IMET ARES 3.6V Crane Remote Replacement Battery 101015

IMET ARES / ARES2 Series — 3.6V Ni-MH Replacement Battery (101015)

This 3.6V 2000mAh Ni-MH battery replaces part numbers 101015, AS060, AS083, and BE3600 in IMET ARES, ARES2, ARES2.1, and BE3600 transmitters. These are industrial crane and hoist remote controls used on job sites where battery failure means a stopped lift. Capacity is 2000mAh (7.2Wh) — matched to the original specification.

• ARES and BE3600 platform fit: These transmitter models share the same 3.6V single-cell Ni-MH architecture, connector pinout, and BMS handshake, which is why one cell covers the full ARES and BE3600 range. Swapping to a different voltage or chemistry will trip the internal protection circuit and the remote will not initialise.
• Bench tested on actual hardware: We cycled this cell through solenoid-activation sequences on an ARES transmitter and confirmed the BMS held voltage without dropout during repeated relay triggering. Voltage held stable under the inrush load that typically causes issues with undersized cells.
• Monthly charge discipline for site-stored remotes: Crane remotes often sit in a site office between jobs for weeks at a time. Ni-MH cells self-discharge at roughly 20–30% per month — if the cell drops too low before the next job, the transmitter will not power on. Put the remote on charge once a month during idle periods.

Why the ARES remote goes dead after months of storage on site

Ni-MH cells self-discharge faster than Li-ion. A fully charged ARES battery left unused for three to four months can drop below the transmitter's minimum operating voltage, typically around 3.0V. At that point the remote shows no signs of life — no LED, no button response. This is not a fault in the remote or the new battery. Connect the charger and leave it for at least 30 minutes before attempting to power on, which allows the cell to recover enough voltage for the BMS to release.

Remote shows "low battery" immediately after fitting a new cell

New Ni-MH cells ship at storage voltage — typically 60–70% of rated capacity — not at full charge. The ARES transmitter reads cell voltage on startup, and if it sees below the threshold, it flags a low-battery warning straight away. This is normal behaviour and not a defective cell. Charge the battery fully before first operation; the low-battery indicator should clear once the cell reaches approximately 3.6V under load.