The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) is a member organization that sets voluntary safety standards for recreation vessels. Although these standards are voluntary, following them helps keep boats and vessel operators safe. Additionally, many insurance companies look at the ABYC standards when approving policies and are less likely to endorse policies that are not up to these standards. Therefore, all boat owners should consider these standards. Having a boat electrical system that matches or exceeds these stringent safety standards is never a bad idea.  

ABYC E-13 Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries 

The newest guidelines from the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) are the ABYC E-13 standards. These standards cover all lithium batteries that have been installed on a boat. Here is what they require: 

• All lithium batteries must be installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 
• Lithium batteries must have SAE, IEC, or UL testing certifications, which excludes most Chinese and knock-off brands. 
• Batteries must be securely restrained after installation, allowing for little to no movement.  
• Lithium batteries must have a battery management system (BMS) that protects them from overcharging and ensures they operate within the safest parameters. 
• Something in the system must be able to provide an audible or visual alarm if there is an impending shutdown.  
• The lithium battery manufacturer must have information available about the BMS parameters and when and how it will shut down the batteries.  
• Recommend an additional power source for critical electronics   

How Battle Born Batteries with Dragonfly IntelLigence Meet ABYC E-13 Standards 

The newest line of intelligent batteries from Battle Born, equipped with Dragonfly IntelLigence, exceeds the requirements of the latest ABYC E-13 standards. They can internally record and wirelessly transmit each battery’s operating parameters within the system. This allows the batteries to communicate with an external device to set off an audible and visual alarm to alert the vessel operators of an impending BMS shutdown. These batteries allow for a better-performing lithium battery bank that assures the safety of operators and their vessels. 

Want to Learn More? 

Check out the full Marine 101 series on our YouTube channel or through the Academy page on our website. If you have further questions or need help designing the perfect marine power system, our technical sales team would love to help! You can reach them by calling (855) 292-2831 or emailing [email protected].