Products Have Different Warranty Periods

The warranty period depends on the product type, grade, manufacturer warranty and the way the product is supplied. The product page, invoice or manufacturer documentation may specify the applicable period.

• Complete battery systems and manufacturer battery products: generally follow the manufacturer warranty or the warranty stated on the product page.
• Automotive grade LiFePO4 cells, such as EVE MB31 Automotive Grade: commonly carry up to a 5 year warranty when used within specification and when the claim can be supported by appropriate evidence.
• Lower grade, storage grade, B grade, A- grade or clearance cells: may carry a shorter warranty, commonly 3 years, 1 year or another period stated on the product page or invoice.
• Used, discounted, clearance or specially supplied products: may have specific warranty conditions stated at the time of sale.

If there is any difference between this general page and a specific written warranty supplied with a product, the more specific written warranty will usually apply, subject always to Australian Consumer Law.

A Very Important Note About Loose Cells

Loose LiFePO4 cells are components. Once cells leave our control, they may be connected to a BMS, top balanced, compressed, installed, charged, discharged, stored, transported, modified, removed, reinstalled or used in ways that we cannot directly observe.

For this reason, warranty assessment at the individual cell level is difficult and sometimes impossible. A failed or weak cell is often the result of an external cause, such as incorrect BMS settings, charging below the safe temperature range, over-discharge, overcharge, poor balancing, loose busbars, incorrect compression, short circuit, excessive current, heat, moisture, physical damage or removal of protection equipment.

We are not saying genuine cell manufacturing faults never happen. They can happen. But in practice, most cell-level problems are caused by something outside the cell itself. If we cannot reasonably verify how the cells were installed, protected and used, a warranty claim may not be able to be accepted.

What We Need For a Cell Warranty Claim

To assess a loose-cell warranty claim, we may request evidence such as:

• Proof of purchase and product batch details if available.
• Clear photos of the cells, terminals, busbars, BMS, wiring, enclosure and installation.
• BMS settings, event logs, voltage logs, temperature logs and charge/discharge history.
• Evidence that the cells were protected by a suitable BMS at all times.
• Evidence that the cells were not charged below the safe charging temperature or used outside the published specification.
• A controlled capacity test where required, using appropriate test equipment and a suitable test procedure.

If a BMS has been removed, bypassed, incorrectly configured, disconnected or unable to provide useful logs, it may not be possible to verify the claim. The same applies where cells have been modified, physically damaged, deeply discharged, overcharged, shorted or used outside specification.

Normal Degradation Is Not a Fault

All lithium batteries lose capacity over time. This is normal chemical aging and is not automatically a warranty fault. Capacity fade is affected by calendar age, temperature, cycle count, depth of discharge, charge/discharge current and time spent at high or low state of charge.

As a general guide, a well designed LiFePO4 system operated within specification may be expected to degrade gradually over time. Some performance warranties use a long-term baseline such as approximately 70% state of health at the end of a 10 year period, or a degradation path of roughly 3% per year. This is a guide only unless the specific product warranty states a different guaranteed performance standard.

A battery does not need to be discharged from 100% to 0% to record usage. Partial cycles add together. For example, two discharges of 50% each can be treated as one equivalent full cycle. Heavy daily cycling, deep discharge and high current use will age a battery faster than light use.

Capacity Testing

Voltage alone is not a reliable proof of LiFePO4 capacity. LiFePO4 has a very flat voltage curve through much of its state of charge range, so a cell or pack can appear normal by voltage while still requiring a proper capacity test.

Where capacity is disputed, we may require a controlled capacity verification test. This usually means fully charging the cell or battery to the correct voltage, allowing it to stabilise, then discharging at a controlled rate to the correct cutoff while measuring delivered amp-hours or kilowatt-hours with suitable equipment.

Common Causes of Battery Problems That Are Not Warranty Faults

• Charging below the safe charging temperature for LiFePO4.
• Operation or storage outside the product temperature specification.
• Overcharge, over-discharge or use without a suitable BMS.
• Incorrect BMS settings, incorrect inverter/charger settings or disabled protections.
• Loose, undersized or incorrectly installed busbars, cables, fuses or terminals.
• Short circuit, reverse polarity, water ingress, corrosion or contamination.
• Physical damage, dropped cells, swollen cells caused by abuse, puncture or case damage.
• Incorrect compression or mechanical installation of prismatic cells.
• Excessive charge or discharge current outside the cell or battery specification.
• Long-term storage at very low state of charge or very high state of charge.
• Use in an application the product was not designed for.

Temperature and LiFePO4 Batteries

Temperature has a major effect on LiFePO4 battery life. For best life, batteries should be installed in a dry, protected environment and kept as close as practical to normal room temperature. Heat accelerates degradation. Charging at low temperature can cause permanent lithium plating and internal damage.

Unless a product has its own written specification stating otherwise, customers should not charge LiFePO4 cells or batteries below the safe charging temperature specified by the product, BMS or manufacturer. If a battery is installed in a location that can become cold or hot, the system should include appropriate temperature monitoring and charge protection.

Complete Battery Systems vs DIY Cell Builds

A complete battery system supplied with an integrated BMS, enclosure and manufacturer documentation is easier to assess because the protection system and intended operating conditions are defined. A DIY build using loose cells depends heavily on the installer???s design, BMS choice, wiring, settings, compression, enclosure and operating environment.

If you are building your own battery from cells, you are responsible for designing and operating the system safely and within specification. We can provide guidance, but we cannot be responsible for damage caused by the system design, configuration or use after supply.

How We Handle Warranty Claims

1. Contact us with your order details, product details and a clear description of the issue.
2. Provide photos, BMS data, test results and installation information if requested.
3. We will review the information and may suggest further checks or controlled testing.
4. If the evidence supports a genuine product fault covered by warranty, we will work toward a fair remedy, which may include repair, replacement, supplier/manufacturer claim support or another appropriate resolution.
5. If the evidence points to external damage, incorrect use, missing protection or unverifiable operating history, the claim may be declined.

Please contact us before returning any product. Products returned without approval may not be accepted or may be delayed.

Plain English Summary

We want customers to be looked after. We also need warranty claims to be technically fair. If a product has a genuine manufacturing fault, we will help. If cells or batteries have been damaged by charging, discharging, BMS removal, incorrect settings, temperature, installation, storage or use outside specification, that is not a manufacturing warranty issue.

The best way to protect your warranty is to use the correct BMS, keep logs, follow the product specification, install the battery correctly, avoid temperature extremes and contact us early if something does not look right.