WELCOME!!
ERT Lifecycle Management
Roundtable
Gas Battery Product
Ralph Harms
Product Manager, Gas Endpoints
Topics for Discussion
• Battery Field Monitoring Program
• Battery Changeout
• Disposal Procedure
• Roundtable Discussion
Battery Field Monitoring Program
• In 1991 estimated 40G battery life at 14.6 years (2500 mAh)
– ERT designed for 20 year life
– Battery packaging designed for 20 year life
– 2750 mAh battery in 1996
• Started battery field monitoring program in 1997
• In 2008, seven utilities pulled 30 functional ERTs from the field
– Samples were from 2750 mAh capacity 3.6V A cell batteries
• 3350 mAh batteries used from Dec 2002 to Feb 2009
• 3600 mAh batteries used since Feb 2009
– Batteries discharged at 2.5 mA to 2.6 volts to determine
remaining capacity
•
Battery Field Monitoring Results
2008/2009
40G ERTs manufactured in 1999 and 2000 with 2750 mAh
capacity battery
– Atlanta Gas Light
(Atlanta)
30.18 years; standard deviation 6.28 years
– CenterPoint Energy
(Twin Cities)
34.37 years; standard deviation 4.87 years
– National Grid / Keyspan
(Boston)
32.38 years; standard deviation 5.72 years
– Integrys / Peoples Gas
years
(Chicago)
29.07 years; standard deviation 5.08
– Southwest Gas
(Phoenix)
25.88 years; standard deviation 6.08 years
– Washington Gas Light
(Washington DC)
30.43 years; standard deviation 6.51 years
– Union Gas
(Quebec, Canada)
27.34 years; standard deviation 3.02 years
Battery Field Monitoring Results
2006/2007
•
40G ERTs manufactured in 1997 through 1998 with 2750 mAh
capacity battery
– Atlanta Gas Light
27.42 years; standard deviation 4.74 years
– CenterPoint - Minnegasco
30.42 years; standard deviation 5.82 years
– Keyspan – Boston Gas
27.95 years; standard deviation 4.02 years
– Peoples Gas
24.58 years; standard deviation 4.03 years
– Southwest Gas
30.23 years; standard deviation 6.39 years
– Washington Gas Light
27.06 years; standard deviation 5.09 years
2750 mAh Field Data (1999-2000 40G
ERTs)
2750 mAh Battery Field Program (20082009)
Battery Life
(yrs)
Cumulative
*8.19
*9.2
*10.83
13.2
14.7
16.2
17.9
18.8
21.9
22.4
Percentage
(%)
0.4785
0.4785
0.4785
0.9569
0.4785
0.4785
0.4785
0.9569
1.4354
2.3923
Percentage
(%)
0.4785
0.9569
1.4354
2.3923
2.8708
3.3493
3.8278
4.7847
6.2201
8.6124
23.9
24.9
25.9
26.9
27.9
28.9
29.9
30.9
31.9
32.9
33.8
34.8
35.7
36.9
37.9
38.9
39.8
40.2
41.7
43.4
44.5
2.8708
3.8278
4.3062
6.2201
9.0909
7.1770
6.2201
6.6986
10.5263
7.6555
4.3062
3.8278
2.8708
3.3493
6.2201
1.9139
0.4785
0.9569
0.4785
0.9569
1.4354
11.4833
15.3110
19.6172
25.8373
34.9282
42.1053
48.3254
55.0239
65.5502
73.2057
77.5120
81.3397
84.2105
87.5598
93.7799
95.6938
96.1722
97.1292
97.6077
98.5646
100.0000
Sample Size: 209 ERTs
7
Utilities
2750 mAh
battery
Mean = 29.9 years
Stdev = 8.9
years
Battery Field Monitoring Results
2005/2006
•
•
40G ERTs manufactured 1995 to 1996 with 2550 mAh capacity battery
–
CenterPoint - Minnegasco
23.54 years; standard deviation 4.11 years
–
Keyspan – Boston Gas
24.19 years; standard deviation 6.18 years
–
Peoples Gas
21.76 years; standard deviation 3.27 years
–
Philadelphia Gas Works
23.92 years; standard deviation 3.46 years
–
Washington Gas Light
23.00 years; standard deviation 4.54 years
40G ERTs manufactured 1995 to 1996 with 2750 mAh capacity battery
–
Atlanta Gas Light
25.36 years; standard deviation 2.74 years
–
CenterPoint - Minnegasco
–
Keyspan – Boston Gas
29.08 years; standard deviation 4.01 years
–
Peoples Gas
25.27 years; standard deviation 4.73 years
–
Philadelphia Gas Works
26.75 years; standard deviation 5.39 years
–
Washington Gas Light
30.25 years; standard deviation 7.31 ye
27.38 years; standard deviation 5.23 years
•
•
•
2550 mAh Battery Field Monitoring
Results
2001 Results
–
Atlanta Gas Light
19.22 years; standard deviation 4.27 years
–
Baltimore G&E
19.72 years; standard deviation 2.55 years
–
CenterPoint/Minnegasco20.46 years; standard deviation 3.13 years
–
Xcel Energy
18.79 years; standard deviation 2.72 years
2002 Results
–
Atlanta Gas Light
20.3 years; standard deviation 4.8 years
–
Keyspan (Boston Gas) 23.11 years; standard deviation 6.07 years
–
CenterPoint/Minnegasco21.14 years; standard deviation 2.79 years
–
Xcel Energy
