{"operation":"document","citation":"19-0129","title":"Goal Zero — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2020-04-16","effective_on":null,"summary":"19-0129 response to Goal Zero concerning 173.185, 173.22.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0129.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0129.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0129","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/73651/190129.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nApril 16, 2020\nChristie Babalis\nGeneral Counsel\nGoal Zero\n675 West 14600 South\nBluffdale, UT 84065\nReference No. 19-0129\nDear Ms. Babalis:\nThis letter is in response to your November 8, 2019, letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the classification\nof an item as “UN3481, Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment, 9.” You explain that your\ncompany manufactures a portable power station that contains lithium ion batteries, called the\nYeti Power Station (Yeti). You explain that although the Yeti is used to provide power for\nexternal devices, it has its own operation and internal functions that use power from the batteries.\nThese internal functions include monitoring and adjusting the charging behavior of the Yeti\nbased on the availability of power on the input ports, specifically in relation to solar power inputs\nthat are constantly changing. Additional functions include monitoring available power on the\ninput ports and notifying the end user if the power inputs change within certain parameters.\nAdditionally, you explain that the product line was designed as two separate product types: the\nequipment with its own operation, and a separate battery pack to power that equipment. You\nprovided pictures of the two product types showing the standalone battery packs and the Yeti\nwithout the battery installed. You state that these two products can be integrated into a single\nunit, combining the non-hazardous power station without the battery and the compatible\nstandalone battery pack. Specifically, you seek confirmation of your understanding that when\nintegrated, this product may be classified as “UN3481, Lithium ion batteries contained in\nequipment, 9.”\nIt is the opinion of this Office that the classification of the Yeti as “UN3481, Lithium ion\nbatteries contained in equipment, 9” is incorrect. Section 173.185 defines “equipment” as the\ndevice or apparatus for which the lithium cells or batteries will provide electrical power for its\noperation. While there are functions internal to the Yeti for which the battery provides power,\nthose functions are secondary to and in support of the primary function of this unit, which is to\nprovide power to other external pieces of equipment. Based on your description of the product,\nand research into this and similar products, the functions that are described for these items\ninclude providing power to smartphones, tablets, cameras, laptops, fridges, and televisions. The\nprimary purpose of these units appears to be serving as a backup battery to items that are\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\ntypically powered by a lithium battery or providing power to items powered by electricity. All\nother functions of the Yeti and similar units appear to support the performance of that primary\nfunction.\nIn accordance with § 173.22, it is the shipper’s responsibility to properly class and describe a\nhazardous material. This Office does not perform that function. However, in consideration of\nthe information you have provided, the Yeti’s main function appears to be providing power to\nother pieces of equipment. Therefore, this item should be classified as “UN3480, Lithium ion\nbatteries, 9.”\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nGOAL RO\nl.~,\n19 -0129\novemb r 8, 2019\nInt r a\nPip d t rial a ty dmini tration\nUni f ran portation\n120\na t r\nWa I 0590\nRe: R qu t for Int rpr t ti n - Yeti Po r tation with Batt ry Included\nD ar Mr. Pfund:\nGoal Zero LL manufactur and ng other prod rtabl po r tati n\nth t cont · · ·um ion · Po er tati aft r, 'Y ti'). We\nn d the pr of th Yet 3481 and not\n80 ar i f th atta h d in:fi rmation and th\ndo ria ii R 171- l 0) to nfirm our und r tanding\nur p .