How long does an AED battery last?
Once installed, most AED batteries last about 4 to 5 years in standby, until their expiration date or until the AED says they’re low. Shocks, self-tests and settings such as daily self-tests or Wi-Fi reporting shorten that.
Standby life assumes the AED isn’t used. ZOLL rates the AED 3 battery at 5 years with weekly self-tests, but 3 years with daily self-tests or its Wi-Fi status reporting turned on. A rescue draws on the battery too, so check it after any use. ZOLL’s AED Plus battery life is 5 years of standby with weekly self-tests, and when it nears the end the AED shows a red X, with about nine shocks left.
The dates on an AED battery
A battery can carry more than one date, and they mean different things:
- Manufacture date: ZOLL prints it on each AED Plus cell and says to use the cells within their first year. Stryker says a LIFEPAK CR2 battery must go in within a year of it to get its 4-year service life.
- Install-by date: on Philips and ZOLL AED 3 batteries, the last date to put the battery into service.
- Expiration or replace-by date: when the installed battery should come out, whatever the indicator says.
Write down the date you install a battery. It’s the one date that isn’t printed on the label, and it’s what most standby lives count from.
Older AEDs and discontinued batteries
Physio-Control ended parts and repair support for the LIFEPAK 500 on January 31, 2018, and Stryker discontinued its batteries on February 3, 2020, so LIFEPAK 500 battery life is now a question of replacing the AED. The FDA also warns that accessories for AEDs without FDA approval may no longer be available, and advises keeping such an AED in service only until an approved one replaces it.
AED battery life by brand
Installed life runs from about 4 to 7 years for replaceable batteries, and a few designs work differently: HeartSine puts the battery in the pads cartridge, and Avive’s battery is built in and recharged.
| AED | Battery | Life once installed | Before installing | Shocks when new |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZOLL AED Plus | Ten CR123A lithium cells | 5 years with weekly self-tests | Use within 1 year of the cells’ manufacture date | About 225 |
| ZOLL AED 3 | Battery pack | 5 years with weekly self-tests (3 with daily self-tests or Wi-Fi reporting) | Store up to 2 years before installing | 140 |
| Philips HeartStart OnSite and FRx | M5070A battery | About 4 years | Install by its install-by date (at least 5 years after manufacture) | At least 200 |
| HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P, 360P, 450P | Built into the Pad-Pak | Until the Pad-Pak’s expiration date (4 years from manufacture) | Same date | More than 60 |
| Stryker LIFEPAK CR2 | Lithium battery | 4 years, and no more than 5 years from manufacture | Install within 1 year of manufacture | About 166 |
| Stryker LIFEPAK 1000 | Non-rechargeable lithium battery | 5 years standby | 5-year shelf life | 440 |
| Physio-Control LIFEPAK 500 | Discontinued | Stryker discontinued LIFEPAK 500 batteries on February 3, 2020 | n/a | n/a |
| ZOLL Powerheart G5 | Intellisense battery | 4 years standby | 5-year shelf life from manufacture | 420 typical |
| ZOLL Powerheart G3 | 9146 lithium battery | 4-year replacement guarantee | 5-year shelf life from manufacture | Up to 290 |
| Defibtech Lifeline | DBP-1400 or DBP-2800 pack, plus a 9V status battery | 5 or 7 years (the 9V status battery about 1 year) | Don’t install after its expiration date | 125 or 300 |
| Defibtech Lifeline VIEW | DBP-2003 pack | 4 years | Don’t install after its expiration date | 125 |
| Avive Connect | Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion | Up to 12 months per charge; not user-replaceable | n/a | 75 |
Each model’s battery part number, standby life and low-battery warning, with its pads and self-test, is on its own page in our AED models section.
How to check an AED battery
Look at the status indicator, which reflects the battery’s last self-test, then read the battery’s install-by or expiration date and compare it with today. Do it at every monthly inspection, and after any use.
- Read the status indicator. A green check or a flashing green light means the battery passed its last self-test. A red X, a red light, a battery symbol or a beep means it’s low or failed. Our self-test guide explains each brand’s signals.
- Read the date on the label. Philips batteries show an install-by date; LIFEPAK CR2 batteries a manufacture date; Defibtech packs an expiration date, which the Lifeline VIEW also shows on its screen.
- Check any second battery. The Defibtech Lifeline’s status indicator runs on its own 9V battery, which lasts about a year.
- Run a manual check if your model has one, such as holding the On/Off button for about five seconds on a ZOLL AED Plus.
- Record what you saw on the inspection tag or in your log.
The battery check is one line of the full AED inspection checklist, which covers the pads, the cabinet and the AED’s condition too.
What an AED battery replacement costs
It depends on the model. Philips lists its HeartStart OnSite and FRx battery at $249.00 in its US online store; most other manufacturers sell through distributors or show prices only to account holders, so ask your supplier for a quote.
The design changes what you buy. On a HeartSine AED there’s no separate battery: replacing the Pad-Pak replaces the pads and the battery together. On the Avive Connect, the battery is built in and recharged rather than replaced. On the ZOLL AED Plus, the battery is a set of ten CR123A lithium cells, and ZOLL says all ten must be replaced at once, with Duracell cells only.
Buy from the manufacturer or an authorized distributor. Since February 3, 2022, AED accessories such as batteries and pads have needed FDA premarket approval, and the FDA advises buying them from authorized sources and checking that they’re approved.
The cheapest replacement is a planned one. Listing every battery and pad by the month it comes due turns a surprise into a budget line, and avoids paying for rush shipping while an AED sits out of service. Our AED cost guide compares dated pad and battery prices by model.
How to replace an AED battery
Use the battery made for your model, install it following the manual, let the AED run its battery-insertion self-test, and record the date.
- Get the right battery for your model, and check its install-by or expiration date before you open it.
- Take out the old battery. Some models have extra steps: on the ZOLL AED Plus, replace all ten cells at once and press the battery reset button.
- Insert the new battery. Most AEDs test themselves as soon as a battery goes in.
- Confirm the status indicator shows ready. If it doesn’t, see the manual’s troubleshooting section.
- Record the install date and the new expiration date.
- Recycle the old battery. Philips says to recycle its batteries at an appropriate facility, Stryker says not to put them in unsorted municipal waste and to fully discharge a LIFEPAK 1000 battery first, and ZOLL allows AED Plus cells in general trash only once they’re discharged or protected against shorting. Follow your local rules.
AED battery FAQ
How long does an AED battery last?
Usually about 4 to 5 years once installed: 5 years for the ZOLL AED Plus and AED 3 with weekly self-tests, and about 4 years for Philips HeartStart, the LIFEPAK CR2 and the Powerheart G5. Shocks and frequent self-tests shorten it.
How do I check my AED battery?
Look at the status indicator, which shows the result of the last battery self-test, then read the install-by or expiration date on the battery label. A red light, a battery symbol or beeping means it needs replacing.
How much does an AED battery cost?
It depends on the model and the supplier. Philips lists its HeartStart OnSite and FRx battery at $249.00 in its US store; most other makers sell through distributors, so ask yours for a quote.
Can I still get a LIFEPAK 500 battery?
Not from Stryker. Physio-Control ended LIFEPAK 500 support in 2018, and Stryker discontinued its batteries on February 3, 2020, so plan to replace the AED with a currently supported model.
How far ahead am I warned about an expiring pad or battery?
Parts show as expiring soon 90 days before their date, a window you can change. Alerts go out by email, right away or in a daily or weekly digest, and to Slack, Microsoft Teams or Discord if you connect them.