20.29 years; standard deviation 3.36 years
2003/2004 Results
–
Atlanta Gas Light
21.26 years; standard deviation 4.53 years
–
Keyspan (Boston Gas) 24.07 years; standard deviation 6.3 years
–
CenterPoint/Minnegasco19.88 years; standard deviation 3.13 years
–
Wisconsin Gas
22.29 years; standard deviation 4.36 years
15.0
2003 Field Data 2550 mAh (1992-1995 40G
ERTs)
12.5
ERT Failure %
10.0
7.5
5.0
2.5
0.0
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
Gas ERT Battery Life (Yrs)
2003- 2004 Actual (%)
30
32
34
36
38
40
2550 mAh Battery Field Program (20032004)
Battery Life
(Yrs)
14.78
15.90
16.97
17.93
18.91
19.95
20.93
21.55
22.95
23.95
24.89
25.75
26.54
27.77
28.09
30.90
31.61
32.13
33.68
34.47
38.36
Actual
Failure %
0.86%
2.59%
7.76%
9.48%
11.21%
9.48%
12.07%
4.31%
8.62%
8.62%
2.59%
5.17%
0.86%
6.03%
1.72%
2.59%
0.86%
0.86%
0.86%
0.86%
2.59%
Cumulative
Actual
Failure %
0.86%
3.45%
11.21%
20.69%
31.90%
41.38%
53.45%
57.76%
66.38%
75.00%
77.59%
82.76%
83.62%
89.66%
91.38%
93.97%
94.83%
95.69%
96.55%
97.41%
100.00%
Sample Size:
116 ERTs
4 Utilities
2550 mAh battery
Mean = 25.14 years
St dev = 6.67 years
Battery Changeout
• Given long battery life, utility should consider economics
of battery changeout versus replacing ERT
– Two populations
• ERTs in the field - masses
• ERTs that are cycled back thru meter shop
• Itron is now an option for ERT refurbishment services
Benefits of Using New ERTs
• Gas ERTs designed for 20 year life; a number of years
have already been used up if replace battery in old ERT
• Two-way 100G Datalogging gas ERTs now available
offering more efficient mobile reads and more
economical migration to Fixed Network capable of
storing up to 40 days of hourly data
• Gas ERTs manufactured prior to 2002 contain miniscule
amount of mercury in tilt switch – new ERTs are mercury
free – when deciding whether to replace battery or
install a new ERT, consider the option to dispose of the
mercury switch now
• Gas ERTs manufactured after 6/23/99 contain palladium
silver instead of silver substrate which has improved
performance in humid environments
• New ERTs contain factory Intrinsically Safe rating per UL
Class I, Division 1, Groups C & D
Itron’s ERT Refurbishment Service
• Competitively priced
– $12 for < 10,000 units; reduced pricing in volume
• Itron verifies ERT is functional and current drain of circuit
within acceptable tolerances to weed out non desirable
ERTs
• Install new battery, new gaskets and new index cover
and provide tamper plugs
• Price includes return freight
• 1 year warranty
• Since Itron’s battery replacement kit is used, Intrinsically
Safe rating is maintained
Disposal Procedures
• Itron does tear down on ERTs in Waseca, Minnesota
• Customers should follow county/state/federal regulations
• Reference PUB-0085-001: How To Disassemble ERT
Modules for Disposal
• Itron offers gas ERT disposal at $1.00 each
• Here’s how we tear down gas ERTs in the factory…
• clip heat stake to free up wires and clip wires
close to circuit board
• pull out circuit board
• remove excess potting from circuit board
• remove battery from housing and remove
excess potting from battery
• dispose of remaining housing (excess potting
does not need to be removed)
• remove mercury tilt switch from circuit board
• remaining circuit board is shipped to metal
reclaimer for reuse
How to Identify if ERT contains Mercury
• 1.16 grams of mercury in a welded steel switch
sealed in a silicone-based dielectric potting gel
– Less than half the amount of mercury found in
home thermostat
• If label on ERT states “this device contains
mercury..” then it contains mercury
• If part number is ERG-0XXX-XXX or a series of
numbers only, then it contains mercury
• Itron chooses to dispose of potting material by
placing in drums and sending off for incineration
but could be placed in garbage
• mercury switches are placed in DOT approved
poly-lined drum (vendor opens each switch to
reclaim mercury and metal)
• clip battery leads to different length so battery
can not short out
• place battery in individual bag, seal bag and
place bags in drum for disposal
Roundtable Discussion
• Info covered or anything that is on your mind …