6 battery tips for keeping your insulin pump powered up

battery

I've always believed that as a person with diabetes it's important to take what I learn and share this information with others. I have many times benefited by being on the receiving end and learning from my friends with diabetes. I like to use my blog posts as a way to educate and share interesting tips, but to also share my personal experiences (even if it means sharing my mistakes, like I'm about to...) 

Last night I got a "Low Battery alert" on my insulin pump and I knew this meant my battery had less than 10% of power, so I should change it before bedtime. I grabbed a battery and a quarter from my drawer, changed it out, and quickly did a few more things in my nightly routine, then crawled into bed. 

As I began to drift off to sleep I realized I forgot to check my blood glucose. So, I pushed the button to turn the backlight on my pump to shine over my glucose meter screen so I could see what I was doing in the dark. "Hmmm...that's weird; I wonder why my backlight isn't turning on." I turned on my lamp to realize that I put a completely dead battery in my pump before I went to sleep. Based on this experience and many others in my almost 10 years of changing pump batteries, here are some tips: 

1) When you put a battery in your pump make sure to double check that it's working. 

2) Use a new AAA alkaline battery, not carbon zinc or lithium. You can use any brand, but we recommend Energizer® for the best performance. 

3) Use a coin such as a nickel or a quarter to open the battery cap when you change it out instead of sharp objects, like a knife. 

4) The average life span of a battery in your pump is one week. Know that using settings like vibrate mode, the back light, or the sensor will use more battery which can make this time frame vary. 

5) Keep a spare battery handy, like in your meter case or a drawer at work, but avoid storing it in extreme temperatures. Especially as the weather begins to get cooler this fall, make sure not to place it somewhere where it can get too cold. 

6) If you get battery alerts and alarms, most can be fixed easily. You can look up the specific alert on our website and follow the steps listed here. 

My blood glucose was a lovely 118 this morning, which felt good since I was able to fix the battery ordeal before it impacted my body and my glucose meter screen.

 

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Submitted by Michael G (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

your battery only lasts a week? O_o

I use energizer max which lasts almost or over a month before I have to change the battery. saves a lot of money and worry.

Submitted by Angela Molden (not verified) on

In reply to by Michael G (not verified)

Can you use envelop rechargeable batteries?

Submitted by Nicole (not verified) on

In reply to by Angela Molden (not verified)

Angela, our MiniMed 630g and MiniMed 670G pumps work with new lithium, alkaline or rechargeable batteries. For best performance, we recommend a lithium AA battery.

I have the 670g and it will only take Energizer batteries I have tried others with no luck is my pump malfunctioning

Nathan, while we do recommend Energizer, any new lithium, alkaline or rechargeable battery should work. If you have any concerns, please contact our 24-Hour Technical Support team at 800.646.4633 option #1. They can answer any questions you have and make sure everything is working as designed.

Submitted by Mark Harris (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I change my pump battery once or twice a month. I was suprised when I read that the average battery lasts a week.

Submitted by No (not verified) on

In reply to by Mark Harris (not verified)

This article is so wrong on so many levels.

Submitted by Nicole (not verified) on

In reply to by No (not verified)

We're happy to help if you have any concerns. Please give our team a call at 800.646.4633 option #1.

Submitted by william (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

Dont use a quarter use the lip to your test strip bottle it fits better and doesn't strip it

Submitted by Ernest Lease (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

Everytime I change my battery now my pump will not funtion. I use Energizer alkaline in it all the time. This problem has only started in the last few months. I have to remove the cap and then screw it back in before the pump will work. Twice I was in a hurry and did not double check and I got a bad battery alarm. Knowing the battery was new and even double checking with a volt meter, I unscrewd the cap and replaced it and the pump began to work. One time it lost date and time. I called Medtronic and the man I talked to refused to do anything, It is still under warranty. The last time this happened my pump was over five years old and out of warranty. When I called the tech, she told me that is a sign the pump may be going bad and it needed replaced. Of course it was not under warranty, so between me and the insurance company I got a new one. This one is still under warranty so the tech would not replace it. Like I said this has been going on for a few months and happens everytime I put a new battery in. Only now I wait and when it does not restart, I unscrew the cap and simply screw it back in and it works.

Submitted by Karrie Hawbaker (not verified) on

In reply to by Ernest Lease (not verified)

@Ernest I'm sorry tohear you're having problems. I'll have someone from our team reach out to you shortly to see how we can help.

@Mike As an FYI - in our testing we found that the Energizer AAA Alkaline Battery is the most effective with the pump. We recommend that you not use lithium batteries because they may cause the pump to overheat.

Submitted by Rachelle (not verified) on

In reply to by Karrie Hawbaker (not verified)

I also have had this issue with the last two pumps (including my current one). I can go from a full battery to the pump shutting off in an instant.

