Batteries are a vital resource for running Urban Search & Rescue missions effectively. Being prepared for a mission makes all the difference.
In terms of batteries this means checking both the battery count as well as their condition. As a rule of thumb you should always have enough batteries for running all your equipment simultaneously (e.g. Savox Life Detectors and SearchCams), and still have a full set of batteries recharging.
Check Battery Condition
Condition of the batteries is equally important. Broken and non-functional batteries are useless, as are old batteries with reduced capacity. Unfortunately, all currently available battery technologies are restricted and result into batteries having limited lifecycles and experiencing gradual loss of capacity. The Savox XTRACharge batteries normally have a long five-year lifecycle. Various factors such as use application, number of duty cycles, storage conditions and battery maintenance are the main factors affecting the battery lifetime. As battery loses its capacity over time, field battery lifetime will decrease accordilgly. Therefore, it is highly recommended to replace batteries at least once in five years.
The current high capacity Savox XTRACharge battery is easily recognizable from its blue housing (older generation batteries have black housing). The XTRACharge battery has higher capacity and it gives over 40% higher runtime for SearchCam 3000 compared to the older generation batteries. It is good to note that due to reasons listed above, all batteries with black housing are getting to the end of their lifecycles. If you are still using them, you should consider replacing them with a fresh set of high capacity XTRACharge batteries to ensure maximal field time for your equipment.
Utilize Battery Manuals Provided with Product
For more information on extending the lifetime of your batteries, please check the Savox Battery Manual, which gives detailed instructions on how to use, store and maintain Savox XTRACharge batteries in an optimal way. If you have not received it with your Savox equipment, please contact your Savox distributor and request the manual.
Please note that for older SearchCam 3000 models it might be necessary to upgrade firmware in order to get the maximum benefit of the XTRACharge batteries. We offer XTRACharge Battery Life Extension Kit (P/N 6010-05-006) for this purposes and it contains both the new batteries and the firmware upgrade at a bundle price.
To complete your gear check, remember to also make sure you have enough chargers to charge all your batteries so your equipment is always ready to go when the need arises.
Battery Condition Checklist
To make sure are always ready for your next USAR mission, please complete the following brief battery and charger checklist:
1. Check you have enough batteries and chargers
2. Check batteries are in good enough conditions, replace all old batteries that are close to their lifecycle
3. Maintain your batteries according to the Battery Manual to maximize the life span of your USAR equipment.
Is your Search and Rescue equipment up-to-date?
In case your answer is no or you're uncertain, visit our Search and Rescue Systems- page where you'll find the SAVOX offering, so you'll be prepared for the next operation. Visit page here.