\nAft r c · Y ti . r tati n pr in tint rpr tati h\nrel van on lud d and ha o und r p at th\nfu ll -in tion ith tt is rl d 3 81 ,\n\"li thiu · quipm pa it q F\nfo ll wi b th n appropria I an k\nnfirm\nI. ==~===..!.!.!...===•~1t. h\n·odu t\nin r nt \"\nba · · pro · ic I p\nprimary dire ti n that afti ct wh ther oal Z ro' Y ti\nfit under 348 1 com fr m 49 FR 173. 1 5 which\n\"the d I or apparatu for whi h th lithium II or\nr for it op rati n.\"\nti pr du t lin i u d t\nop rati n and fun tion , hi h u th\nop 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:\nha it o n\ne\nak it a po, er\nM nitoring and d'u · th charg· · r of the Y ti ba d nth\n· bility f p w input p p ifica ll in r lati n to olar p r\ninput that are c n tan ti han0 in . Thi fun ti n r id tem\nr fi rr d to a th MPP or P M char c ntroll r, that i\nPOWER. ANYTHING. AN'rWHERE.\n675 WEST 14600 SOUTH\nBLUFFDALE, UT B4065\nPHON E 888. 794.6250\nGOALZERO.COM\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nop rating, con uming power for it function, and u e the batt ry for thi\npow re n wh n no output power i b in d Ii red to 'ternal qui ment.\nonitorin of a ailabl p r on th input port and notificati n to th nd u r if\nth po r input chan e within c rtain param ampl i ifth Y ti i u d\na a h m ba kup p r y t m in hich ca d into and monitoring the\nutilit grid p w r a ailabilit . Ifthi p \\i er i udd nl turn doff, th Y ti monitor\nand d t ct thi chang and notifie the own r of a power outa allowin th u r to\nr mot ly turn p rt on th Yeti on r ff and p t ntiall adju t th ir plan for po er\nu a b ha ior in th ir home. hi fun tion r id on th ma t r ontrol ub t m\nand in lud a iFi modul for conn tion ia i to cloud ba ed r ic for\nm nit ring ofth tat of power input and output c 1111 ted to th Yeti. gain, in\naim t th ntir and on tant fun ti n f thi ub t m th batt rie pro id pow r\nfor a maj r funclion o th Yeti wh n n output pow r i b ing d Ii ered to t rnal\nequ ipm nt.\n· i i ru that th Y ti pro id p w 1 r quipm nt 't rnal to th\np lithiu1 r att · o r ti r th op r · n of\nt th mpl b . u d\nit 1d in mo t appli a p nd alm u mg\nthat b r fi r thi typ of p rati n rath rth nd Ii rin p rto t rnal\nquipm nt.\n2. D d parate\np ith it o rati 11 , nd a parat ba pa k a h f\nwhi h c uld b hipp a an int rat d in ular p ta quipm nt\nntainin lithium batt ri bl k dia ram ofth fun · an b n tn\ni ur I b I\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\ncommu on ·\nlithium batt r c\nn e·t• jOC IC\nAC)\nC Pc !!)\ns,nem\nPo ; 1:aIe tat'.e s\nI tr ni\n2).\nhi hr nth\n3\nrand\nith th\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nlls hipp d a\nhi\nhipp d on it\nu a\nint\nn a tat d in [n rib d bel , . In mplian\n11 # 16-0022 dated\nit\nn 111\n., .3 te t' · and\ndeign . h otl\n111 tal II a c ntain all le tr ni 111 hazard 1d· ·\nov rcurr nt input and output er d · · and · · · or pre ntin\ncha r /di wh n · id riat ratur param t r .\nhe ar tan ·ampl fthi\nprodu tin lud :\name Re D\n38006 Y Tl LI 1400 D ATT RY 38006 Y Tl LI 1400 BATTERY 2.0\np K\n3 006 Y Tl LI 1400 BATTERY 3.0\np K\n38015 Y Tl LI 3000 DA TTER Y 1.0\nPA K\n1.0 1425 Wh Lithium Batlery, anyo AA 2.2Ah ells\n4\nUN 3480\nUN34 0\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nation\n\n<<<PAGE 7>>>\n\n38015 VET[ Lr 3000 BATTERY 2.0 2981 Wh Lithium Battery, Sanyo ZL2 2.35Ah Cells\nPACK\n38007 YETI LI 400 BATTERY 1.0 428 Wh Li thium Battery, Sanyo AA 2.2Ah Cell s\nPACK\n38007 YET[ LI 400 BATTERY 2.0 427 Wh Lithium Battery, LG M26 2.6Ah Cell\nPACK\n38007 YETI LI 400 BATTERY 3.0 4 11 W h Lithium Battery, San o ZL2 2.35Ah Cell\nPACK\n38005 YETI LI I 000 BATTER V 1.0 1 045 Wh Lithium B tt ry, Sanyo AA 2.2Ah Cells\nPACK\n38005 YETI LI 1 000 BATTERY 2.0 I 053 Wh Li thium Batiery, LG M26 2.6Ah Cell\nPACK\nNEWSK YETI LI ·oo BATTERY 1.0 500 Wh Li thium Battery, LG M26 2.6Ah Cells\nU' PACK\nNEWSK YETI LI 1500 B TTER V 1.0 1500 Wh Lithium Bau ry, LG M26 2.6Ah Cells\nU' PACK\nI These SKU ha e not et been buih or creat d, but are in the s\ny y tern for ne\\ p r duct Imm h lannin\np g in 2020.