WalkAbout Hammerhead 3 User Manual - page 13
Chapter 2 – Hardware Operation
WalkAbout Computers HAMMERHEAD 3 User’s Guide – v021101
25
Batteries and Charging Procedures
Battery Status Indicators
The green LED’s on the lower left front of the unit indicate the
power status of the battery. At full charge, all five LED
indicators will light. As the battery power availability
decreases, the LED’s will turn off from top to bottom. Each
LED represents approximately 20% of the total charge. So if
three LED’s are lit, an estimated 60% of the total battery
charge remains.
The last LED indicator will begin to flash when approximately
three to five minutes of battery power remain. When the
remaining battery power becomes critical, all data should be
saved and the HAMMERHEAD 3 must be turned off or placed
in the standby mode. Failure to do so may result in lost data!
Replace one of the batteries with a fresh battery or recharge
the unit. See
Installing New Batteries
below.
When the HAMMERHEAD 3 is turned off, the battery status
indicators will also turn off after a delay of a few seconds.
When the unit is placed in standby mode, the battery status
indicators will remain lit as a reminder the unit is on standby.
Actual battery life is dependent on several factors including
temperature, backlight requirements and computer usage. The
use of power management may significantly extend this time.
Recharging Batteries
The HAMMERHEAD 3’s batteries automatically fast charge
any time the HAMMERHEAD 3 is connected to an external
power source (AC or DC). When charging, the green charge
indicator light will flash while the unit is recharging. When
charging two batteries, the first battery will charge to 80% of full
charge, then the second battery will charge to 80%. After both
batteries reach 80%, the first battery will then charge the
remaining 20%, after which the second battery will complete its
recharging process. This method provides the best ratio of
charge time to run time for short battery charge cycles.
Chapter 2 – Hardware Operation
WalkAbout Computers HAMMERHEAD 3 User’s Guide – v021101
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When batteries are fully charged, the charge indicator light will
stop flashing and remain a constant green.
Installing New Batteries
The HAMMERHEAD 3 has the capability to run on one or two
batteries in the field. The unit does not require both batteries to
run. The two-battery design allows users to hot swap batteries
without turning the computer off. To install or replace a new
battery, turn the round knob on the back of the unit. The knob
holds the batteries in place and is designed so the batteries
cannot be taken out at the same time. Simply turn the knob
until the quarter piece exposes the corner of the battery that is
to be replaced. A lip on the battery aids for easy removal.
Install the new battery by placing it into the compartment and
turning the knob to cover the edges of both batteries. When
power runs down in one battery, a warning message will
display to report the status of the charge in each battery.
Battery Use/Care
The HAMMERHEAD 3 uses long lasting lithium ion batteries
that are
custom made
for WalkAbout Computers. Do not
substitute any other batteries. Substituting batteries may result
in a void warranty.
Lithium ion batteries are smart batteries that do not need to
discharge then recharge to view the charge status on the
computer. They have a low self-discharge rate and a long shelf
life. Keep them dry and store them at room temperature. The
battery is not considered hazardous waste by EPA regulations,
however local regulations may require specific methods of
disposal. We strongly encourage recycling. WalkAbout will be
happy to recycle batteries for you. To order additional batteries,
contact your area representative.