37
S
ECTION
13
depletion of acid within the battery as it discharges. Batteries require a longer period of time to
charge in cold temperatures.
Batteries should be operated (discharged) in the temperature range of -29° to +49° Celsius (-20° to
+120° Fahrenheit). Batteries discharged below 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit) should be charged immedi-
ately to avoid freezing.
Over Discharge
Lead acid batteries are ‘non-memory’ and over-discharge will cause damage and premature battery
failure. To avoid over-discharge, the RCF 2.4 noti
fi
es the user of low battery voltage (23.6 Volts or less) by
emitting a continual beep and displaying the message ‘CHARGE FOR 24 to 48 HOURS’ on the screen.
Inactivity
Lead acid batteries that are not in use will slowly discharge over time, possibly leading to over-discharge
and damage to the batteries. If the batteries will be inactive for a long period of time (EXAMPLE: sitting
over the winter months), then the charger should be plugged in periodically or ensure the solar panels
have good exposure to the sun and are free of debris.
Low Battery Noti
fi
cation and Charging
The signal controller will notify the user that charging is required when the battery bank voltage reaches
23.6 Volts. The noti
fi
cation consists of continuous beeping emitted from the controller hardware and
a message on the controller of ‘CHARGE FOR 24 to 48 HOURS’. Connection to a 120 VAC source for a
minimum of 24 hours is required to bring the battery bank back to a full charge. If using a generator, refer
to S
ECTION
13.4 G
ENERATOR
U
SE
for instruction.
Note: intermittent charging for short periods of time will not provide adequate charge to the battery
bank. A continuous charge for a minimum of 24 hours is required.
Battery Threshold states:
Low
- 23.6 Normal operation continues, but system warns user to charge the batteries for 24 to 48 hours.
Dead
- 23.0 Operation is terminated and system enters default mode behaviour. Charging message
displayed on the controller.
Blackout
- 21.0 Lamp indications are terminated and go dark. Radio communications continue within the
network and controller interface remains operable.
13.3
C
The battery charger is used to recharge the batteries by means of connection to a 120 VAC power source
(wall outlet or generator). The RCF 2.4 has a 15 Amp charger with a maximum power output of 675 Watts
(at 24 VDC).
The charger plug (for connection to the 120 VAC source) is located at the base of the control cabinet
door and can be accessed without the need to open the control cabinet (refer to S
ECTION
13.4 G
ENERATOR
U
SE
if using a generator).
Note: Always ensure that the power cable used to connect to the battery charger is the correct gauge, in
good working condition and properly grounded.
13.4
G
U
A minimum 1200 Watt generator is required to meet the power requirements of the battery charger.
Connection and Operation
Caution: never start up the generator while connected to the battery charger. This may lead to damage
and/or failure of the battery charger.
