How long will my back-up battery last? - [G120]
Written by Matthew Clark-Massera
Updated at November 30th, 2023
Table of Contents
The G120 has a 1100mAh internal back-up battery. This allows for external power removed alerts to be sent immediately if the unit is unplugged or dislodged, and tracking to continue for some time.
G120 with Iridium Edge Satellite Module
Please note that the G120's back up battery will not be able to power up the Iridium Edge Satellite Modem (used for remote applications with no cellular coverage) if external power is disconnected.
When stationary, the device turns on the GPS module periodically to get updated satellite information, speeding up subsequent fix acquisition. It will also heartbeat hourly by default.
When on the move, the device is constantly connected to the network, and constantly acquiring GPS fixes (modem and GPS stay on) - to allow for detailed 'live-tracking'.
On default settings (hourly heartbeat), approximate battery life is as follows:
- 25 days if sitting stationary
- Less than a 1 day in trip
- Up to 1 month when stationary on 24 hour/1 day heartbeats.
Do note these values are expected in optimal conditions - good GPS and Cellular coverage.
Using the G120 with Intermittent External Power
The G120 is designed with the expectation that a 8-45V DC supply will be present at all times. The back-up battery is designed around allowing for tamper/external power removal alerts.
However some applications result in power only being available intermittently. In general, the G120 can cope with this, and operation will be unaffected but it should be noted that LiPo rechargeable batteries degrade over time, and only withstand a finite amount of charge/discharge cycles before they can no longer hold charge.