11 YEAR MANUFACTURER DEFECT WARRANTY
Dakota Lithium Batteries (“the Manufacturer”) warrants each Dakota Lithium branded Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery (“the Battery”) sold by DakotaLithium.com or any of its authorized distributors or dealers, to be free of defects for a period of 11 years (“the Warranty Period”) from the date of sale as determined by either the customer’s sale receipt, the shipping invoice, and/or the battery serial number, with proof of purchase.
Within the first 11 years of the Warranty Period, subject to the exclusions listed below, the Manufacturer will credit, replace, or repair, if serviceable, the Battery and/or parts of the Battery, if the components in question are determined to be defective in material or workmanship.
GUARANTEED LIFESPAN
The lifespan of each Dakota Lithium battery depends on the application and use. This warranty ensures that all batteries are free of manufacturing defects for 11 years – if Dakota Lithium made a mistake building the battery, the company will fix it.
Depending on use, Dakota Lithium iron phosphate batteries may have a lifespan that is longer or shorter than the 11-year manufacturer defect warranty. Dakota Lithium’s LiFePO4 technology has a half-life of 6,000 to 10,000 recharge cycles, depending on battery model and application (Half-life is 50% depth of discharge, which means the cells have half the capacity when full). This is approximately 12 to 15 years at regular use.
12 to 15 years is the maximum usable lifespan possible under optimal conditions and customer care. Normal end of life is defined as when the battery is no longer performing at like-new specifications. This point is typically at 70% depth of discharge. Most batteries will provide years of additional performance beyond the normal end of life.
11 years is the guaranteed maximum lifespan under this warranty per the terms above. Batteries that do not meet this guaranteed lifespan of 11 years will be repaired or replaced (warranty exclusions apply, see below). Batteries older than 10 years are still covered by the 11-year manufacturer defect warranty per the terms listed above.
Depending on the application, the lifespan of the battery may vary. Customers are encouraged to follow the recommended specifications for charging, storage, and use – if treated well, a Dakota Lithium battery will last a long, long time. Typically charging with a lithium-specific charger, charging at a lower amp rating (0.2C or lower), not charging below freezing, and lower discharge applications may result in a longer lifespan.
Higher discharge applications, including air-conditioning units, electric vehicle applications, and applications listed in the warranty exclusions below, will result in a shorter lifespan. Abuse of the battery, including discharge above the battery specifications, is not covered under this warranty (see warranty exclusions below). The most common abuse of the battery is using a battery that is too small for the application. Ensure that the maximum amp draw of your application does not exceed the maximum continuous amp discharge specification of the battery.
LIFETIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT
All customers covered under this warranty shall receive lifetime technical support, including advice on charging, use, storage, and general questions about Dakota Lithium batteries. Technical support is available for as long as the customer owns and is using the Dakota Lithium battery and may be longer than the 11-year warranty period.
Technical support is available at support@dakotalithium.com.
NON-TRANSFERABLE
This Limited Warranty is to the original purchaser of the Battery and is not transferable to any other person or entity. Please contact the place of purchase regarding any warranty claim.
WARRANTY EXCLUSIONS
The Manufacturer has no obligation under this Limited Warranty for Battery subjected to the following conditions (including but not limited to):
- Damage caused due to the battery being too small for the application, specifically if the application amp draw exceeds the max amp discharge rating for the battery.
- Damage caused by a boat, canoe, kayak, or other vehicle capsizing.
- Damage due to improper installation; loose terminal connections, under-sized cabling, incorrect connections (series and parallel) for desired voltage and AH requirements, or reverse polarity connections.
- Environmental damage; inappropriate storage conditions as defined by the Manufacturer; exposure to extreme hot or cold temperatures, fire or freezing, or water damage including submersion.
- Repeated exposure of terminals to saltwater without the use of dielectric grease and rubber terminal covers. Need grease and covers? Contact support@dakotalithium.com for recommendations.
- Damage caused by collision.
- Damage due to improper maintenance; under- or over-charging the Battery, dirty terminal connections.
- Battery is wired in series to create a battery system with a voltage greater than 48V (max limit for series connections is 4 x 12V units = 48V).
- Battery that has been opened, modified, or tampered with.
- Battery that was used for applications other than which it was designed and intended for, including deep cycle batteries used for engine starting or drawing more amps than the battery is rated to continually discharge in the specifications.
- Battery that was used on an over-sized inverter/charger (any inverter/charger that is rated to 3500 Watts or greater) without the use of a Manufacturer-approved current surge limiting device.
- Battery that was under-sized for the application, including an Air Conditioner or similar device having a locked rotor startup current that is not used in conjunction with a Manufacturer-approved surge-limiting device.
- Battery that has not been charged for over 1 year (batteries need to be charged regularly to allow for a long lifespan).
- Charging the battery when the battery temperature is below 32°F / 0°C.
- Battery not stored in adherence to the Manufacturer’s storage guidelines, including storage of the Battery at a low state-of-charge (charge your battery to full before storing!).
This Limited Warranty does not cover a Battery that has reached its normal end of life due to usage, which may occur prior to the Warranty Period. A battery can deliver only a fixed amount of energy over its life, which will occur over different periods depending on the application. For example, cycling the battery more than 1 time daily will cause the normal end of life to occur before the end of the Warranty Period. The Manufacturer reserves the right to deny a warranty claim if the Battery is determined, upon inspection, to be at its normal end of life even if within the Warranty Period.
WARRANTY DISCLAIMER
This limited warranty is in lieu of, and the Manufacturer disclaims and excludes, all other express warranties. The Manufacturer further limits the duration of all, whether statutory, express, or implied warranties, including, without limitation, any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, to the warranty period.
Manufacturer’s exclusive liability for breach of any warranty on the Battery shall be to replace the Battery within the warranty period in accordance with the terms of this limited warranty. In no event shall Manufacturer be liable for any loss or damages of any other kind, whether direct, incidental, consequential including lost profits, exemplary, special or otherwise, including any lost profits or removal, shipping, or installation expenses.
LEGAL RIGHTS
Some countries and/or states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, which may vary from country to country and/or state to state.
This warranty shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of North Dakota. This warranty is understood to be the exclusive agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof. No employee or representative of Manufacturer is authorized to make any warranty in addition to those made in this agreement.
NON-DAKOTA LITHIUM WARRANTIES
This Limited Warranty does not cover Battery sold by the Manufacturer or any authorized distributor or dealer to an Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”). Please contact the OEM directly for warranty claims regarding such Battery.
NON-WARRANTY REPAIRS
If outside of the Warranty period or for damage not covered under the Warranty, customers may still contact the Manufacturer for battery repairs. Costs will include shipping, parts, and $50 per hour labor.
SUBMITTING A WARRANTY CLAIM
To submit a warranty claim, please contact support@dakotalithium.com. The Battery may be required to be shipped back to the Manufacturer for further inspection.
