GCG

Mine is the same part number from Motorola and it looks like yours too, but it can be seen that is actually an assembly of 2 individual cells shrink-wrapped as a pack.

calemasters

If your 2 cell Panasonic battery has the same PN, as my 1 cell Motorola battery, my guess is that this is a LoJack PN and not a Motorola or Panasonic PN.

GCG

Calemasters, I guess that with all the hurry to get my posts on the forum perhaps I didn't do a good job with my descriptions.

My battery is a Motorola P/N 01C43935L02. On the label it also says that it is a 6 volts lithium battery. It is slightly larger than a AA size, as you mentioned (diameter: 11/16", length: 2-11/16" approx.). It has red and black wires terminated in a white plastic connector and the battery's body is covered with a white shrink-wrapped plastic foil. The battery's label is affixed on top of this plastic foil.

My battery is actually a "pack". Below the shrink-wrapped foil, I can feel 2 cells connected in series. The plastic foil, although white, is a little bit translucent and I can read "Panasonic" through it, but nothing more.

It looks that mine was made with two 3v Panasonic batteries, that's why I was asking you if by any chance you had disassembled yours and found out the mAh and confirmed if they were lithium and not lithium-ion.

If it is just lithium, perhaps this battery is for backup only and it doesn't recharge as we thought (me included) from the vehicle.

z06clif

Nope......they want to come and service it for $79

Clif

calemasters

Only free for the 1st two years.

calemasters

I have not had the module apart for a long time, so all I have is the notes I made on the battery description. Your description is much more detailed than mine. While I opened the cover on the module, I did not open up the battery pack. I assumed it was just one battery, but now you have me questioning if I was correct? It sounds like I should be shoping for two 3v Panasonic lithium batteries or a Panasonic battry "pack" instead of one 6v lithium battery. I wonder what the model number is for the individual Panasonic 3v lithium batteries or if it comes as a "pack" the model for the Panasonic battery pack? At this point, I do not think the Motorola P/N has much value? I guess Motorola put a PN on the battery pack because they were the manufacture of the transceiver? Also, it sounds like you are correct about the batteries being Lithium and not lithium ion so it would appear that the vehicle does not recharge the lithium batteries. Lithium batteries do have a long self life, assuming there is no current drain. I was under the assumption that when I diconnect the vehicle battery for service that the LoJack batteries start to discharge and then when I reconnect the vehicle battery, the LoJack batteries recharge. But if the battery pack in lithium, it is not rechargeable.

I think I need to take apart the battery pack to see if:

• there is a model number on the individual batteries or the "pack"
• are they lithium or lithium ion
• the amp-hour rating

Maybe with this additional information, we can find a replacement battery pack?

Normally I would just go look, but to get at the LoJack transceiver, I have to remove some plastic retainers to remove a panel. The retainers strip out each time and I do not have any replacement retainers and I do not like to reuse stripped retainers. It's not easy being ****. We lost our Chevy dealer last Novermber. The new Chevy dealer will be ready to rock and roll in about two more weeks. So, as soon as I get the replacement retainers, I can get at the missing details.

Thanks for all of the information you provided.

PaulEddie

All rechargeable Li-ion batterys are 3.6 volts.
The list below are the Panasonic Li-ion oem
cylindrical batteries. Regular Lithium batteries are not re-chargeable.

CGR18650CG 3.6v 2250mAh 0.73" +0/-0.03 dia
2.57" +0/-0.04 long


CGR18650DA 3.6v 2450mAh 0.73" +0/-0.03 dia
2.57" +0/-0.04 long


CGR18650E 3.7v 2550 mAh 0.73" +0/-0.03 dia
2.57" +0/-0.04 long



NCR18650 3.6v 2900 mAh 0.73 +0/-0.03
2.57 +0/-0.04



CGR26650A 3.6v 2650 mAh 1.04" +0/-0.03 dia
2.57" +0/-0.04 long


CGR26650B 3.6v 3300 mAh 1.04" +0/-0.03 dia
2.57" +0/-0.04 long


NCR18500 3.6v 2000 mAh 0.73" +0/-0.03 dia
1.97 + 0/-0.04 long

CQRT

You have a $50-60k investment in the car and paid another $500+ to add extra protection - - why would you not pay another $79 to keep up the protection a few years later?

As far as charging for the service call and battery - - it's a part of the Lojack business plan and how they generate revenue that supports the geo-locator netowork and the equipment they provide to law enforcement to track and recover vehicles.

