Battery-powered vs wired: What really costs more?

They say price isn’t everything. And when it comes to selecting a data bus for metering, that’s especially true. We recently helped a customer facing a familiar dilemma: choose between two options. One was cheaper – on paper. The other offered a complete solution, but cost a few thousand more. The key difference? One needed external power; the other ran on a battery.

Naturally, the customer asked: “Why should I pay more for something that looks nearly identical?”

So, we ran the numbers. At first glance, the externally powered bus looked like the better deal. But then came the hidden costs: cabling, electrician fees, inspections, enclosures, time. In the end?The total cost was about the same – or sometimes even more. The difference wasn’t on the invoice. It was in the reality of installation and operation.

What stays hidden beneath the line

Most people focus only on the device price. But once a bus has to be connected to mains power, you’re dealing with a whole different level of complexity. You need proper electrical installation. That’s not just running a cable – it’s finding a spare circuit breaker, potentially routing cables across floors, and doing all this in occupied buildings.

And it doesn’t stop there. Any permanently powered device must undergo inspection. An electrician has to connect it, an inspector must approve it, and someone has to log it all. If anything changes – relocation, breaker failure – you’re back to square one.

When everything is accounted for, you’re easily thousands over the base price. And more importantly: all of it is on you. Coordinating, overseeing, paying. Which adds another item to your already full plate.

How the battery-powered data bus option works

In contrast, a battery-powered bus installs in about ten minutes. Mount it to the wall, power it on, done. No cables, no inspections, no electrician. And the battery lasts over ten years – even with daily readings. This means you can put it in a basement or hallway and forget it exists for a decade. No connections, no power outages, no reset worries if a breaker trips.

‍

And the best part? It just works. Reliably. Without downtime or intervention. If changes are needed, they’re done remotely. And all those “invisible” costs people often forget to factor in? Gone.

Benefits you feel immediately

• No structural work during installation. No wall drilling, no distribution box, no cables.
• Zero time wasted on coordinating electricians. No scheduling, no follow-ups, no compliance checks.
• No inspections = no admin hassle. No need to file reports if something goes wrong. No panic.
• Maintenance-free for 10 years. Install once – trust that it’s running daily without issue.

Same cost. Different impact.

Back to our customer: once we compared real total costs, not just the devices, both options ended up costing roughly the same. But one involved weeks of planning, stress, and paperwork. The other? A clean install, done in minutes, and peace of mind for years.

Cost comparison: Externally powered vs ACRIOS battery-powered data bus

The bottom line?

It’s not about the price tag on the box – it’s about everything that comes with it. Externally powered data buses may seem cheaper, but you’re buying into inspections, cabling, coordination, and long-term responsibility.

Battery-powered buses might cost a little more upfront – but what you really get is peace of mind. And in a business where your attention is already stretched thin, that peace is worth every penny.