# Goal Zero — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation **Citation:** 19-0129 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2020-04-16 19-0129 response to Goal Zero concerning 173.185, 173.22. ## Document text <<>> U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 April 16, 2020 Christie Babalis General Counsel Goal Zero 675 West 14600 South Bluffdale, UT 84065 Reference No. 19-0129 Dear Ms. Babalis: This letter is in response to your November 8, 2019, letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the classification of an item as “UN3481, Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment, 9.” You explain that your company manufactures a portable power station that contains lithium ion batteries, called the Yeti Power Station (Yeti). You explain that although the Yeti is used to provide power for external devices, it has its own operation and internal functions that use power from the batteries. These internal functions include monitoring and adjusting the charging behavior of the Yeti based on the availability of power on the input ports, specifically in relation to solar power inputs that are constantly changing. Additional functions include monitoring available power on the input ports and notifying the end user if the power inputs change within certain parameters. Additionally, you explain that the product line was designed as two separate product types: the equipment with its own operation, and a separate battery pack to power that equipment. You provided pictures of the two product types showing the standalone battery packs and the Yeti without the battery installed. You state that these two products can be integrated into a single unit, combining the non-hazardous power station without the battery and the compatible standalone battery pack. Specifically, you seek confirmation of your understanding that when integrated, this product may be classified as “UN3481, Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment, 9.” It is the opinion of this Office that the classification of the Yeti as “UN3481, Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment, 9” is incorrect. Section 173.185 defines “equipment” as the device or apparatus for which the lithium cells or batteries will provide electrical power for its operation. While there are functions internal to the Yeti for which the battery provides power, those functions are secondary to and in support of the primary function of this unit, which is to provide power to other external pieces of equipment. Based on your description of the product, and research into this and similar products, the functions that are described for these items include providing power to smartphones, tablets, cameras, laptops, fridges, and televisions. The primary purpose of these units appears to be serving as a backup battery to items that are <<>> typically powered by a lithium battery or providing power to items powered by electricity. All other functions of the Yeti and similar units appear to support the performance of that primary function. In accordance with § 173.22, it is the shipper’s responsibility to properly class and describe a hazardous material. This Office does not perform that function. However, in consideration of the information you have provided, the Yeti’s main function appears to be providing power to other pieces of equipment. Therefore, this item should be classified as “UN3480, Lithium ion batteries, 9.” I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance. Sincerely, T. Glenn Foster Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch Standards and Rulemaking Division <<>> GOAL RO l.~, 19 -0129 ovemb r 8, 2019 Int r a Pip d t rial a ty dmini tration Uni f ran portation 120 a t r Wa I 0590 Re: R qu t for Int rpr t ti n - Yeti Po r tation with Batt ry Included D ar Mr. Pfund: Goal Zero LL manufactur and ng other prod rtabl po r tati n th t cont · · ·um ion · Po er tati aft r, 'Y ti'). We n d the pr of th Yet 3481 and not 80 ar i f th atta h d in:fi rmation and th do ria ii R 171- l 0) to nfirm our und r tanding ur p . Aft r c · Y ti . r tati n pr in tint rpr tati h rel van on lud d and ha o und r p at th fu ll -in tion ith tt is rl d 3 81 , "li thiu · quipm pa it q F fo ll wi b th n appropria I an k nfirm I. ==~===..!.!.!...===•~1t. h ·odu t in r nt " ba · · pro · ic I p primary dire ti n that afti ct wh ther oal Z ro' Y ti fit under 348 1 com fr m 49 FR 173. 