Look at HP and their printers - - a great business plan: low cost of acquisition (you can find great printer/scanner/fax for around $100 . . .but then pay $20 every month or two for $5 worth of ink.


You can also bet that Lojack will probably know if you're messing with their installation - could impact warranty or coverage - be careful!

IMO, better to go with the Pro's .. . but, your car - your call.

calemasters

The original installation by the LoJack tech was not good. They powered off of a circuit that prevented the ECM from going into the sleep mode. I spent hours trying to figure out the root cause of a discharged vehicle battery. I had to redo the LoJack installation and use a circuit that had B+ at all times and was not related to the ECM or other processor. Not one dead battery now for the past 56 months.

Nope, I do not need LoJack working on my car. The pros did enough already.

GCG

I agree. I'd rather do it myself and it's not just because of the money, it's because I would do it with love

This morning I inspected my battery pack under better light conditions and I could read the model number of the 2 Panasonic cells beneath the plastic foil. To my surprise they are just plain CR123A batteries commonly used in cameras and a lot of other stuff.

So it's lithium, 3v and around 1200 to 1500 mAh.

The trick would be to get them with solder tabs already on each end to make the assembly of the pack as smooth and painless as possible. I'll let you know if I can find anything like this. I guess it shouldn't be so difficult. If you find them first, please let me know.

calemasters

Excellent. Thanks.

Mike McG

throw some pics up

calemasters

Thanks to GCG for digging in to the battery model number, Panasonic 123A. I went to Batteries Plus and purchased two (2) Rayovac 123A lithium batteries. I used the wiring and connector from the original battery pack. I solidered the two batteries together using a copper wire and then I solidered the original wiring with the PC board connector onto the the new batteries. I wrapped the entire battery pack with vinyl electrical tape. I should be good for another 5 years.


New Batteries (Top) and Original Battery Pack Wrapped (Bottom)




Original LoJack Battery Pack Unwrapped



New battery Pack Wrapped

GCG

Wow, that was fast!!!

Did you have any problems soldering directly to the batteries' ends? Could you get the mAh rating of the old or the new batteries?

I was trying to locate batteries with solder tabs already on both ends, but after seeing your results I just might go to the supermarket...

Congratulations on a job well done!

Gilbert

calemasters

Yes. The metal tabs on the original battery pack were welded to the battery. I was able to soilder, but I am not sure how robust the soilder joint is. To make sure everything stays tight, I stressed the electrical tape when I wrapped the battery pack to ensure the soilder connections would hold. I hope.

The amp-hr rating was not on the new or old batteries.

jpuli28

After all that work I sure hope these do last you 5 yrs. Also hope you didnt miss out on any updates provided in the service call.

calemasters

My OnStar is up to date.

The LoJack firmware in the current module can not be updated.

GCG

Calemasters, I was finally able to find the batteries with solder tabs on both ends. Here is a picture:

I ordered them and just got them today. I'll make the pack tomorrow.
In case you or anybody else is interested I got them here:
CR17335SE-T
This is an exact equivalent to the CR123A. The part number reflects its dimensions: diameter-17mm, height-33.5mm, which corresponds to a size 2/3A.

GCG

Done!... I finally got around to make the pack and install it.

I even put back the original label just for kicks


My LoJack has Early Warning, so I was able to test it after I finished. Everything was fine.

van_350sd

An Old Thread from the past,

Hey everyone, I just wanted to continue this thread because there is some good info
in it.

I learned many things about the units I want to share.

The older Lojack units were made in Texas, USA and are higher quality
than the new ones. They are the units that use the 6 Volt (Double 3V. Batteries)
with the white heat shrink Motorola Labels.

The original batteries in the unit are made by Panasonic and are only 3.0V 1200 mAh
each. The Sanyo Brand is 3.0V 1800 mAh each.
( LITHIUM CYLINDRICAL CELL BATTERIES > CR17335SE > Sanyo / FDK CR17335SE
Lithium Battery with Solder Tabs, 2/3A-Size 3 Volts Sanyo / FDK CR17335SE -
Tabs with Solder Tabs 3 Volts 1800mah Lithium-Manganese Dioxide (Li-MnO2) Lithium )

So the Sanyo brand has the highest mAh rating of any other brand in this type.
The Dantona Brand shows a photo of the Sanyo on several websites but then seems like a
generic brand and label is what you get. So I would recommend to get the Sanyo Brand.
They make these batteries in several types, 3-pin, 2-pin, regular & 2-Tabs.
Be sure to buy the 2 tabs as they are the best type for soldering 2 units together in series.

I will take photos as I do mine.

scott