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Battery replacement

DonnaP3

I called Verizon tech support because the battery alarm keeps going off, I was told to go to a Radio Shak and buy a battery. I asked why I was responsible for Verizon's equpment and he just repeated that I had to take care of it myself. I'm going to call Brighthouse and what they would charge me. Since when did this become self service?

Accepted answers

lasagna

It is disclosed in the installation documents you are given that the battery is a user replaceable part. they are guarenteed for 1 year during which time Verizon will facilitate it's replacement, after that it is your responsibility.

The battery itself is NOT required for FiOS to function -- you can, and some people do -- disconnect the battery and as long as the power in your house remains on, the system will operate just fine.

The battery is a convenience feature that comes with FiOS to allow the phone portion of the network to continue to function when the power in your house is out (basically, the power supply has a small UPS built into it). When and if you call the cable company, ask them about their phone service and how it functions when the power is out (their answer is either it doesn't -or- the modem we give you has a battery in it which keeps things running which when it wears out you must replace). Same deal but because they do it in the modem instead of on a seperate fiber termination point, people seem to view it differently.

If you have a home generator or UPS, placing the FiOS unit on this power source also eliminates the need for the battery.

Lastly, if you don't have phone service thru Verizon, the battery does little for you since the internet and TV portions of the service go down when the power goes out and are not retained by the battery.

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With that said, there are several scenarios that have been cited where the battery alarm goes off but it's not a bad battery. Just a logic board fault of some sort. Try disconnecting the battery, unplugging the ONT for a minute, and then reconnecting the battery to see if it will clear the alarm before you go buy a new battery.

And if you do need a new battery --they only cost about $20 from a battery store (don't buy it from Verizon).

All comments

jmw1950

For whatever reason, the customer is responsible for the battery in the battery backup unit. It is usually a 12V/7Ah Sealed Lead Acid battery. These batteries are commonly used in home alarm systems and some small UPS's, so finding one should not be a problem. However I don't think Radio Shack routinely stocks a battery that fits. You should probably call before you go.

There usually is at least one retail outlet in most decent sized cities like BatteriesPlus® that specializes in batteries, and such an outlet would routinely carry Sealed Lead Acid Cells that fit, in addition, they are usually available on eBay for something on the order of $20-$25. You may need to look at the one have and measure the contacts (or bring it with you). There are two standard sizes for the battery contacts, and I don't remember which size the BBU utilizes. However any SLA cell that is 12Volts, at least 7 Amp Hours and is the same physical size and connectors as the one you have will work just fine. Check the Yellow Pages.

Siince it is used in many home alarm systems, you might also check with companies that sell/service alarm systems to see if they have the battery at a reasonable price.

At best the battery will last about 5 years, however power failures that last longer than 8 hours do bad things to these cells. They don't tolerate complete discharge very well at all, so YMMV.

tns

After the initial guarantee period, I think a year, you are stuck with the cost of replacing the battery

lasagna

The battery itself is NOT required for FiOS to function -- you can, and some people do -- disconnect the battery and as long as the power in your house remains on, the system will operate just fine.

If you have a home generator or UPS, placing the FiOS unit on this power source also eliminates the need for the battery.

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And if you do need a new battery --they only cost about $20 from a battery store (don't buy it from Verizon).

smith6612

Have to say what others have said as well. If the battery dies within a year Verizon will send you a new one or get a tech out to replace it. The battery should hold up for quite a while, however if it is brand new. If it is going bad too soon, try removing the battery and AC Power for a few minutes from the BBU to see if that resets it. Short of that, just get a new battery (They run like, $14?) from a nearby battery shop, or basically a place that sells security systems since I'm pretty sure the ONT and many alarm systems use very similar batteries.If it's out in the cold, see if Verizon will move it to a more suitable location since tiny batteries like that die a lot sooner in the cold weather as they age. Us up North know what the cold weather does to Car batteries. Those aren't nice to replace every few years due to sub-zero temps killing a degraded battery.

Around here the Cable company doesn't even give batteries for their Cable modems that offer telephone service, you have to basically request one or buy something such as a UPS that keeps the modem powered up. Power goes out, so does your phone and Internet. No idea about the Cable plant but with the amount of UPSs they have up on the poles I doubt they've replaced those batteries since they were installed in a bunch of spots in my area. At least Verizon is nice enough to include one with FiOS, considering they have to at least make an effort on their PSTN Network to keep it online during power outages.

cyraxote2

Here's a crazy idea: why doesn't somebody post a link to the correct replacement battery? Or even a part number? Something?

This should not have to be a mystery to every customer when it happens. There should be a link on the main support page: "Is your battery backup beeping? Click here for help."

Verizon is perfectly willing to charge $50 for a battery, but not to make it easy for people find the right battery. I know that nickle and diming people is the core of the Verizon business plan, but why make it hard to get the info? I've spent 20 minutes when I could have spent just 2.

lasagna

Because different ONT's can take different model batteries ... the specifications are clearly printed on the battery (I just now walked out to my ONT and saw that mine has a GS Portalac PX12072 installed -- a quick Google for which gave me several sources for it at less than $20 including Amazon). If that doesn't work, just remove the battery and take it to a local battery store (Battery Warehouse, etc.) and they'll give you the right replacement.

Now, battery replacement instructions ... yeah, those could be handy, but I also noticed they're printed on the door inside the ONT battery compartment.

rwm5

3 years into service, battery alarm starts beeping. I pulled out the battery and tested with my meter, it's got plenty of charge. Plugged back in and it seems fine, no alarm.

Battery like this should generally last 5 years. If it's less than 4 years, try unplugging, check the charge, and if charge is over 12V, plug it back in. Bet it will be fine.

[Deleted User]

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