A new lithium BR battery provides three times the pulse-rate capability of a conventional lithium BR and operates from 40°C to 100°C. Created for tire-pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), Rayovac's Lithium BR-ETR also fits RFID tags, Bluetooth radios, and other applications.
Like existing BRs, the BR-ETR is based on a lithium-carbon-monofluoride chemistry that's inherently safe and provides a 10-year shelf life. The BR-ETR also is similarly offered in coin-cell packages. Through changes in chemical additives to the cell, though, Rayovac has pushed performance beyond standard BRs' low pulse rate and 40°C to 85°C range.
The improved performance suits active TPMS. These systems not only need the BR-ETR's wide operating-temperature range, they also require the battery to withstand exposure to environments as hot as 120°C. In terms of rate capability, active TPMS require the battery to deliver pulse power at 40°C. In TPMS, the battery must be able to supply pulse currents of 10 mA or more to transmit the RF signal to the controller in the vehicle.
The BR-ETR also overcomes the limitations of existing alternatives. Based on a lithium-manganese-dioxide chemistry, the Lithium CR cell offers high-rate capability and environmental safety, yet only operates from 20°C to 60°C. Lithium thionyl chloride (LTC) satisfies rate capability but has the same temperature-range limits as the standard BR battery.
The lithium BR-ETR comes in four coin-cell sizes. Pricing ranges from about $0.60 to $1.20 per unit in quantities of 1000.
Rayovac, www.rayovac.com; Jim Pilarzyk, (608) 275-4492; [email protected].