When do batteries need to be changed in a defibrillator?

Answer 1

when the system takes more than fifteen seconds to charge at 360J while operation on battery, the batteries are to be replaced

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The above answer is talking about manual defibrillators like those used in hospitals and on paramedic units and some doctors offices. Most who have an interest in this question are talking about an AED ( Automated External Defibrillator.) The battery needs to be replaced every 3-5 years depending on the make and model of AED. All models have an inspection light and/or guage that will let you know that it is still operational.

On the back of your battery will be a date, in some models two dates. For some units this date is the expiration date of the battery and even if the light shows operational you MUST change the battery on or before the expiration date or the law may consider that willful neglect, this is one of the ONLY ways you could blow your Good Samaritan limited immunity from being sued.

It is VERY important that you record the date the battery was installed in the AED ( I suggest with a marker pen as opposed to tape.) Note in your user manual how long your battery is good for FROM THE DATE OF INSTALLATION. This date can be more then a year BEFORE the last date on the battery. Note that the expiration date on the pads and the battery are usually different from the date of the battery expiration. Usually the pads only last two years. One model the adult pads last 4 years but the child pads for the same model only last 2 years and the batteries last 5 years MAYBE. That unit does not have any expiration dates on the batteries, they use off the shelf camera batteries. Another model has a module that has an expiration date 3 1/2 years from the manufature. The pads and battery are in one module. The entire module costs 95 to 115 dollars, less then the cost of all but one battery and one pad only.

Batteries cost from 69 dollars for the Zoll ( 17 dollars if you buy the same make and model batteries from Costco or Radio Shack) to 395 dollars for the Cardiac Science G3. The pads cost from 37 dollars for the Phillips units to 149 dollars for the Zoll. Looking at the 5 and 10 year cost of batteries and pads should be one of the things you consider in buying an AED.