Defibrillator lifespan

At Medisol, we are often asked the questions ‘’what is the lifespan of a defibrillator?’ or “how long will my defibrillator last?”.  On this page you can read more about this topic.

How long does a defibrillator last? Our recommendation is 10 years.

The actual lifespan of a defibrillator depends upon many factors, including:

• The brand and type of defibrillator
• Where and how the defibrillator is stored - dust, moisture and temperature fluctuations can have a negative effect to the devices’s electronics
• Whether and how often maintenance has been carried out.

Our policy for all defibrillators with a service contract, is that we no longer issue an approval sticker for defibrillators older than 10 years. In this way, we want to prevent a false sense of security. So if you ask us how long a defibrillator will last, we recommend a lifespan of 10 years.

My defibrillator has never been used. Does it still need to be replaced?

‘’If my defibrillator has never been deployed, do I need to replace it?‘’ The advice to replace a defibrillator after 10 years applies to all defibrillators (including defibrillators that have never been used for a resuscitation). This has to do with the technical lifespan.

Technical lifespan of a defibrillator

The defibrillator industry generally applies a lifespan of 10 years, like other electronics, a defibrillator also has a technical depreciation period. This is not a fixed date but, in the case of a defibrillator, a depreciation advice to prevent accidents. This period is longer than all official warranty periods and is based on experience and periodical corrosion (which occurs internally and cannot be seen with the naked eye).

A defibrillator is in standby mode day and night, ready for action. Even if the device is never deployed, a constant current voltage remains on the motherboard. This is because the defibrillator remains ‘active’ to perform periodic self-tests and ensure readiness. Although the defibrillator appears to be at rest, the system remains active to ensure that the device can be used immediately in the event of an emergency.

Operation of the defibrillator over its lifetime

There are some claims online that the shock power of a defibrillator will decrease over its lifetime, due to wear and tear of the capacitor. Fortunately, this is not the case. The shock force after 10 years is the same as with new capacitators. However, it is true that the recharging time of the capacitor may be longer over the years, but once charged, it will still release the required power. Experience from our Medisol Service Centre shows that it is exceptional for shock power to deviate from protocol, even in older defibrillators.

In general, keep in mind that the risk of malfunction can increase towards the end of the technical lifespan. So regularly check the status of your AED to be in time when that happens.

What about a defibrillator that has been used?

A defibrillator can be used several times, infinite, actually. However, you should check the device after use and replace the electrodes and where necessary, the battery. Electrodes are single use only, they lose their effectiveness after use because the adhesive gel will no longer correctly adhere to the skin, therefore the cardiac analysis becomes less accurate and the shock cannot be transmitted properly. It is also unsuitable to use the same electrodes for several people for hygienic reasons. Therefore, always replace the electrodes of your defibrillator immediately after use. This ensures that your device is fully deployable and ready for an emergency situation again.

In general, the number of deployments has barely any influence on the functioning of a defibrillator.

How long is the warranty of a Defibrillator?

Defibrillator manufacturer warranties vary widely, most defibrillators have a manufacturer's warranty of 5 to 8 years. Quality and security are paramount at Medisol, which is why we extend this warranty to 10 years for all defibrillators*! This guarantee scheme came into force on 01-07-2020. Only devices purchased after this date fall under the new warranty conditions.

Is your defibrillator almost 10 years old? Take advantage of our trade-in offer

Of course, you always want to be assured of a properly functioning defibrillator, therefore, keep a close eye on the age of your device. If it is almost 10 years old, then our trade-in discount may be interesting to you. At Medisol you can get a trade-in discount for your old defibrillator, against the purchase of a new device. Your old defibrillator will be removed and dismantled by us free of charge. Feel free to ask for a no-obligation trade-in offer.  If you need advice or help making the right choice, our AED specialists will be happy to help.