Carlson Software Inc.
BRx5 Battery Use Tips
Page 2
January 16, 2015
Carlson Software Inc.
102 West 2
nd
Street
Maysville, KY 41056
www.carlsonsw.com
Phone: (606) 564-5028
Fax: (606) 564-6422
other battery. With two fully charged batteries installed, the BRx5 will typically have an operating life
of 8 -10+ hours depending on the following factors:
o
Temperature
– colder temperatures reduce battery life, especially when the outside
temperature is below freezing.
o
Internal GSM cell modem
– using the internal GSM cell modem, consumes more power than
just using Bluetooth connection to the data collector.
o
Internal UHF radio
– using the internal UHF radio consumes the most power (gives the
shortest battery life) especially at higher UHF radio power outputs (500 millwatts or 1 watt
output).
Battery Usage Tips
When using the BRx5 as a base, especially when operating for more than 6-7 hours, it is strongly
recommended that you power the BRx5 with an external battery. Use the power cable included in
the BRx5 Base/Rover kit. Connect the power cable to a 12 volt power source.
Hot Swap BRx5 batteries
– if you are using the BRx5 for more the 6-8 hours straight, you can hot
swap the batteries. Here are the steps to hot swap a battery:
o
Look at the control panel to determine which battery to swap. This will be the battery with the
status LED show red and not blinking.
o
Remove the battery tray and replace the depleted battery with a freshly charged battery.
o
The battery LED should now be green and should not be blinking. When the other battery
(the battery with the blinking LED) is depleted, the BRx5 will automatically start using the fully
charged battery just installed.
o
When the battery is use is blinking rapidly (2-3 times/sec), there is less than 15 minutes
battery life remaining. The batteries should be hot-swapped.
When the battery status LED first starts blinking red, approximately one-half that battery capacity
has been used. There is still 2-3 hours of battery life remaining.
Additional Notes
When using external power, the internal batteries are not being charged. The batteries must be
charged externally using the battery charger provided with the BRx5.
If you have any questions, or problems, please contact the Carlson Technical
Support Team:
Phone: (606) 564-5028
Fax: (606) 564-6422
This document is provided for technical support purposes only. Please refer to the product
documentation for warranty, license and safety information associated with the product.