1 5 which "the d I or apparatu for whi h th lithium II or r for it op rati n." ti pr du t lin i u d t op rati n and fun tion , hi h u th op ration of th Y ti ar ome o th pri ma tation" r, th r than a batt ry r traditiona l pow r bank: ha it o n e ak it a po, er M nitoring and d'u · th charg· · r of the Y ti ba d nth · bility f p w input p p ifica ll in r lati n to olar p r input that are c n tan ti han0 in . Thi fun ti n r id tem r fi rr d to a th MPP or P M char c ntroll r, that i POWER. ANYTHING. AN'rWHERE. 675 WEST 14600 SOUTH BLUFFDALE, UT B4065 PHON E 888. 794.6250 GOALZERO.COM <<>> op rating, con uming power for it function, and u e the batt ry for thi pow re n wh n no output power i b in d Ii red to 'ternal qui ment. onitorin of a ailabl p r on th input port and notificati n to th nd u r if th po r input chan e within c rtain param ampl i ifth Y ti i u d a a h m ba kup p r y t m in hich ca d into and monitoring the utilit grid p w r a ailabilit . Ifthi p \i er i udd nl turn doff, th Y ti monitor and d t ct thi chang and notifie the own r of a power outa allowin th u r to r mot ly turn p rt on th Yeti on r ff and p t ntiall adju t th ir plan for po er u a b ha ior in th ir home. hi fun tion r id on th ma t r ontrol ub t m and in lud a iFi modul for conn tion ia i to cloud ba ed r ic for m nit ring ofth tat of power input and output c 1111 ted to th Yeti. gain, in aim t th ntir and on tant fun ti n f thi ub t m th batt rie pro id pow r for a maj r funclion o th Yeti wh n n output pow r i b ing d Ii ered to t rnal equ ipm nt. · i i ru that th Y ti pro id p w 1 r quipm nt 't rnal to th p lithiu1 r att · o r ti r th op r · n of t th mpl b . u d it 1d in mo t appli a p nd alm u mg that b r fi r thi typ of p rati n rath rth nd Ii rin p rto t rnal quipm nt. 2. D d parate p ith it o rati 11 , nd a parat ba pa k a h f whi h c uld b hipp a an int rat d in ular p ta quipm nt ntainin lithium batt ri bl k dia ram ofth fun · an b n tn i ur I b I 2 <<>> commu on · lithium batt r c n e·t• jOC IC AC) C Pc !!) s,nem Po ; 1:aIe tat'.e s I tr ni 2). hi hr nth 3 rand ith th <<>> lls hipp d a hi hipp d on it u a int n a tat d in [n rib d bel , . In mplian 11 # 16-0022 dated it n 111 ., .3 te t' · and deign . h otl 111 tal II a c ntain all le tr ni 111 hazard 1d· · ov rcurr nt input and output er d · · and · · · or pre ntin cha r /di wh n · id riat ratur param t r . he ar tan ·ampl fthi produ tin lud : ame Re D 38006 Y Tl LI 1400 D ATT RY 38006 Y Tl LI 1400 BATTERY 2.0 p K 3 006 Y Tl LI 1400 BATTERY 3.0 p K 38015 Y Tl LI 3000 DA TTER Y 1.0 PA K 1.0 1425 Wh Lithium Batlery, anyo AA 2.2Ah ells 4 UN 3480 UN34 0 UN 3480 UN 3480 ation <<>> 38015 VET[ Lr 3000 BATTERY 2.0 2981 Wh Lithium Battery, Sanyo ZL2 2.35Ah Cells PACK 38007 YETI LI 400 BATTERY 1.0 428 Wh Li thium Battery, Sanyo AA 2.2Ah Cell s PACK 38007 YET[ LI 400 BATTERY 2.0 427 Wh Lithium Battery, LG M26 2.6Ah Cell PACK 38007 YETI LI 400 BATTERY 3.0 4 11 W h Lithium Battery, San o ZL2 2.35Ah Cell PACK 38005 YETI LI I 000 BATTER V 1.0 1 045 Wh Lithium B tt ry, Sanyo AA 2.2Ah Cells PACK 38005 YETI LI 1 000 BATTERY 2.0 I 053 Wh Li thium Batiery, LG M26 2.6Ah Cell PACK NEWSK YETI LI ·oo BATTERY 1.0 500 Wh Li thium Battery, LG M26 2.6Ah Cells U' PACK NEWSK YETI LI 1500 B TTER V 1.0 1500 Wh Lithium Bau ry, LG M26 2.6Ah Cells U' PACK I These SKU ha e not et been buih or creat d, but are in the s y y tern for ne\ p r duct Imm h lannin p g in 2020. manu factured and hipp d alone (with no batter ut B tt ry ar ind p nd nt K con id r d a mount of add d me h nica l and I ctrical functi n 111 luded), th ti Po er quipm nt that have a fi r th u r , p ri n e and i ur 3). UN 3480 UN 3480 UN 3480 UN 3480 UN 3480 UN 3480 UN 3480 UN 3480 mbl d (top and with lid r m v d The in lud a ma ter ntr I cir uit that hand I lo pow r input and utput r gulation, igni fi ant on- t m u r int rfa e fi r man ging th tate of the t m and 1 1 capabi liti fi r communi atin and c ntr ll ing additi nal m nit rin fi ature m of hi h re mp l t I unr lat d to th m nt r (i. . tate of 5 <<>> power I in , tate of input power from olar, tate of harge on th battery). ignificant to th topic of afi ty in shipping thi ub tern al o hand I multiple additional la r of afety for any lithium b tt r attach d to it, including m chanical upport and pr t tion and electronic managem nt of both har ing and di charging of the battery. Thi ub t min lud a ca ity nd int rconne t fo r the in tallation of th batt ry pa k , which can ar in ize mod I, and apabiliti . he batte1y pack i th n r pla abl after in tallati n a w II , allowing for upgrad or new batt ri to be wapped into the fini h d pr du ta n ded. In term f foncti n and purpo , thi typ of pr duct i imilar to lapt p hich ha e r mo abl batt ri