I know that, I have called some company’s who helps to protect businesses. There was one company who had a claim against them. It was a Li ion pack that started a fire in a big storehouse. The battery was sold as benchmark/advertising purposes. It was laying in a room for showing it to the buyers. this claim has been before the court for 2 years now and probably will never be resolved.
At this moment I am working on battery like hobby. So I tell each costumer that I am a hobbyist and not liable for any faults.
I am also thinking off taking a small break with building packs. I am waiting on my goverment (Belgium) accepting a new law about starting a business.
If the new law is accepted, I was thinking of starting a small kick start project. I like Samsung 30q so all packs would have that. I was thinking off 10s3p (single layer cells), 10s4p (single or dual layer cells), 12s4p (single or dual layer cells) with a 60-80A bms with e switch.
If there is interest in such a kick start project and I can start my own business (at this moment it cost me 18500 euro to start a business, that is excluding notary costs & insurance & materials)
With the new law I have the possibility to start a company for 5000 euro that is excluding notary costs & insurance & materials.
if I have the opportunity to reduce costs through a kickstart project, I will definitely do that. This business is also completely appart of my name. So each problem is for the business itself.
Dealing with product liability is ongoing and everlasting issue.
In DIY world 99,99% of people ride stuff hard and know even if it breaks it simply needs to be replaced. Good stuff breaks sometimes. Injuries happen. If quality of some maker/company/etc is subpar (which clearly do not apply to you) it will soon be known and consumers simply wont come. With those 99,99% worst that can happen is you will have to refund when you mees up really bad (eg. cheap chinese vesc clones).
Imagine you got scammed yourself and welded pack out of bad cells.
Problem is with 0,01% of people who think “i know i messed up myself but i can go to court and squeeze some cash out of that bloke anyway”, which is new way of living/thinking coming to europe from USA (sorry US guys but this is how i see it, my personal opinion). Consumer at McDonald spilled hot coffee on his leg and sued restaurant for his own stupidity, bencause warning label on a cup wasnt visible good enough for him. And won.
When you do crazy enough stuff you get companies telling you to get lost simply bencause they fear the liability of making something unusual for you, despite having knowledge and power to do it.
I myself make some unusual stuff for other people/companies and time will come for me to win jackpot in a lottery and hit 0,01% chance of getting one-way ticket to court.
With ongoing trend it is only a matter of time, be it days or decades.
This knowledge doesnt stop me from doing what i love and feel is right, despite some men in black suits telling everyone otherwise.
When a kid chased you around the park and when finally caught up asked: “Hey, this board is super cool, can i try it?” who would say no - i would let him, even if just for a moment. This is what makes you liable for the kid. 99,99% of the kids will return shortly with their cheeks red from overwhelming joy, but one of them will crash deliberately just to get you to court, just as momma/papa told him to do. Welcome to reality.
Decision is yours to make, hope you make it a good one for everyone of us. We need those packs made by someone who knows what he is doing and cares about customers.
Cheers!
Thanks for you message! I only try to give my costumers the best packs. If something breaks and it isn’t them fault, I have no problem with repairing that one on my own cost.
The most important thing for me is that I don’t want to sell everything I have, because something went wrong with a battery pack. If I am working with the title of company that cost me 18000euro’s. The case about the battery is between the costumer and the company and not against me as person.
My decision is already made, I am going to start a company but first I go wait until Belgium accept the new law. Paying 5000euro to start a company is just ok for me, But me as student paying 18000 euros for a company, that is a bit too much.
Just out of pure curiosity - how long i would have to persuade you to weld me a pack for my buid? https://www.electric-skateboard.builders/t/the-overkill-4wd-36kw-20s13p-100-mph-build-from-scratch/81410
I had to persuade manager of only company out of 5 inquired that seriously considered making it for me for over 3 weeks (calling like everyday) and i count 3 weeks from date they recieved cells from me by freight services. Finally took 6 weeks for me to recieve the pack, and they did not solder the supplied wiring to be certain that i made modifications to the pack myself.
If I had some time free. So no other orders before you. I could easy done it in a week. I would also cut the sharp pieces of the nickel, add fishpaper on those positive side’s of the battery & even add copper braid for a higher amperage.
But I always tell my customers about the waiting time if I have multiple orders. I am just a normal student so I also have to go to class and study.
but I don’t have 18k inside my bank account… I am only 18 years old student with some knowledge of electronics and batteries.