This white paper analyzes the total cost of ownership of battery-powered RTLS tags and asset trackers, with particular focus on hospital equipment tracking. It argues that the main cost of battery replacement is not the battery itself, but the labor required to locate assets, access equipment, replace batteries, verify operation, dispose of batteries, and manage the maintenance process. The paper concludes that although light-powered tags cost more upfront, they become more cost-effective if the battery in a conventional tracker must be changed at least once, while also offering benefits such as sealed enclosures, smaller devices, reduced maintenance, and longer operating life.