PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-684
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 684
NOVEMBER 2009
45
PS 684
NOV 09
Another factor for consideration
is how well the battery withstands
extreme temperatures.
The BA-5590B/U, NSN 6135-01-
438-9450, is a 12/24V, lithium sulfur
dioxide battery. The BA-5590A/U, NSN
6130-01-523-3037, includes a state-of-
charge (SOC) indicator.
The BA-5390/U, NSN 6135-01-501-
0833, is a 12/24V, lithium manganese
dioxide battery. The BA-5390A/U, NSN
6135-01-517-6060, comes with a SOC
indicator.
A consideration you have little
control over, but certainly one you
must face, is the
supply
of these
batteries. With their many uses, the
demand is high and the stocks often
run low. If your request for one type
of battery comes back with a 6-week
wait to be Flled and another type can
be Flled in six days, your choice may
have been made for you.
All that being said, it might not be
a bad idea to keep all four types on
hand—or at least both types with an
SOC indicator.
Keep this article with the batteries in
storage so that users can know there is
a difference and pick the right one for
the mission. A long mission through
a valley that is hotter than blue blazes
would make the BA-5390 a better
choice, while a shorter mission on a cold
mountain would make the BA-5590 a
good candidate for the job.
To save
lots
of money, consider
the use of rechargeable batteries. The
BB-2590/U, NSN 6140-01-490-4316,
has nearly the same energy as a BA-
5590B/U, built-in SOC indicators, and
can last up to 220 cycles. That’s one BB-
2590/U battery ($313) instead of 220
BA-5590B/U batteries ($17,600).
The BA-5390 has a higher
capacity,
which means it lasts longer than the
BA-5590. In watt hours, a BA-5590
has around 185, whereas a BA-5390
has around 250.
Cost
is always an issue. All the
batteries come in packages of four.
If operating conditions are really
hot, the BA-5390 manganese battery is
a better choice. If they’re really cold,
the BA-5590 sulfur battery is the way
to go.
A 4-pack of the BA-5590B/U will
cost you around $320. If you want the
SOC indicator, look to pay around $45
more ($11.25 per battery).
A 4-pack of the BA-5390/U will cost
you around $490. Again, around $45
more will get you the model with the
SOC indicator.
Even
though
the
SOC
indicator
batteries cost more, they can save you
money. Once used, you can tell how
much energy remains in the battery.
Without the SOC indicator, you’d have
to replace the battery for each use, since
you don’t know what’s left inside after
the previous use.
Non-Rechargeable
Commo Batteries…
when it comes to supplying
power to a wide variety of
military electronic equipment,
nothing beats the ba-5590
and ba-5390 batteries.
these non-rechargeable
batteries are
workhorses,
and chances are excellent
that you use them in more
than one piece of equipment.
BA-5590B/U
BA-5390A/U
SINCGARS
Radios
M22
ACADA
Javelin
CLU
Cold Weather
Hot Weather
+70°F
down to
-20°F
Over 70°F
up to
+130°F
Which of these
batteries
should
you
use?
Here are some
of the things
you should
consider when
making your
choice.
I’m
the hot
one!
keep me
in mind
for cold
weather!
Ride These Workhorses!
684.44-45.indd
1-2
9/16/09
9:17:02 PM
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