Battery Safety

IBIS trackers contain small lithium-polymer batteries. They are safe in normal use, but lithium chemistry deserves respect. Read this once.

Do

• Charge at room temperature (10°C – 30°C ideally; 0°C – 40°C acceptable)
• Use a 5V USB power source — the included dock, a phone wall charger, or a regular USB-C laptop charger that supports 5V
• Charge somewhere visible the first few times so you’d notice if something went wrong
• Store at 50-70% charge if you won’t use them for weeks
• Power off trackers before traveling (hold the button until LED is fully off)

Don’t

• Don’t charge with high-voltage “fast chargers” (9V/12V profiles). 5V only.
• Don’t charge a tracker that’s been in the cold or in a hot car — let it reach room temperature first
• Don’t store trackers at 0% or 100% for months — both are stressful for the cell
• Don’t disassemble trackers. The battery is inside; opening one risks puncturing the cell
• Don’t crush, drop hard, or puncture trackers. A damaged cell can vent or, very rarely, ignite
• Don’t leave a tracker charging unattended for days

Warning signs

Stop using a tracker and reach out via support if:

• The body is swollen, deformed, or “puffy”
• The tracker is hot to the touch during charge (warmth is normal; uncomfortable heat is not)
• There’s a smell like solvent or acrid plastic
• The battery is failing to hold any charge after being properly recharged

Travel

• Power off trackers before packing (hold button)
• Trackers are TSA-compliant for carry-on; lithium-polymer batteries below 100 Wh are allowed. IBIS trackers are well below this threshold. Pack them in carry-on if flying — checked-luggage lithium is restricted by most airlines.
• Don’t pack damaged or swollen trackers at all

Disposal

When a tracker reaches end-of-life, don’t put it in household trash. Most local councils have lithium battery / e-waste drop-offs. The whole tracker can go in the bin — you don’t need to extract the battery (please don’t).