Submitted by Karrie Hawbaker (not verified) on

In reply to by Rachelle (not verified)

I'm sorry to hear this, Rachelle. This is a good conversation to have with our 24-Hour HelpLine. They can troubleshoot your pump and make recommendations as needed. You can reach them at 800.646.4633, option 1. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Submitted by Allison (not verified) on

In reply to by Karrie Hawbaker (not verified)

My Medtronic trainer told me specifically to use lithium because they would last Lot longer??

Submitted by Karrie Hawbaker (not verified) on

In reply to by Allison (not verified)

Hi there, Allison. This is an older blog post, but our newest generation pumps (600 series) can be used with lithium batteries. Let us know if you have any other questions.

Submitted by Derek (not verified) on

In reply to by Rachelle (not verified)

I have had the same issue as well. I’m on my 3rd pump....1st pun was a recall...2nd and third pump are both shutting down from low battery even though they are New when I put them in. I have to unscrew the cap....wait 5 seconds and screw it back in to get battery back.

Submitted by Karrie Hawbaker (not verified) on

In reply to by Derek (not verified)

Derek, I'm sorry to hear this. I'd like to see if there are any possibilities that we haven't explored and see if we can help. If you're interested, send me your contact information to dhelp@medtronic.com and we'll give you a call.

Why does my battery only last 3 days how do i get more battery life this started about 2 months ago,i use energier battery like im supposed to is this a decfective pump or can i increase life of battery
Ve

Paul, battery life will depend on your settings and the battery you're using, but generally you should be able to use battery for longer than 3 days. We recommend contacting our technical support team to make sure everything is working as designed. Please give our team a call at 800.646.4633 option #1.

I'm having the same issue. Our batteries used to last for at least two weeks, now we are having to change them every 3 - 4 days which seems crazy to me. It's also getting expensive !

Mary, our technical support team would be happy to look into this with you and make sure your pump is functioning as designed. Give our team a call at 800.646.4633, option 1 at your convenience.

Submitted by Mike (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I certainly get more than a week with a standard Energizer with CGM and vibe on. When I get the alert with a STANDARD battery - I know I likely have 12 hours to go - at leas t- but time to take action. I have also used Lithium batteries - which seem to last longer - but when they go - they go fast - so when you see the battery life indicator start to drop - time to take action THEN.

I have not done an objective battery life comparison between standard and lithium - but plan to soon - will update.

Submitted by Gilberto velez (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I have the Medtronic insulin pump paradigm 723 for about 2 years now. I've tried all types of batteries on it. and through trial and error I find that the energizer ultimate lithium battery AAA last remarkably long. on the packaging is says the battery last 8x longer than the regular Energizer battery. on average I get about a month and a half with just 1 battery. try it out and see what you think. PS happy pumping!!!!!

Submitted by karen kenney (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I called tech support to report a malfunction with the battery and let them know that even after changing the battery the screen stayed blank it didn't reappear until a third battery was replaced due to change on 30th.told only 10 min before time out

Submitted by naomi.kingery@… on

In reply to by karen kenney (not verified)

Karen, I’m sorry that you’re having display issues after changing your battery. Someone will be reaching out to you shortly to try to help.

Submitted by Cory Cyronak (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I experienced a similar thing with my last pump. It was time to upgrade to he new
revel system. The CGI monitoring has really come a long way since the first sensors and transmitters. I have kept my old CGI equipment because it is really cool to see the progression in the technology. Medtronic is an amazing company I owe them my life. Thanks medtronic for being such a great company.

Editor's Note: For IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION please visit: www.medtronicdiabetes.com/importantsafetyinformation.

Submitted by Danielle Walker (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I Have been having an issue where I replace the battery and a few days later I get a low battery alarm. I take the battery out and put it back in and it is at three bars. Anyone else have this happen? I'm using energizer batteries. The pump is only a year old.

Submitted by naomi.kingery@… on

In reply to by Danielle Walker (not verified)

Hi Danielle, I’m sorry you’re experiencing this issue. While we do recommend using alkaline Energizer batteries, please make they are not lithium or rechargeables. I’ll have someone from our 24-Hour HelpLine team reach out to discuss this issue with you. In the meantime you can learn more about batteries here: http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/customer-support/device-settings-and-f…

Submitted by Lucy Van Zandt (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

My pump has been eating batteries. If I didn't happen to look at the pump to bolus, I'd never know because there is no beep, no vibrate. I've been changing every week lately, using Energizer regular. I tried to call Medtronic but no one ever answered. Usually I get quick service but I waited 30 minutes before I hung up. My pump is out of warranty. I'm leaving town Monday, taking lots of batteries, hope it's ok.

Submitted by Sara Tilleskjor (not verified) on

In reply to by Lucy Van Zandt (not verified)

I'm sorry to hear you're having problems, Lucy. There are certain features on the pump that use a lot of battery power and will cause you to have to replace them more often. I'll have a member of my team reach out to you to see if there is anything we can do to help.

Submitted by Amanda Barras (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

So, I am curious, why are you not supposed to use Lithium Batteries? I see one posted above says he uses them with success, but why are they not recommended?

