Several times a year, we get urgent calls from manufacturers with CNC machines. The memory backup battery in their CNC machine has gone dead, and the CNC machine won’t function. They need memory batteries for their CNC machine, and they them fast! Then when they check the Internet, they find out they cannot be shipped overnight by air.
These memory backup batteries are primary lithium batteries, usually with 1 to 4 cells in an assembly with a connector.
Advice:
- It’s always better to buy the appropriate backup batteries for your CNC tools before you need them. Lithium primary batteries age well (that’s one reason they get this job in the first place).
- After replacing the memory backup battery pack, keep the old one. PGH Batteries can rebuild the old pack rather than just discarding it. That is the easiest way to have memory backup batteries the next time you need. We re-use the connector.
We do keep the most common cells and connectors on hand, so in many cases we can rebuild a battery assembly if a machine is down. Usually, we pick up your old assembly and re-use the connector. If the stars line up, we will do it the same day or next day.
Why can’t these batteries be shipped overnight? They are lithium primary batteries, and they classed as hazardous material for shipping. They contain lithium metal, which burns readily, and they have a high energy density, which can start fires. For more information on the fire hazard of lithium batteries, ready here.
Similarly, as primary lithium batteries are harzardous waste, in any volume they are expensive to recycle. Check our battery recycling policies here.
On the plus side, lithium primary batteries have both a high energy density and long shelf life. That is why they the battery of choice in business critical engineering applications, such as CNC memory backup.
Be prepared. Know what battery assemblies your CNC machines need, and have them on hand. We will be happy to track these down for you.
PGH Batteries
833-474-4300
[email protected]
PGHBatteries.com
