Battery Backup

Back-up batteries

Altech Netstar's Back-up Battery Replacement Policy

The Altech Netstar system in your vehicle is powered by the vehicle's battery. After stealing a vehicle, thieves may disconnect the main battery for a period of time. The Altech Netstar back-up battery then provides power to the unit to enable it to transmit its signal. This power generally lasts for around 8 hours. Altech Netstar's average recovery time is under an hour, so this provides ample time in which to recover the vehicle. If however the vehicle is not recovered within this time the back-up battery will run out of power, which will be restored once the main battery is connected again.

Traditionally, back-up batteries used in tracking devices have been about the size of a cell phone and have been installed separately from and wired to the tracking device. After about two years, the standby power in these batteries deteriorates, requiring them to be replaced, at a fee of around R350.

In 2004 Altech Netstar introduced a new back-up battery system - it is substantially smaller than its predecessor, and is integrated into the tracking device. This integration facilitates installation and also makes it far easier to conceal the unit, thus providing a higher level of protection. Because it forms part of the main Altech Netstar unit, this battery cannot be replaced, and to compensate for this it has a far longer lifespan than the traditional battery. It is designed to provide 8 hours of back-up power for five years, after which time this period of back-up power will gradually reduce. It is likely that this back-up battery will still provide power for up to seven years with normal use. This substantial lifespan also eliminates the inconvenience of replacing the battery every 2 years or so.