Submitted by Karrie Hawbaker (not verified) on

In reply to by Amanda Barras (not verified)

Hi Amanda - in our testing we have found that although lithium batteries seem to work in an insulin pump, once it has a “Low Battery” alert the battery drains rapidly. This could mean that in some cases you aren’t given enough warning in time to change your battery so the pump could shut off due to the loss of power. This is why we recommended alkaline batteries, and specifically Energizer for best performance. You can learn more about batteries here http://bit.ly/NukFJv .

Submitted by Jennifer (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

It feels like I'm always changing my battery!!! I used the ones that are recommended but why do I have to change them all the time?? I don't even keep it on vibrate. And batteries aren't cheap either!!

Submitted by Sara Tilleskjor (not verified) on

In reply to by Jennifer (not verified)

Hi Jennifer. I am sorry you’re having problems with battery life. There are some functions on your pump that will use more battery life than others, which could cause your battery to drain quicker. I’ll have a member of my team reach out to you to see if we can help. In the meantime, you can learn more about batteries here www.medtronicdiabetes.com/support/device-support/utility-settings/batte….

Submitted by Catherine Devin (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I too am having to replace my batteries on my pump more frequent than my last pump. When calling for help i get told that the battery only last about 5 to 7 days. If im not connected to the sensor or using the vibrate option, or even using the back light why would my battery die so quickly? My last pump was only making me change them once a month.....I even researched the different pumps on diabetes mall and they say your battery should lasr 3-4 weeks. Wonder who gets the burden of stock piling batteries??

Submitted by Sara Tilleskjor (not verified) on

In reply to by Catherine Devin (not verified)

Catherine, I am sorry you are experiencing issues with battery life. There are some functions on your pump that will use more battery life than others, which could cause your battery to drain quicker. We also recommend alkaline Energizer batteries for best performance. I’ll have a member of my team reach out to you to see if we can help. In the meantime, you can learn more about batteries here www.medtronicdiabetes.com/support/device-support/utility-settings/batte….

Submitted by Lyndsay McGrat… (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I'm hoping someone has a tip for me. I must have over tightened the battery cap and now I can't unlock it and using a coin and teaspoon have stripped the cap and can't unlock it at all.

Does anyone have any tips?

Submitted by LOOP Blog Editorial on

In reply to by Lyndsay McGrat… (not verified)

Hi Lyndsay. If you haven’t already, try using a thick coin, such as a nickel or quarter, to unscrew the battery cap. Make sure not to use any sharp objects to open the battery cap. I will have someone from my team contact you to try and help.

Submitted by Lyndsay McGrat… (not verified) on

In reply to by LOOP Blog Editorial

Hi Sara, thanks for the quick response. My husband was able to use his muscles and a screwdriver to open it. Do you know if I can order a replacement battery cap for my pump?

Submitted by LOOP Blog Editorial on

In reply to by Lyndsay McGrat… (not verified)

Hi Lyndsay, glad your husband was able to help! A member of our HelpLine team will be contacting you shortly and help you out with your pump.

My pump will not come on. K just bought replacement battery and still the screen and pump is not coming on. I have tried 8 batteries...eneg/alkaline

I'm sorry to hear this, Sandra. Have you spoken with our 24-Hour Technical Support team? They'd like to help and can be reached at 800.646.4633 option #1.

Apparently I over tighten the cap because I can't turn it at all. Can someone please help me?

Cynthia, I’m sorry to hear you are having issues turning your battery cap. I will have a member of my team reach out to you to try and help. In the meantime, if you haven’t already, use a coin to turn the cap to the left (counter-clockwise) until it comes off.

Submitted by Elaine Benton (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I use Energizer Max Batteries and use the light, vibration , and all the settings. I test my blood sugar between 9-14 times a day and my battery lasts at least 2 to 2 and 1/2 weeks.
I have had no trouble. I use a penny or a dime to open the cap on the pump to insert my battery and to close the cap. This way it does not get stripped.
I have used pumps for about 15 years.

Submitted by naomi.kingery@… on

In reply to by Elaine Benton (not verified)

Elaine, thanks for sharing your person insights with us! I’m happy you’ve found what works best for you.

Submitted by Michael Hasen (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I've been averaging about 3 weeks on energizers. I turned off vibrate and try not to use the backlight too much. I also carry a maglite led solitaire flashlight on my keys as a backup to get me home if needed.

Submitted by naomi.kingery@… on

In reply to by Michael Hasen (not verified)

Hi Michael, that's great to hear! In our testing we found that alkaline batteries, specifically Energizer, is best performing. Keep up the great work.

Submitted by Christopher (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I normally get 3 weeks out of one AAA Energizer Max battery. So hearing thst the average life of a bettery was only a week.

Submitted by Raymond Flauto (not verified) on

In reply to by Commenter (not verified)

I have been using my "723", for many years and just recently (past 3 months) the batteries only last 1 week...approximately. Previously my batteries lasted almost a month. Any comments or ideas you can advise me of. Help...


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