3 operation, Line power operation, Operation – Printronix PrintCart User Manual
Page 21
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3
Operation
Line Power Operation
When the line cord is connected to a wall receptacle, AC line power is
transferred by an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) directly to the cart
equipment. There is a short delay in applying line power (approximately 20
seconds for the 120V and 8 seconds for the 230V) to permit the plug to be
secured in the receptacle. The transfer happens quickly so operation of the
connected equipment is not interrupted.
NOTE: There is no need to power the PrintCart equipment off when either
connecting or disconnecting from line power.
When operating on AC line power, the green mode indicator (line power) on
the display illuminates.
The charger begins to charge the batteries after the ATS transfers line power
to the PrintCart. The charger is a three stage device designed for optimal
battery charging.
•
Stage 1 – when the charging cycle starts, the charger provides maximum
rated charge until the battery reaches approximately 75% capacity.
Completely charging the battery before reusing the PrintCart provides
good PrintCart longevity.
•
Stage 2 – the charge rate is reduced from full capacity to 10% capacity to
charge the last 25% of the battery. Completion of second stage charging
only slightly improves short term operating longevity but greatly improves
long term battery life.
•
Stage 3 – when the battery is fully charged, a trickle charge is applied to
keep the battery at full capacity.
The time required for a recharge depends on the state of discharge, the size
of the battery bank, and the charger’s capacity. The PrintCart controller
prevents the batteries from discharging more than 70% of their energy (Depth
of Discharge or DoD); this reduces the rate of permanent battery damage.
Maximum recharge times for the PrintCart are listed in Table 1 on page 22.
When the charging begins, the charger will indicate battery state improvement
through the State of Charge (SoC) LEDs, but displays differently between the
120V and 230V carts.