\nmanu factured and hipp d alone (with no batter\nut B tt ry ar ind p nd nt K con id r d a\nmount of add d me h nica l and I ctrical functi n\n111 luded), th ti Po er\nquipm nt that have a\nfi r th u r , p ri n e and\ni ur 3).\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nUN 3480\nmbl d (top and with lid r m v d\nThe in lud a ma ter ntr I cir uit that hand I lo pow r input and utput r gulation,\nigni fi ant on- t m u r int rfa e fi r man ging th tate of the t m and 1 1\ncapabi 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\nr (i. . tate of\n5\n\n<<<PAGE 8>>>\n\npower I in , tate of input power from olar, tate of harge on th battery). ignificant to th\ntopic of afi ty in shipping thi ub tern al o hand I multiple additional la r of afety for\nany lithium b tt r attach d to it, including m chanical upport and pr t tion and electronic\nmanagem nt of both har ing and di charging of the battery. Thi ub t min lud a\nca ity nd int rconne t fo r the in tallation of th batt ry pa k , which can ar in ize\nmod I, and apabiliti . he batte1y pack i th n r pla abl after in tallati n a w II ,\nallowing for upgrad or new batt ri to be wapped into the fini h d pr du ta n ded. In\nterm f foncti n and purpo , thi typ of pr duct i imilar to lapt p hich ha e\nr mo abl batt ri when tho batt ri ar not in tailed. Wh n hipp d, thi not a\nhazard u mat rial and ntain no lithium batteri . From an en in rin and logi ti s\np r p ctiv , th Yeti i qu ipment with its own operation functional va lu , and on titutes\nth majority of the development co t, effort and fea ture deli I of th product v n when\nompar d to the batt r .\nintegrat d into a ingl KU and produ t, combining th 11011-\nhazardou P n ithout Batt r K with a compatibl n batter pa k\nK , c n tituting th quipm nt and a corr p ndi ng c mpatibl h n hipp d\ntgthr ora nint dK al Zer ifi th pa ' a 3481.ull\nint rat d Y ti P w ion with Batt ry in lud :\n38000 38003 3 004 3 008 YETI LI 400 11 OV\n38001 YETI LI 400 220V\nYETI LI 1 400 220V\nY Tl LI 1000 I lOV\nYETI 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\nrat d Yeti 1400 Li with B\nrat d eti l 000 Li with B\nrated Yeti 1400 Li with B\nrated Yeti 400 Li with Bat\nrat d Y ti 400 Li with Bat\nrat d Yeti 400 Li with Oat\nrated Yeti 400 Li with Bat\n6\nation\n\n<<<PAGE 9>>>\n\nHi tori ally, oal Zero ha hipped all 3 configurations: the tandalone battery cla ified as\n3480, and th Yeti Po r tati n ithout Batte1y and th fully int grat d Yeti Po er\ntation with Battery includ d, cla ifi d a 3481 .\n3. ===...,====:!...=::.:== Y ti ha hi torically be n cla 3481 with\nmajor dome tic and international hipping or anization , includ in UP and D\ngranting ritt n auth rization to hip the e pr du t under that la ification. imilarl , when\npr nt don ite with th detail of the produ t d ign and th la er of m chani al and\nlectrical part that wrap around and operat ff th batt I p r the D in p tor agr d\nthat 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\nth op and fun tion.\nlthou h pr i u interpretati n I tt r add re th dir tion fr m the U Departm nt of\nTran p rtati n on ho t hip po r bank th pr du t typ are ignificantl diffi rent in\nI of afi ty than our Yeti pr duct . fter furth r in e ti ation into\np1 · in · w fi und that if the eti wa cat gorized a a p r bank, it\nshould b ca 0, hich wa th re ulting e 'planation or pr babl iolation\nin the -it Bri re i ed on t ber I, 2019. Ho Zero ha n er\ncla ifi d th Yeti er bank and wh nth d tail and fun tion of th\n· 1 d to ari in th fi Id, a that th fu lly int w r\nith Batt . nd h uld b i 3481. Th Y ti\nbank, eith r fr m an engin ring or con um r appli ation per · . ft ha\nam unt of it own · that · · batt , not in lud in th\np w r outputt oth r quipm nt. 111t rnalp n umpti n ofth\nth un · · all Au tuat b 7 and 15 0 1111 t d t an\nt rnal pm nt on th output p rt , hich i hi h r than man p r bank an\nWe hop that or rd t y\nabo ut our eti pr du t and c\nith Batt ri a 3481. k\nIf you ha e an qu tion ab ut ur produ t r i h to di u thi ith u furth r pl a\nc ntact m dir ti at (801) 553-3663. Thank you.\n7","truncated":false,"body_characters":12027}