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knarf829
join:2007-06-02

knarf829

Member

Verizon Email To Replace BBU Battery

I've had ONT BBU batteries go dead in the past, but I've never gotten this before:
quote:
Dear Valued Verizon Customer,
Our network has detected that the battery inside your FiOSĀ® ONT Backup Battery Unit (BBU) needs to be replaced. The BBU provides up to 8 hours of backup power for FiOS voice services when your commercial power fails. According to our records, the warranty for your existing battery has expired.
The message goes on to describe how to purchase a new battery through the STB, telephone and web site and then links to a video showing how to replace it.

Is this new?

PS - the disconnect / reconnect trick shut off the warning light and alarm (at least temporarily) anyway.

DAVIDGR
join:2005-03-08
Mount Pleasant, SC

DAVIDGR

Member

A bunch of these were sent out a few weeks ago. In my case I really did need a new battery. The old one started beeping a few days after getting the email. Bought a replacement on Amazon for $18. »www.amazon.com/gp/produc ··· F8&psc=1 No need to pay full price from Verizon.

seaquake
MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD

seaquake to knarf829

MVM

to knarf829
How the heck can they tell the BBU is going bad? I didn't know there's some type of data transfer going on.

Either way, shop around for a new battery before choosing to purchase one from Verizon. You'll likely find one much cheaper. Replacing the battery is fairly easy.
knarf829
join:2007-06-02

knarf829

Member

Like I said, the disconnect / reconnect trick worked (again) so I'm not shopping for anything any time soon.
cmthru
join:2005-03-19
Germantown, MD

cmthru to knarf829

Member

to knarf829
Pay for a battery? I never did. All I needed to do was come across a Verizon tech by his truck. Asked for a new battery and was given one. No questions asked. Last time was summer 2011.
VZFiOSYo
join:2007-02-24
Lakewood, CA

VZFiOSYo to seaquake

Member

to seaquake
said by seaquake:

How the heck can they tell the BBU is going bad? I didn't know there's some type of data transfer going on.

Either way, shop around for a new battery before choosing to purchase one from Verizon. You'll likely find one much cheaper. Replacing the battery is fairly easy.

Yes, there are signaling wires that go from the BBU to the ONT. It can tell if it's running on battery power only or if there is no battery installed or if it's running on AC only.

bohratom
My Jersey Giants finally winning again..
join:2011-07-07
Red Bank NJ

bohratom to knarf829

Member

to knarf829
I think its just Verizon trying to be proactive for its customer base. My parents would have no clue their ONT's battery is low even with the red light and beep that it constantly sounds. At least it alerts them to the fact if a power outage would occur they would not have the 8 hours of usage a full battery would provide.

CGMason14
Nj Roaddog
join:2002-07-22
Mountainside, NJ

CGMason14 to knarf829

Member

to knarf829
I'm surprised the post-Sandy outage here didn't trigger one of these e-mails. The battery in my BBU is dated late 2006 and was depleted several times until I started disconnecting it when the generator was turned off.
antioch
join:2007-10-06
Pomona, CA

antioch to knarf829

Member

to knarf829
The issue is that some of the first batch of BBUs we deployed did not have a built in protector. So, a surge of power can burn or the BBU. Were replacing them now with identical looking BBUs and OPSUs.
billhere
join:2011-10-21
Santa Monica, CA

billhere

Member

My ONT was apparently fried by a power surge after a brief power outage a couple weeks ago. I lost Internet, TV, and phone service.

I used my wireless phone to contact Verizon and eventually got a service call the same day to replace the ONT.

A couple days later I bought two surge protectors, unplugged the ONT from the wall and plugged it into one of the protectors.

A couple hours after doing that I got the same e-mail message about replacing my battery, which I of course ignored. Everything seems to be working fine.

GeekGirl1
Premium Member
join:2007-01-28
Morrisville, PA

1 edit

GeekGirl1 to knarf829

Premium Member

to knarf829
I just received the email. My BBU battery was beeping and the Replace Battery LED was lit. The battery was dated 11/13/2006.

From Verizon's website Can I buy a replacement BBU battery from outside sources?
The Verizon-supplied battery is designed specifically for use with FiOS service. While you can buy a battery from outside sources, use of a battery other than a 12-Volt 7.2Ah SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) battery is strongly discouraged since other battery types may impact the performance of your service(s). Verizon is not responsible for any damages resulting from the use of an improper battery.
I just happened to have a brand new spare battery for my UPS, which I didn't need. Does it fit? Yup - form, fit, and function. Does it meet spec? Yup.

Actually, it's not a 12 V 7.2 A-H battery (86.4 V-A-H). It's a 12 V 9 A-H battery (108 V-A-H). Yes, my performance is impacted - it exceeds spec. I don't think Verizon will complain about a 20% increase in talk time.

I'll save the original Portalac PX12072 (12V 7.2 A-H) for my local battery recycling day.

MagicalPig
join:2008-07-25

MagicalPig to antioch

Member

to antioch
said by antioch:

The issue is that some of the first batch of BBUs we deployed did not have a built in protector. So, a surge of power can burn or the BBU. Were replacing them now with identical looking BBUs and OPSUs.

If they are being replaced due to a design flaw then VZ shouldn't really be charging for the replacement. Especially if they are initiating a replacement that some customers may not need right now. Nickel and dime'ing us over this considering what we pay is pretty crappy.

vzfiostechnj
@verizon.net

vzfiostechnj

Anon

The other poster is confused. The defect is with the first generation power supply units which would fail after a power outage in which the power came back on and the surge caused the units to fail.

This is totally different than the topic of this thread which is the actual user replaceable battery requiring replacement when its charge capacity has been depleted and the battery itself needs replacing.

Verizon does replace the power supply units and battery backup units when the are encountered in the field at no charge to the customer. But again this has nothing to do with the actual battery itself.