when tho batt ri ar not in tailed. Wh n hipp d, thi not a hazard u mat rial and ntain no lithium batteri . From an en in rin and logi ti s p r p ctiv , th Yeti i qu ipment with its own operation functional va lu , and on titutes th majority of the development co t, effort and fea ture deli I of th product v n when ompar d to the batt r . integrat d into a ingl KU and produ t, combining th 11011- hazardou P n ithout Batt r K with a compatibl n batter pa k K , c n tituting th quipm nt and a corr p ndi ng c mpatibl h n hipp d tgthr ora nint dK al Zer ifi th pa ' a 3481.ull int rat d Y ti P w ion with Batt ry in lud : 38000 38003 3 004 3 008 YETI LI 400 11 OV 38001 YETI LI 400 220V YETI LI 1 400 220V Y Tl LI 1000 I lOV YETI LI 400 lOOV J P N I IOOO 220V I 1400 V2 IIOV 400 V2 lOOV 000 V2 1 lOV 000 V2 2 OV 0 V2 lOOV rated Yeti 400 Li with Oa rat d Yeti 1400 Li with B rat d eti l 000 Li with B rated Yeti 1400 Li with B rated Yeti 400 Li with Bat rat d Y ti 400 Li with Bat rat d Yeti 400 Li with Oat rated Yeti 400 Li with Bat 6 ation <<>> Hi tori ally, oal Zero ha hipped all 3 configurations: the tandalone battery cla ified as 3480, and th Yeti Po r tati n ithout Batte1y and th fully int grat d Yeti Po er tation with Battery includ d, cla ifi d a 3481 . 3. ===...,====:!...=::.:== Y ti ha hi torically be n cla 3481 with major dome tic and international hipping or anization , includ in UP and D granting ritt n auth rization to hip the e pr du t under that la ification. imilarl , when pr nt don ite with th detail of the produ t d ign and th la er of m chani al and lectrical part that wrap around and operat ff th batt I p r the D in p tor agr d that it wou ld mak n for th Y ti to be c n id red a lithium batt ry in equ ipm nt i en th op and fun tion. lthou h pr i u interpretati n I tt r add re th dir tion fr m the U Departm nt of Tran p rtati n on ho t hip po r bank th pr du t typ are ignificantl diffi rent in I of afi ty than our Yeti pr duct . fter furth r in e ti ation into p1 · in · w fi und that if the eti wa cat gorized a a p r bank, it should b ca 0, hich wa th re ulting e 'planation or pr babl iolation in the -it Bri re i ed on t ber I, 2019. Ho Zero ha n er cla ifi d th Yeti er bank and wh nth d tail and fun tion of th · 1 d to ari in th fi Id, a that th fu lly int w r ith Batt . nd h uld b i 3481. Th Y ti bank, eith r fr m an engin ring or con um r appli ation per · . ft ha am unt of it own · that · · batt , not in lud in th p w r outputt oth r quipm nt. 111t rnalp n umpti n ofth th un · · all Au tuat b 7 and 15 0 1111 t d t an t rnal pm nt on th output p rt , hich i hi h r than man p r bank an We hop that or rd t y abo ut our eti pr du t and c ith Batt ri a 3481. k If you ha e an qu tion ab ut ur produ t r i h to di u thi ith u furth r pl a c ntact m dir ti at (801) 553-3663. Thank you. 7 ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa` - SHA-256: `fd8bc01635bbcbe9dfe58260ab6ac495a5faa041a65de451adf03193d39447de` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T13:51:05.334Z - Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-19-0129` ### Source metadata ```json { "materialSubtype": "interpretation", "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials", "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf", "companies": [ "Goal Zero" ], "individuals": [ "Christie Babalis" ], "refIds": [ "19-0129" ], "catalogDates": [ "2020-04-16" ], "catalogParts": [ 173 ], "catalogRowCount": 2, "sourceRecordUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/72046" ], "linkedAttachmentUrls": [], "unavailableResponseUrls": [], "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [], "citedSections": [ "173.185", "173.22" ], "catalogPageUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173185", "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/17322" ], "pdfUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/73651/190129.pdf" ], "representations": [ { "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/73651/190129.pdf", "detailUrl": null, "detailHtmlPath": null, "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/73651/190129.pdf", "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/19-0129-f91468ebfd.pdf", "pdfArtifactSha256": "cab4410c95fc78fce8de0009f888854f82ec5432f51eb8ef6625f9e111899591", "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/19-0129-f91468ebfd.v2.txt", "extractedTextSha256": "589a401824282153c09909f61e86dde5e1857f6b3c36ab60e84bd513b58bc36c", "pageCount": 9, "extractionVersion": 2 } ], "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.", "jurisdiction": "US" } ```