SaferProducts incident

Failure type

Fire / ignition

Incident narrative

SaferProducts.gov consumer incident report 20260328-76D9D-2147321220. Severity: Incident, No Injury. Product: WattCycle WT24V100AH100 (The company name is WattCycle. Product name is "Wattcycle LiFePO4 2560Wh 25.6v 100Ah" and their similar product that is equally hazardous is "Wattcycle LiFePO4 1280Wh 12.8v 100Ah". The dimensions are 19 x 9.4 x 6.6 inches for the 25.6v 100Ah model. The 12.8v model is roughly half the size. The battery case is black, with the wattcycle logo on each side, with product specifications printed on the sticker. These batteries are used in RVs, boats, solar energy storage systems, backup power, etc.). Incident: The battery company "WattCycle" is selling chemically unstable and unsafe batteries, advertised as "Grade A" (brand new). When a LiFePO4 battery is severely undercharged below 2.5 volts (the manufacturers specified max cutoff limit) the battery is to be considered scrap and must be discarded appropriately. I have recieved a lithium battery from them advertised as "like new" grade A cells. Each cell read .17 volts, which is 14 times lower then the absolute discharge safety limit. I contacted them in regards to this, and they told me to attempt to charge them fully and test them. Upon charging them, all 4 cells swelled severely and put much tension on the busbars. I told them I would like a replacement. Heres their response, quoted. "Thank you for your update. For the tension on the busbars, you can simply use cable ties to secure the cells together. This should keep them stable and safe for use. There is no need to return them or request a replacement." Cell swelling is caused by extreme gas buildup inside, causing delamination and potential internal shorts and is likely of thermal runaway. Now moving on to my real problem, as I bought more of their cells listed as "grade A" two out of a dozen i bought in a order were also severely undercharged. I contacted them, and they refused to replace them, saying its not covered by our warranty.