Pioneer 2 - Manual (Page 51)

Pioneer Mobile Robots
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Maintenance & Repair
Your Pioneer 2 is built to last a lifetime and requires little maintenance.
Drive Lubrication
The drive motors and gearbox are sealed and self-lubricating, so you need not fuss with grease or oil. An
occasional drop or two of oil on the axle bushings between the wheels and the case won’t hurt. And keep
the axles clear of carpet or other strings that may wrap around and bind up Pioneer’s drive.
Pioneer Batteries
Lead-acid batteries like those in Pioneer 2 last longest when kept fully charged. In fact, severe discharge is
harmful to the battery, so be careful not to operate the robot if the battery voltage falls below 11 VDC.
Changing Batteries (DX and AT)
The Pioneer 2 DX and AT models have a special battery harness and latched doors for easy access to the
onboard batteries. Simply unlatch the rear door of the DX, for instance, swing it open and locate the one to
three onboard batteries inside.
To remove a battery, simply grasp it and pull out. We also provide a suction-cup tool to help. Spring-loaded
contacts eliminate the need to detach any connecting wires.
Similarly, insert batteries by simply sliding one into place. Load the batteries so that their weight gets
distributed evenly across the platform: Center a single battery and place two batteries one on each side.
Hot-Swapping the Batteries (DX and AT)
You may change the batteries on a Pioneer 2 DX or AT without disrupting operation of the onboard
systems (except the motors, of course): Either connect the charger, which powers the robot's systems while
you change the battery or batteries. Or, if you have two or three batteries, swap each with a freshly charged
one individually, so that at least one battery is in place and providing the necessary power.
Charging the Battery
If you have the standard Pioneer charger accessory, insert it into a standard 110 VAC three-pronged wall
power receptacle. (Some users may require a special power adapter.) Locate the round plug at the end of
the cable that is attached to the charger and insert it into the charge socket that is just below Pioneer 2’s
Main Power switch. The LEDs on the charger indicate charge status, as marked on its case.
It takes fewer than 12 hours—often just a few hours, depending on the level of discharge—to fully charge a
Pioneer battery using the accompanying charger (roughly, three hours per volt). Although you may operate
the robot while recharging, it restricts the robot’s mobility. Just don’t leave the charger connected for much
longer than 24 hours.
Alternative Battery Chargers
The center post of the charger socket on the Pioneer 2 is the positive (+) side of the battery; the case is the
negative (-) side. If you choose to use an alternative battery charger for Pioneer, be sure to connect positive
to positive and negative to negative from charger to Pioneer.
An alternative AC to DC converter/battery charger for Pioneer should sustain at least 0.75A at 13.75 to 14
VDC per battery. It also should be voltage- and current-limited so that it cannot overcharge the batteries.