Friendly Robotics robomower RL1000 - Power Management and Alert System

Charging is such an important aspect for assuring good performance and Power Pack life that a special
alert and power management system is incorporated into the mower to remind and alert you when the
proper charging process is not occurring.
Charging
Ready
Keep Charging
Figure 5.8
Figure 5.7
Batter
y
Icon
The importance of proper charging and maintenance of the
RoboMower Power Pack cannot be stressed enough.
Failure to follow the recommended charging procedures will
result in poor performance of the RoboMower and shorten
the life of the Power Pack.
5.4 Power Management & Charging Alerts
The RoboMower is equipped with a sophisticated power management and alert system that operates at
two levels; 1) to use the energy provided from the Power Pack in the most efficient manner during
operation and non-operation and 2) to help remind or alert you when the charging system is not being used
properly in order keep the Power Pack in top condition for peak performance and service. Level one is a
somewhat transparent level to the user, but under certain conditions will communicate information to the
level two system in order to alert you that something regarding the Power Pack and charging system
needs your attention. It is the level two system that communicates to you through LCD messages and
audio.
The basic assumption of the system is that the RoboMower will be connected to a Power Supply at all
times when a Power Pack is inserted in the mower, except when in operation. This assumption is made
because this is the only way to insure that the Power Pack will always deliver satisfactory performance
during operation and will also provide a reasonable service life. Given this, the system alerts the user at
several different levels and frequencies when this is not happening. In addition, the system can also alert
the user when something has interrupted the charging operation, such as a loss of power to the charger for
example.
The Power Pack should be fully charged before initiating any operation. In addition, you should have
examined the mower before operation to look for problems that may cause excessive energy consumption
and thereby less than optimum run-time. Examples include dull blades or heavy grass accumulation
around the blades. Other examples can be found in Chapter 7 Text Messages and Troubleshooting
. First
and foremost, insure that the Power Pack is indeed fully charged before putting it to work. And lastly, use
the RoboMower for the job it was designed to do, cutting normal levels of grass growth.
The RoboMower can operate under two different run-time scenarios; 1) operate the maximum time
allowable by the system, where this time is dictated solely on the remaining level of energy in the Power
Pack and 2) where the run-time is set to operate a fixed amount of time set by the user, such as one hour
for example. Maximum operation will always display ‘Recharge Battery’ after the cutting session and a
fixed time will display ‘Time Completed’ after the session. Under either of these operating scenarios it is
important to retrieve the RoboMower and place it on the Power Supply as soon as practical, preferably
within 6 hours from the time it stops operation.
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