The annoyance of disposable beacons

We've deployed thousands of beacons over the years. The one thing that consistently annoys integrators is the moment the battery dies. With sealed beacons, you throw away a perfectly good radio just because a coin cell ran out. With screw‑opened beacons, you spend 10 minutes per device – and after a few replacements the threads strip.

OV02 and OV04 solve this with a tool‑less snap‑on cover. Press the release, pop off the lid, replace the battery (1200mAh single cell or two cells for 2400mAh), and snap it back. Thirty seconds. No damage to the housing. No loss of IP rating. The beacon continues broadcasting with the same UUID and configuration – your backend doesn't even notice the swap.

Model selection guide

OV02 and OV04 are physically identical – same white circular housing, same 50×50×25mm dimensions, same screwless snap‑on cover. The only difference is the battery capacity inside.

Common technical specifications – both models

Key features – both models

• Tool‑less snap‑on cover – Replace batteries in seconds without screwdrivers. No risk of stripped threads or housing damage.

• 3M adhesive base mounting – Stick it to any clean, dry surface. The base plate remains attached while you pop off the top cover.

• TI CC2640 Bluetooth chip – Industry‑proven BLE SoC with ultra‑low power consumption and stable RF performance.

• Flexible configuration – Customise UUID, Major, Minor, device name, TX power, and broadcast interval via configuration tool.

• Dynamic password authentication – Prevents unauthorised cloning or tampering – a critical security feature missing in most beacons.

• Wide operating temperature – -20°C to +70°C for indoor and outdoor use (shaded).

• Optional IP67 – Standard units are IP65 (dust‑tight, water‑resistant). Order IP67 version for temporary immersion.

What the OV02/OV04 are NOT (honest limitations)

Applications

• Asset tracking – Laptops, tools, medical equipment, IT assets, pallets, totes.

• Personnel positioning – Staff badges in offices, hospitals, schools, and warehouses.

• Indoor navigation – Fixed beacons on walls, pillars, or ceilings to guide visitors via mobile apps.

• Proximity triggers – Automatic check‑in/out, zone entry detection, or equipment‑based alerts.

• Retail & marketing – Push notifications when a customer approaches a product display.

Real deployment: 1,500 IT asset tags

A multinational IT asset management company deployed 1,500 OV02 beacons on laptops, monitors, and docking stations across 12 office floors. Each beacon was configured with a 3‑second broadcast interval and 0dBm TX power. BLE gateways installed every 20 metres collected RSSI values and forwarded them to a cloud‑based positioning engine. The company reduced asset search time from 45 minutes per missing item to under 3 minutes. After 2.5 years, the first batteries began to run low. A single technician spent 4 hours replacing all 1,500 batteries – because the snap‑on cover design allowed battery swaps without removing the base tape from each device.

Another client, a university campus, deployed OV04 beacons on library shelves for indoor navigation. The 5‑year battery life matched the library's refurbishment cycle – meaning the batteries will be replaced during the next planned maintenance, not as an emergency task.