Elster FE230 Replacement Battery 7.2V 14500mAh

Elster FE230 — 7.2V Li-SOCl2 Replacement Battery (50103401)

This is a 7.2V 14500mAh lithium thionyl chloride cell built to the 50103401 specification for the Elster FE230 automatic meter reading unit. The FE230 uses this battery to power its electronic communication module and maintain PLC function across extended service intervals. Dimensions are 66.10 x 62.00 x 33.20mm — confirm physical clearance inside the meter housing before ordering.

• FE230 meter platform: The FE230 integrates electronic AMR logic directly into the meter body. That PLC core requires a stable 7.2V source to hold SRAM state and sustain data transmission. A voltage drop below the retention threshold wipes stored calibration and communication parameters.
• Bench tested on actual hardware: We ran this cell against the 50103401 spec and confirmed the BMS holds voltage within the FE230's acceptance window. Open-circuit voltage at dispatch sits slightly below rated — that is normal for Li-SOCl2 chemistry at storage state.
• FE230 swap procedure: Replace this cell with the meter's communication module in its active state wherever site conditions allow. Swapping while the PLC section is de-energised risks clearing SRAM and losing stored meter configuration. If a cold swap is unavoidable, a full parameter reload from the programming interface will be required afterward.

FE230 losing stored meter configuration after battery replacement

The FE230's PLC core holds calibration data, communication addresses, and logging parameters in SRAM. SRAM is volatile — it needs continuous voltage to retain content. If the old cell is pulled while the module is unpowered, that data is gone the moment supply drops below the retention threshold. Restoring the meter means reloading the full configuration from the original programming device or utility back-office system.

Battery alarm still active after fitting a confirmed good 50103401 cell

The FE230's battery fault flag does not clear automatically when a new cell is installed. The alarm is latched in firmware and must be reset manually through the meter's programming interface or the utility's head-end software. Fitting the correct cell is necessary but not sufficient — the reset step is separate. Check the meter's event log first to confirm no secondary fault is holding the alarm open before issuing the reset command.