User's Manual

Table Of Contents
Chapter 4 Battery Care and Maintenance
56 TDC-0971-011 CCU 100 and Repeater 100 Installation Guide
Battery Service Life
All batteries have a variable service life, depending upon the type of cycle, environment,
and charge to which the cell or battery is subjected during its life. There are two basic
types of service life: cycle life and calendar life. The battery in the collector or repeater is
called in to service only during power outages, so in this case only calendar (or float) life
is applicable.
Calendar Life
The design calendar (or float) life of the battery extends from eight to ten years at room
temperature (25°C/77°F) under proper charging conditions.
This design life was confirmed by the use of accelerated testing methods that are widely
accepted by both manufacturers and users of sealed-lead batteries. High temperatures are
used to accelerate the aging process of the battery under test.
The float life of a cell is cut in half for roughly every 8°C (14.4°F) rise in ambient
temperature. The example below shows the relationship between ambient temperature and
float life for batteries that have a float life of ten years at 25°C (77°F).
A ten year battery lasts for five years at 33°C (91.4°F) and only 2½ years at 41°C
(105.8°F).
Preventative Maintenance
Itron recommends a preventative maintenance cycle of a two-year replacement in extreme
environments (average temperatures greater than 110°F/44°C), or five years in non-
extreme environments (average temperatures less than 90°F/31°C).